When I think of lists, I think of to-do lists. I love all of the other lists that rank and grade from David Letterman’s Top Ten to the AP Top 25 in college football and basketball to any list of the 100 greatest fill-in-the-blank. But the to-do list tops my own list category.
The form of to-do lists can range from what you need at the grocery store scribbled on the back of an envelope to the wonderfully designed TeuxDeux. People, too, generally fall into the category of compulsive list-maker or the category of thinking they don’t need one.
I’m in the middle, but I need to push myself to become a compulsive list-maker and list-checker-offer. My problem: I make a list, feel defeated by all the things I have to do, and go spend some time on social media. Not the way to get things done. In fact, I usually find more ideas, more things to do the more I’m on social media.
Guides abound for making lists and making effective lists. I’ve looked at many. I’m entranced by planners and systems for getting things done. It’s like believing in leprechauns. If I just find the right system, I’ll be organized and productive. I’m beginning to give up that dream and focus on what I need to do to be an effective list maker and do-er. Here’s my list of what I’ve learned and what I hope to put into practice.
1. I need to write things down. With a pen. In a cool book/planner. Or on a big piece of paper to hang on my wall.
2. I need a big, long-range list of things to do to keep me focused on the big picture.
3. I need to break down that big, long-range list of things to do into small, d0-able parts. Action steps.
4. I need to stop looking at my to-do list as a wish list. It’s a do list. While the act of writing it down is important, it’s not getting it done.
5. I need to prioritize. All those planning/organizing guides make this point very clearly. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to check something off the list.
6. I need to avoid hijacking by email, Twitter,Facebook. Part of making a list is being productive. While I find Twitter to help in my overall productivity and growth, I also spend a lot of time on it, feeling as if I’m accomplishing something. Twenty minutes later, not so much.
7. I need to be specific in my list. This is linked to the small, do-able parts section of No. 4. How will I tell when I have accomplished what I wanted to get done? So my list can’t just say work on research project. What do I want to get done today?
8. I need to be realistic. In my list-making zeal, I can go on and on. One planning guide suggested that most of us can really accomplish three things in a day.
9. I need to be consistent in my lists and my working life. I tend to go in spurts, but it’s hard to work on long-range projects that way.
10. I need to celebrate my success and look at ways to conquer my challenges.
Oh, wait. Maybe that’s another list.
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