Before I became a professional organiser, I was often overwhelmed with the gazillions of things I had to do each day, to the point of utter exhaustion. If I didn't make it part-way through each day's list, I would kick myself and complain about having 'too much to do in too little time!' My days seemed to be a constant struggle in trying to get things done.
Since I began consulting others on how to be better organised, I've explored techniques and tricks for tackling To Do lists and keep on top of time, so that I can help my clients stay focused and on track with their daily tasks.
If you are struggling to meet deadlines and complete high-value tasks, the important thing to remember is that you will never cross everything off your To Do list. Life is continuous and we will always have responsibilities to meet, commitments to uphold and, unfortunately, bills to pay!
Once you're recognised that there will always be something that needs your attention, follow these top tips for tackling time and your To Do list.
1. At the beginning of each day write your To Do list. You might prefer to do this at night, so that you can sleep peacefully knowing that tomorrow's tasks are planned and ready to get stuck into.
2. Prioritise your To Do list. Label each item as either A (urgent tasks with high consequences if they are done or not(, B (less urgent tasks which still have fair consequences if they are done or not) and C (tasks which are nice to do but have no good or bad consequences (such as having a coffee or reading your favourite magazine). The idea is - never do a B task when an A task is undone, likewise never do a C task if an A or B task is un-done. Voila! Your attention will shift from that overwhelming feeling of having too much to do, to focusing on what's really important.
3. At the end of each day transfer the A and B tasks to the top of tomorrow's To Do list. That way you will always complete the most important tasks of the day and not get caught up in the B or C tasks that aren't as pressing.
4. Write the estimated time it will take to complete each task. Sometimes I think something will take me an hour to do, when it's only about a 10 minute task! This allows you to realistically plan your day and not under or over-complete a task.
5. Relax! If you don't get through your daily or weekly To Do list, don't fret. Life goes on! Just spend some time focusing on what you want to achieve in your life, set some solid and inspiring goals, and work every day towards achieving them.
