Do you make resolutions at the start of the year? For several years I have resolved to finish off my To-Do List. As you can guess, I never succeed—the list keeps growing. Lesson learned: pick a well-defined and finite objective for a New Year’s goal.
One of my past managers told me to always work on the easiest things on the list. That way, he concluded, you can quickly tick off accomplishments, and then tackle the more difficult stuff. This has proven to be very bad advice for me. It’s too easy for me to avoid doing the more challenging, time-consuming, or unpleasant tasks. It’s not that I am lazy or don’t like a challenge, I do. It’s just that, over the years, the To-Do list has become an accumulation of the things that I least like to do, some of which have become critical.
For example, I have not succeeded in collecting names and addresses on my landing (squeeze) page. For some reason, the tool does not work with the template that I have. This could be a very complex or simple project. I could try to figure out how to solve the problem myself, or (and this idea just came to me) I could hire someone to make it work. With this epiphany (I don’t have to do all the work myself), my To-Do list has become easier. Instead of “Get the landing page to work,” the list now reads “Contact Fiverr.com to find someone to get the landing page to work.” That is something that I can do quickly.
By doling out the work, I have greatly reduced my backlog and increased the available time for my current projects. And I won’t be doing the things that I am not good at or really don’t like doing. Why didn’t I think of this before? I don’t really have to do it all, I just have to make sure it gets done.
To make your To-Do List doable, it is suggested, keep your list short. This recommendation may be fine and dandy for some, but not for me; my list is already long. There is a lot I want to do in 2014. See the list above on the left . Phew! I’m tired already.
To get it all done, I will break the larger steps into smaller, more specific steps that I can accomplish each day. I will also limit or stop some of my current activities, like reading blogs on marketing techniques and ways to promote my book(s). These can be on next year’s To-Do list. First, I have to write the books.
Stealing from project management techniques, I have created a timeline and will do my best to stick to the schedule. To accomplish this, I will create daily/weekly To-Do List that will be short (five to seven items) and thus accomplishable. Adding time in the schedule for the unexpected makes achieving my goal more realistic.
Making a To-Do List Work
- Don’t create one major list. Instead create secondary lists that breakdown the steps needed to complete the primary list. Keep breaking these down until the tasks are clearly defined and doable within a time frame. This is the best way to guarantee finishing the tasks on schedule.
- Review your accomplishment often and adjust the schedule accordingly. If you cannot complete the task by the allotted time, consider doling out the work or reevaluating the importance of the task.
- Use your calendar to monitor your progress or use a scheduler to track the tasks. This will help you minimize time creep.
- Celebrate the milestones. Reward yourself for completing portions of the project on time. You worked hard and deserve to recognize your accomplishments.
- Be flexible. Planning time for the unexpected can keep you on track.
- Have fun. This is your plan to achieve your goals. Driving yourself too hard may be counterproductive, so relax and enjoy the journey.
References
- Why You Never Finish Your To-Do Lists at Work (and How to Change That)
- How to Make Your To-Do List Doable
- How To Manage A Project
- My Toastmaster Speech on Managing a To-Do List
Have you set your goals for next year? How to you plan to achieve them? Please use the comments to let us know.
