Photo by Mateusz Stachowski

To do to-do, no!

Do you do to-do list? I hope you do.

Some people don’t want to do to-do list because they are afraid that the long list of to-do items would kill their freedom. For example, some rather spend time with their friends than doing the things their mother demanded.

Some people don’t do it because they think it is childish, is a waste of time.

Some people don’t do to-do list because they are lazy to write and read. They just do whatever the to-do wants and needs that they can remember.

Some people aren’t aware of to-do list method and its benefits. Their parents perhaps didn’t teach them. Their teachers might have taught them but they were just busy studying for exam to get good grades, sadly not to apply knowledge they’ve learnt into their daily life.

I hope you do not belong to any of this group. If you do, repent! Let’s see why we need to do to-do list.

Free-up your time

From your to-do list, do determine which tasks are the urgent-important, urgent-not important, not urgent-important and not urgent-not important. By doing this, you could drop certain tasks, and delay certain tasks to other days. And from the remaining of your to-do list items, do see which you can subordinate to others. You can pay other people to do, or ask for assistance from your colleagues, family members or friends.

All the above actions would free-up your time to focus on the remaining to-do list items, and to enjoy your life i.e. to do what you want, to have quality time with your family and to spend time socialising with your friends. You might also want to bring forward those tasks which you planned to delay – freeing up your tomorrows’ time.

Increase your personal efficiency

Most men think that only women can do multitasking. Wrong. Anyone can do multitasking. From your to-do list, see which tasks can be done simultaneously. Those tasks don’t necessarily have to start at the same time. You can start the next one in the middle of doing the first one. For example, you can drop by a flower shop to get a flower for tonight’s date on your way back to office from project site. Another example, you can go through emails while waiting for the meeting time. The key is: by-heart your to-do items, and carefully plan the timing and other related resources (i.e. money, manpower, materials).

Increase your personal effectiveness

By having to-do list, you won’t waste your time doing the unnecessary such as watching TV, chatting in messenger or SMS, and playing game before you completed your to-do tasks – unless those are the things that you need to do to complete your tasks. Focus on your to-do list, “What’s next? What’s next?” You’ll be amazed to see that you are able to accomplish so many things in one day.

By having extra time, you could do better your to-do list items. You could give your love ones, your clients, your boss and others something that is beyond their expectation – and your own expectation.

How to do to-do list?

Firstly, think of what you need and want to do. Write or type them down. Next, follow the steps I had mentioned earlier – I summarise them for you below:

1. determine which tasks are the urgent-important, urgent-not important, not urgent-important and not urgent-not important
2. cancel which ones can be dropped, especially those which are not urgent and not important
3. KIV which ones can be delayed, especially those which are not urgent
4. see which ones can be subordinated
5. see which tasks can be done simultaneously
6. focus on important tasks and deliver the best, even beyond expectation
7. monitor the progress of each tasks and mark the completed tasks
8. if you still have extra time, you may consider to bring forward KIV items today

Dynamisms of to-do list

Please remember that a to-do list is a dynamic list. It should be because life is full of the unexpected. Therefore, to-do items can be dropped and new to-do items can be added at any time. Additionally, urgent tasks can become less or not urgent and vice versa, and important tasks can become less or not important and vice versa. But do not worry so much about these. To-do list can become its own solution. It helps you to free-up more time, giving your extra flexibility so that you can accommodate any required changes to your to-do plan.

Good luck!