5 Steps To Make To-Do Lists Actually Work
Channel: George Kao
Date: 2016-02-01

I've noticed that a lot of people don't really know how to use a to-do list...  

They let the list stress them out, rather than give them calm, confident focus for what's actually important.  

Here are some steps to help you benefit from -- and maybe even love? -- using a To-Do List:

STEP 1. CAPTURE.

The main benefit of a To-Do List is to get stuff off your mind and collect those "open loops" (unfinished tasks) into a single place.

This has the effect of liberating your brain to do what it's best for -- creativity and relating -- not as a storage device, for which the brain is terrible, compared to a computer... or simply a piece of paper!

So the first tip is to consistently use a To-Do List as a way to capture any ideas you might want to take action on.

STEP 2. PRIORITIZE. 

The main problem of a To-Do List then appears -- everything seems equally important!

So when you sit down to your to-do list, the first thing is to prioritize.  

I've seen a variety of complicated systems for prioritizing, but I'll simplify it for you:

What are the 3 things on your to-do list that are:
doable today 
AND if you accomplished today, would make you proud?

Just look down your list.  And then pause whenever you see an item that calls out to be done today.  Notate that item, such as put a star next to it.

Go down your list until you have 3 such stars.

STEP 3. SET APART.

The human brain is quickly overloaded when looking at a long list of tasks.  

So why are you keeping your most important tasks listed along with less-important ones?

Do this: transfer the Top 3 tasks to a separate space, for example...

a new blank document 
a blank post-it note
a white-board (if you have one)
or what I like to use is Todoist (software app) and I use their "filters" feature.

When the top tasks are set apart in a separate space, you create VISUAL SIMPLICITY, which calms the mind, and allows you to focus better.  

Keep referring back to your short list of your Top 3 Tasks, until they are done today.

STEP 4. CLARIFY DOABLE STEPS.

The way we list an item in our To-Do List is often kind of overwhelming, such as "Do my taxes!"

That's not a Task.  It's really *many* small tasks.  It's really a Project.

It doesn't matter what we call it.   We simply need to write down, for each of our important tasks today, what is the next doable step we can take?  

What step will make progress on that Task, but doesn't scare us or make us want to procrastinate?

For example, under "Do my taxes" I might write these steps:
Schedule an hour to make progress on my taxes.
Open the spreadsheet I used for last year's taxes.
Look at the first item, and start gathering the info for that number.
etc.

Then I take the first, doable step on that list.

If the first step still makes me overwhelmed, or confused, or procrastinating, it means I haven't clarified a *doable* step yet.  I need to chunk it down further, to write something even more doable.

Makes sense?

STEP 5. GET GOING.

The point of a to-do list is to DO things, not only to feel clear or organized.

Now that you've followed the steps above to figure out what is Important today, and you've made it doable, it's time to do it!

It helps me to set a timer to take the next step.  Here's a useful website I use everyday: http://e.ggtimer.com

I actually bookmark my common timers, e.g. http://e.ggtimer.com/15minutes

Or if I'm really procrastinating and wanting to take action, I use a 5-minute timer: http://e.ggtimer.com/5minutes -- because I can do anything, no matter how unpleasant, for 5 minutes.  It usually gets me going into a flow, and I often continue working even after the timer ends.

I hope these steps help you!  

Try them out.  Let me know how it goes for you.

**

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