You’ve Achieved an Empty Inbox… Now What? (8/15)

Now you’re ready to go to work! To-do’s, unlike email, must get done.

Image Credit-Midjourney

To create a practical to-do list, get a pocket-sized pad of paper, and you’ve got your rolling to-do list in the palm of your hand.

Putting your to-do list on paper will get you away from the “frenzy” of your computer world and into a calmer, more focused frame of mind. In this state, you can better analyze and consider what really needs to be done and in what order.

Instead of just writing tasks down, this process forces you to think through your tasks. By turning things over, your subconscious will start working on your list long before you actually get to some of the items. If you regularly create to-do lists – but seldom stick to them – this process will work wonders.

A to-do list is merely the process of managing our focused attention over time. It’s a written account that assigns realistic time frames to each task while allowing you the welcome respite of stepping away from the frenetic world of “instant.”

Remember, regardless of the number of tasks or their urgency, you can only do one thing at a time. This may seem childishly obvious, but it’s anything but, because the world is full of delusional multitaskers. (Multitasking: Are You Under the Influence?)

How to Use Your To-Do Pad

At the top of the pad, write “To Do” and today’s date.

Now open your computer’s “To-Do” folder and start at the first message. As you read this message, write down a short subject title and the “To Do” necessary to complete the task.

Next to that, enter the estimated time required to complete this task. Once you’ve written the task on your pad, delete it from your To-Do folder.*

Then, go to the next message until every task from the To-Do folder has been transferred to your written pad.

Now that you’ve completed your to-do list and an estimated time to complete each item, rank them in the order of importance.

For example, suppose you have several items that aren’t too important, but they may only take ten minutes each to complete, while the most important item will take many hours, days, or months.

Now you have a decision to make… and it may be a difficult one, but at least you’ll be making a calculated decision using rational, objective thought as opposed to instinctively knocking off the simple task because they reduce the length of your list and give you the short-term thrill of “getting things done.”

A To-Do list can’t solve an overload of work, but it can do wonders for organizing, prioritizing, and highlighting that you may have more than you can handle. If so, rather than sweep it under the carpet and let it balloon into a past due, you can reorganize, reassign, turn down new requests, or recruit help.

That’s the powerful simplicity of a well-thought-out to-do list. It allows you to make rational decisions based on considered thought and understanding.

Assigning Tasks and Following Up Is Part of YOUR To-Do List

What do I mean by that? We often send someone a question to answer or a task to accomplish and consider it to be off our plate and now somebody else’s problem. Not so. Not so at all!

If you send someone a task (via email or otherwise), it’s up to you to ensure that it’s taken care of.

If you send an email request it’s up to you to get confirmation on both receipt and agreement that it will be done in the requested time.

Should the “promised” delivery time come and go – and you’re still waiting – additional follow-up is still your responsibility.

Make it a habit to include follow-ups as part of your to-do list.

By prioritizing your to-do list and assigning thoughtful, well-considered time frames to each task, you’ve created a clear picture of the road ahead. You can intelligently assess your situation.

If you’ve taken on more than you can handle, admit it. Recruit help.

Festering, worrying, or working till the point of burnout doesn’t do you, your health, or your company the slightest bit of good.

In fact, putting yourself under unnecessary stress and strain for any length of time will eventually make your contribution unwanted.

Taking the time to create a thoughtful, considered to-do list will enable you to maximize both your time and productivity. And that’s the power of a well-planned to-do list.