Favorite To-Do List Categories

12 Nov Favorite To-Do List Categories

Last week I wrote about setting up your to-do list by priorities so that you didn’t have to copy the same information over and over again.  This concept captures the new way of managing time.  The reality is that no matter how hard we work or how organized we are, we can no longer get everything done.  When planning how to use our time I have found it most effective to group my to-dos into priorities.  Many time-management gurus have their own methodology.  Mine is a hybrid – based on what I’ve seen WORK with clients over the past 12 years.  As with everything I do, it’s easy, because we’ve learned – if it’s not easy it doesn’t happen.

Critical – must be done today before I leave the office or go to bed

Hot – must be done in the next 2 or 3 days or there will be a consequence:

• I will miss out on an opportunity
• It will cost me money
• I will be embarrassed
• I will let myself down

Sooner – it needs to be done soon, but it is not critical or hot

Later – it needs to be done, but it is not critical, hot OR “sooner”

It is okay  if:

• things sit in “later” a long time
• things fall off the list and come back at another time
• things move around – what was “hot” this week sometimes becomes “sooner” next week

Remember, this is a tool to help YOU get your most important work done.  Try it and let me know how it works for you.