Productivity Hacks

Getting Things Done: The Successful Man’s Task List

Sometimes I am overwhelmed with things to do and I need to find a quick and easy way to organize all the tasks and just start getting things done. The best way that I have found to make it easier on myself is just to make a to-do list. Very simple, but also extremely effective. Creating a to-do list seems to be a lost art, as many lists are too general or don’t include all the tasks that need to be accomplished.I used to look at to-do lists with dread and tried to avoid them at all costs. But that is simply because I didn’t grasp the full power of the to-do list. I was so stressed out because I created lists without easily achievable tasks. I created larger goals that seemed much more daunting to tackle.

I would create a list, work on it, and then abandon it after a few items were crossed off. Part of the issue was that I created vague, general tasks that didn’t give me a specific path to follow through to completion. When it comes to getting things done, it is best to be as specific as possible. That way there is no confusion over what is to be done first, and then next, and then how to finish. Creating to-do lists like this changed my life and made me far more productive than I ever thought possible.

The best way to illustrate my point is to give an example. If I wanted to create a to-do list including cleaning my bedroom, would I just write “Clean bedroom” on the list and leave it at that? The old me would, and I wouldn’t be getting things done, or if they did get done, they wouldn’t be very thorough. By creating a specific list of all the tasks, I can make sure that I check them all off to do a complete and thorough job. I will create a sample to-do list for cleaning my bedroom:

Clean Bedroom

– Make the bed

– Vacuum the carpet

– Organize closet

– Hang up clothes

– Sort shoes

This is by no means a complete list, but it gives the general idea of the type of tasks I will put on a to-do list. If I just had “Clean bedroom” on the list, then I probably wouldn’t have gotten to the very specific aspects such as organizing my shoes. By creating a list with specific tasks, it aids in getting things done and gives you a roadmap of manageable steps you can precisely follow in order to do a complete and thorough job.

Creating to-do lists can help you streamline your productivity and make it easier for you to get things done in your daily life. There are other things I do to increase my productivity as well. When running errands, I have along lists of contacts on my smartphone that I have to sort through when calling a particular business or person. I have found I often have more than one listing for some people with multiple entries. There is software that can delete duplicate contacts and merge them into one single list though and allow me to boost my productivity.

Other relevant articles:

http://www.earlytorise.com/2008/02/25/using-daily-task-lists-to-accomplish-your-goals-2/

http://mysuperchargedlife.com/blog/personal-productivity-accomplish-3-things-today/

In line with Getting Things Done is working with The Power of Agenda Lists