3 ways to get more done with a shorter to-do list
Download your free to-do lists here.
People work off of lists that are WAY too long. Now wonder when you sit down with a few precious minutes or hours, you get scrambled, stressed, and turn to the fast tasks with little reward. The big, satisfying, lucrative tasks that make you proud of yourself and move you forward get lost and don’t get done.
You surely have tasks that would boost you towards your goals if only you didn't keep pushing them off to tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes when you spend everyday spinning your wheels with busy work. My clients start to get more done in less time when they learn to work off of a short to-do list!
I love what what Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organized Mind says about decision overload:
“It’s as though our brains are configured to make a certain number of decisions per day and once we reach that limit, we can’t make any more, regardless of how important they are.”
This is precisely why a shorter to-do list is delightfully clarifying.
Here are 3 specific ways to get more done with a shorter to-do list:
1. The big lined sticky note
I've fallen back on this super basic but super effective to-do list for years! Even when I'm working off of a more sophisticated to-do list, sometimes I just scrap it all and grab the nearest brightly colored sticky note. On it I put room for 3-6 priorities. If nothing else gets done that day, I know I'll sleep well if these priorities are completed. Example is shown in the video above.
2. The quadrants
Oftentimes when a client is reeling in overwhelm, I divide a page into quadrants and map out their three hottest projects or life-areas. (The first quadrant is almost always reserved for a short priorities list.) When I turn it around to show them, they are always relieved to see their stressful load mapped out so simply. Under each quadrant (such as emails, calls, kids, household project, professional project, etc.) you'll put down a few to-dos for the day or week. I've created one for you. Download it here for free.
3. The weekly Accomplisheet
For years I've been working off of a weekly "Accomplisheet." It was taking a dose of my own medicine after creating so many of these for clients. This is a single sheet fill-in-the-blank tool where you can see specific priorities across projects, life demands and goals. These work wonders for highly visual people. When I create them, they are highly customized based on lots of one-on-one conversation. But, I've created a universal one for you to start with! Download it here for free.
What's great about these 3 to-do lists is they encourage good habits! They work best when you refresh them each day (if using a daily list) and/or each week (if working off of a weekly list). They help you to exercise a muscle of prioritization. It gets easier and easier to see and name your priorities with regular use.
People overcomplicate productivity! I’ve seen so many clients adopt the short list habit and years later, are still using it. I can't wait for you to join the short to-do list movement!
Again, click here to download your 2 free printable PDF to-do lists.
