X is for "X"
Don't you love checking things off (or "x-ing" them off) your "to do" list? I honestly don't know how people manage to juggle multiple projects without lists. Here are three tips I've picked up in the last year:
- Write tasks completely.
In other words, don't write a to-do item that says "beads." Instead write: "buy 2 tubes of red Delicas from Bead Cache" or "pick up spilled beads under the sofa." This is advice that I originally resisted—it seems like a waste of time. Won't you remember what you meant without the extra words? Maybe, but in the meantime you need to carry that information in your head and the more tasks you juggle, the harder this will be. - Break tasks down into do-able steps.
This is related to tip #1. Make sure when you're writing out your tasks that it is something you can check off and do. "Write book" is not a good item for your to-do list; "Write first 5 pages of Chapter 1" is a much better item since it's something you can do in one sitting. - Don't write tasks in you calendar.
The idea here is that you should only write items in your calendar that absolutely must be done on that day such as attending a book signing. If you just hope that you'll get a chance to do a task on a given day, it's better to keep it on your list. Otherwise, when you move to the next day in your calendar, it will be gone from your list.
Do you have any "to do" tips?