Endless to-do lists are frustrating, especially when stress levels peak. Most of us tackle this by working harder, but what we should be doing is take a step back and prioritise. Here’s everything you need to know about mastering your to-do list:
Make a list
Start with writing down everything you need to do. Remember to choose a timeframe for your list, short term vs. long term. Include everything, however big or small, that needs to be done in that certain timeframe.
Sort by importance
Sort your tasks based on their relative importance, break down the really tricky tasks into pieces.
- What impact will it have on your business or others work?
- How important is it according to your manager and / or other stakeholders?
- Is there something you're especially passionate about and will give you energy?
Turn the list into a matrix
The “Eisenhower matrix” is a simple quadrant that will show you how to distinguish between important and urgent. It consists of four boxes, with the horizontal axis representing “urgency” and the vertical axis representing “importance.”
Categorise your tasks smartly
Put each task in the right box in the matrix. You’ll probably notice that you’re are spending time on the wrong activities.
This is how Eisenhower did it:
- Urgent & important: Do it now
- Urgent, not important Delegate it
- Important, not urgent: Decide when to do it
- Not important & not urgent: Delete it
Set realistic deadlines
People tend to set deadlines based on when they want it to be ready, instead of when it actually can be ready. Communicate your deadlines to those that have an interest or in any way are dependent on your work, so they get off your back before you’re done. The hardest part comes last: put away distractions and just do it. Turn your phone off, snooze your email, hide away in a conference room, and just do it. Have a productive day!
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