Jobs and CareersGetting Things Done - Avoid the To Do List Monster
By Hope Wilbanks
You sit down at your desk, grab a sheet of paper and a pen, and fill the page with all the important things you need to get done today. Within minutes, your head is pounding and your heart is racing at the monster of a list you now have before you. You begin to feel overwhelmed before your day has even begun. You wonder how in the world you'll get everything done by sundown. Sound familiar?
Every day there are hundreds of thousands of people facing this same task list monster. In an effort to become more time savvy and get more things done in 24 hours, they actually end up sabotaging their own efforts. Don't succumb to the evil, purple-eyed To Do list monster. You can get things done, but you might need to change your approach.
3 Tips For Avoiding The To Do List Monster
1. Pare down your list. This is the most important thing you can do. What are the three to five most important things you need to do today? Write those down. If you don't think you can only write three, start with a list of ten things, then cross off the least important ones until you're down to three to five items. (This doesn't mean those other items are unimportant; it just means the three left standing are the most crucial ones.)
2. Set time limits. The area where many people fall short is setting deadlines for their to do list. If you don't have time constraints, you'll end up floundering all day, despite having a more manageable to do list. Using a timer is an even better way to give yourself an impending crunch time deadline.
3. Encourage yourself. Just because you've culled your to do list to about three items, that doesn't mean those three items will take very little time to complete. Some may take a few hours, up to more than a day or two, to complete. In such instances, you must become your own cheerleader. Keep yourself accountable until the job is done, but more importantly, stay focused on the end result. You'll be happier and proud of yourself once you finish every task on your list.
*Bonus Tip: If you finish your list in record time before the day is up, add 2-3 more items to it. Your smaller to do list should be used as a jumping point for getting more done when possible. Beware of the other to do list monster, who tells you that once you're finished with this list, you can go goof off the rest of the day.
Like this article? You can read more inspirational and self-improvement articles just like this one at http://www.nurturedsoul.com
==========================================
Getting Things Done - The To Do List Sandwich Method
By Hope Wilbanks
Creating a to do list has been a part of my daily life for a long time. I like to begin my day by making my list. It harnesses my thoughts and centers me because it gives me focus for the day. I have found when I skip my to do list, I tend to get much less done because I don't know where to start. On the flip side, there have been times when my to do list was so enormous that I didn't know where to begin. That's when I learned about the power of five.
Check marks don't equal getting things done.
Every day, I used to fill nearly an entire page of a notepad with things I "needed" to get done. I'd sit down and think up every imaginable task I thought needed to be accomplished and write it down. For whatever reason, a longer list made me feel good. It made me feel like I had a lot to do. Trouble was, it was too much.
The first thing I started to notice was that about half of my to do list was filled with rote activities: brushing my teeth, cleaning the toilet, washing dishes, doing laundry. These were regular daily tasks, yet they overtook my to do list. I quickly learned by removing those from my list, I could easily reduce it by half, if not more. Sure, being able to check those things off my list every day felt good (because it looked like I'd accomplished something), but was it really necessary? No. I quickly realized the only thing I was accomplishing was making more work for myself.
How I made my to do list sandwich.
Since I love food, I decided to take a different approach to making my daily to do list. I decided to build a "sandwich" of task lists, one that would be more doable. I was somewhat apprehensive about paring down my lists to such shorter ones. It felt wrong, but I gave it a try anyway.
What I discovered was that by compressing my lists, I actually started getting more done than ever before. The shorter my lists, the more productive I became. Here's how the To Do List Sandwich Method works:
* Bread - Hardest, most time-consuming task
* Mayo - 10-15 minute task
* Ham - Next-to-hardest task
* Lettuce - 15-30 minute task
* Bread - Simplest task
First, create a shortened to do list. Then, start with the most difficult or lengthy task. Next, follow up with a quick task that requires little to no effort. Move on to the next time-consuming or challenging task, proceeded with another quick, brief task. Finally finish the to do list sandwich with another simple task.
Quick Tip: Be cautious with your easy tasks in-between the more difficult ones. These are the ones you should use a timer with, to prevent time loss.
Was this article helpful? You can read more inspirational and self-improvement articles like this one at http://www.nurturedsoul.com
=========================================
Goals - 5 Reasons For Writing Them Down
By Anthony D Carter
You determine what your goals are. Your goals guide your life. It is important that you write those goals down. Here are 5 reasons for writing your goals down.
MIV-Makes It Vivid - Your goals take on a life of their own when you write them down. The written word is more powerful than the thoughts which come and go throughout the day. When you write the goal down it become concrete and real to you. Before you write your goal down it is only an aspiration. It is a wish.
PCR-Provides Constant Reminders - Out of sight, out of mind is the saying that can apply to your goals when you do not write them down. With so many obligations pulling at us in a typical day it is difficult to keep our mind centered on our goals if we don't see them often enough. In order to hit our goals we must be able to see them and think about them throughout the day so they don't get lost in among our other responsibilities. Regularly reading your written goals gives you constant reminders during the day. As you keep those goals in front of you impress them upon your mind.
EP-Establish Priorities - Written goals help you prioritize your activities. You especially need this in the beginning. Before the habits have been developed you need to remind yourself of what you are trying to accomplish. Otherwise you will find yourself operating business as usual. I always use written goals to help me establish the order of my priorities for any given day when I first set my goals. Because I have them written down and I am looking at them constantly, the task associated with my goals rise to the top of my list of things to do.
KYF-Keep Your Focus - When you write your goals down and read them regularly you begin to center your attention on their completion. As your focus on them becomes stronger your goals are kept at the forefront of your thoughts. Every time you read your goals you are giving your subconscious a clearer image of the target.
MIAH-Makes It A Have To Have - When you write your goals down you begin to put importance on them. Your goal moves from being something nice to have to being something that you must have. When your goal is written down and you can read it and think about throughout the day it begins to matter more to you. It becomes something that you think about constantly.
And now I would like to invite you to claim your free access to my special report "Setting And Hitting Your Goals" by going to http://www.setandhitgoals.com
From Anthony D. Carter - a leading expert on goal setting.
=======================================
Simplicity is Key to Getting Things Done
By Hope Wilbanks
If you are among the many who struggle every day and seem to rarely get everything done, there is hope. Maybe you have tried every known system but they still don't work for you.
Lots of people think making a to do list is always the answer. While to do lists are good in theory, often times they fall short. Let me tell you why. For most, to do lists are simply a very long, rambling, detailed list of every single thing you think you need to do in one day (or week, month, etc.). There's where the problem lies.
While creating a task list to keep yourself on track is great, more often than not though, your list becomes overwhelming and near impossible to complete because you set yourself up for failure. When you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, you start to feel no matter how much you do, you're getting nowhere fast, so you quit before you're even half-way finished.
Keeping things simple is a must for getting things done swiftly and easily every day. When you can create a simple, easy system for yourself, you will be much more likely to complete every day, and then some. More importantly, you will feel good about yourself and your accomplishments. You will find yourself spurred to even further action because you will be confident in yourself.
Tips for keeping things simple:
1. Keep your To Do list manageable.
2. Don't include regular daily activities on your task list (example: brushing teeth, fixing hair & makeup, etc.)
3. Set a timer for at least one of your tasks (10-15 minutes, max.).
4. Find an accountability partner to help keep you on task when you're feeling flighty.
5. Focus on one task at a time.
If you still need more help getting things done, or tools for motivation, you can read more inspirational and self-improvement articles like this at http://www.nurturedsoul.com
By Hope Wilbanks
You sit down at your desk, grab a sheet of paper and a pen, and fill the page with all the important things you need to get done today. Within minutes, your head is pounding and your heart is racing at the monster of a list you now have before you. You begin to feel overwhelmed before your day has even begun. You wonder how in the world you'll get everything done by sundown. Sound familiar?
Every day there are hundreds of thousands of people facing this same task list monster. In an effort to become more time savvy and get more things done in 24 hours, they actually end up sabotaging their own efforts. Don't succumb to the evil, purple-eyed To Do list monster. You can get things done, but you might need to change your approach.
3 Tips For Avoiding The To Do List Monster
1. Pare down your list. This is the most important thing you can do. What are the three to five most important things you need to do today? Write those down. If you don't think you can only write three, start with a list of ten things, then cross off the least important ones until you're down to three to five items. (This doesn't mean those other items are unimportant; it just means the three left standing are the most crucial ones.)
2. Set time limits. The area where many people fall short is setting deadlines for their to do list. If you don't have time constraints, you'll end up floundering all day, despite having a more manageable to do list. Using a timer is an even better way to give yourself an impending crunch time deadline.
3. Encourage yourself. Just because you've culled your to do list to about three items, that doesn't mean those three items will take very little time to complete. Some may take a few hours, up to more than a day or two, to complete. In such instances, you must become your own cheerleader. Keep yourself accountable until the job is done, but more importantly, stay focused on the end result. You'll be happier and proud of yourself once you finish every task on your list.
*Bonus Tip: If you finish your list in record time before the day is up, add 2-3 more items to it. Your smaller to do list should be used as a jumping point for getting more done when possible. Beware of the other to do list monster, who tells you that once you're finished with this list, you can go goof off the rest of the day.
Like this article? You can read more inspirational and self-improvement articles just like this one at http://www.nurturedsoul.com
==========================================
Getting Things Done - The To Do List Sandwich Method
By Hope Wilbanks
Creating a to do list has been a part of my daily life for a long time. I like to begin my day by making my list. It harnesses my thoughts and centers me because it gives me focus for the day. I have found when I skip my to do list, I tend to get much less done because I don't know where to start. On the flip side, there have been times when my to do list was so enormous that I didn't know where to begin. That's when I learned about the power of five.
Check marks don't equal getting things done.
Every day, I used to fill nearly an entire page of a notepad with things I "needed" to get done. I'd sit down and think up every imaginable task I thought needed to be accomplished and write it down. For whatever reason, a longer list made me feel good. It made me feel like I had a lot to do. Trouble was, it was too much.
The first thing I started to notice was that about half of my to do list was filled with rote activities: brushing my teeth, cleaning the toilet, washing dishes, doing laundry. These were regular daily tasks, yet they overtook my to do list. I quickly learned by removing those from my list, I could easily reduce it by half, if not more. Sure, being able to check those things off my list every day felt good (because it looked like I'd accomplished something), but was it really necessary? No. I quickly realized the only thing I was accomplishing was making more work for myself.
How I made my to do list sandwich.
Since I love food, I decided to take a different approach to making my daily to do list. I decided to build a "sandwich" of task lists, one that would be more doable. I was somewhat apprehensive about paring down my lists to such shorter ones. It felt wrong, but I gave it a try anyway.
What I discovered was that by compressing my lists, I actually started getting more done than ever before. The shorter my lists, the more productive I became. Here's how the To Do List Sandwich Method works:
* Bread - Hardest, most time-consuming task
* Mayo - 10-15 minute task
* Ham - Next-to-hardest task
* Lettuce - 15-30 minute task
* Bread - Simplest task
First, create a shortened to do list. Then, start with the most difficult or lengthy task. Next, follow up with a quick task that requires little to no effort. Move on to the next time-consuming or challenging task, proceeded with another quick, brief task. Finally finish the to do list sandwich with another simple task.
Quick Tip: Be cautious with your easy tasks in-between the more difficult ones. These are the ones you should use a timer with, to prevent time loss.
Was this article helpful? You can read more inspirational and self-improvement articles like this one at http://www.nurturedsoul.com
=========================================
Goals - 5 Reasons For Writing Them Down
By Anthony D Carter
You determine what your goals are. Your goals guide your life. It is important that you write those goals down. Here are 5 reasons for writing your goals down.
MIV-Makes It Vivid - Your goals take on a life of their own when you write them down. The written word is more powerful than the thoughts which come and go throughout the day. When you write the goal down it become concrete and real to you. Before you write your goal down it is only an aspiration. It is a wish.
PCR-Provides Constant Reminders - Out of sight, out of mind is the saying that can apply to your goals when you do not write them down. With so many obligations pulling at us in a typical day it is difficult to keep our mind centered on our goals if we don't see them often enough. In order to hit our goals we must be able to see them and think about them throughout the day so they don't get lost in among our other responsibilities. Regularly reading your written goals gives you constant reminders during the day. As you keep those goals in front of you impress them upon your mind.
EP-Establish Priorities - Written goals help you prioritize your activities. You especially need this in the beginning. Before the habits have been developed you need to remind yourself of what you are trying to accomplish. Otherwise you will find yourself operating business as usual. I always use written goals to help me establish the order of my priorities for any given day when I first set my goals. Because I have them written down and I am looking at them constantly, the task associated with my goals rise to the top of my list of things to do.
KYF-Keep Your Focus - When you write your goals down and read them regularly you begin to center your attention on their completion. As your focus on them becomes stronger your goals are kept at the forefront of your thoughts. Every time you read your goals you are giving your subconscious a clearer image of the target.
MIAH-Makes It A Have To Have - When you write your goals down you begin to put importance on them. Your goal moves from being something nice to have to being something that you must have. When your goal is written down and you can read it and think about throughout the day it begins to matter more to you. It becomes something that you think about constantly.
And now I would like to invite you to claim your free access to my special report "Setting And Hitting Your Goals" by going to http://www.setandhitgoals.com
From Anthony D. Carter - a leading expert on goal setting.
=======================================
Simplicity is Key to Getting Things Done
By Hope Wilbanks
If you are among the many who struggle every day and seem to rarely get everything done, there is hope. Maybe you have tried every known system but they still don't work for you.
Lots of people think making a to do list is always the answer. While to do lists are good in theory, often times they fall short. Let me tell you why. For most, to do lists are simply a very long, rambling, detailed list of every single thing you think you need to do in one day (or week, month, etc.). There's where the problem lies.
While creating a task list to keep yourself on track is great, more often than not though, your list becomes overwhelming and near impossible to complete because you set yourself up for failure. When you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, you start to feel no matter how much you do, you're getting nowhere fast, so you quit before you're even half-way finished.
Keeping things simple is a must for getting things done swiftly and easily every day. When you can create a simple, easy system for yourself, you will be much more likely to complete every day, and then some. More importantly, you will feel good about yourself and your accomplishments. You will find yourself spurred to even further action because you will be confident in yourself.
Tips for keeping things simple:
1. Keep your To Do list manageable.
2. Don't include regular daily activities on your task list (example: brushing teeth, fixing hair & makeup, etc.)
3. Set a timer for at least one of your tasks (10-15 minutes, max.).
4. Find an accountability partner to help keep you on task when you're feeling flighty.
5. Focus on one task at a time.
If you still need more help getting things done, or tools for motivation, you can read more inspirational and self-improvement articles like this at http://www.nurturedsoul.com
Jangan Lupa Share Artikel Ini Ya...?
Bagikan artikel ini ke temanmu melalui "SosMed" kamu di bawah ini:
Bagikan artikel ini ke temanmu melalui "SosMed" kamu di bawah ini:
Posts
