The Dope on Lists: How to Make a List That Will Help You Get Things Done

[Lisa23]

How to Make a Great List

Tools required-

• An excel spreadsheet is preferable, but if you prefer paper and pen, you can just put numbers next to each task to prioritize it. It is hard to make a list in the right order from the start.
• Cup of strong coffee, or other means of waking up-

Make the List- (best done at the start of your day)

1. Transfer all the tasks you didn’t do on yesterday’s list over to today’s list.
2. Add any new tasks.
3. Assign all jobs that absolutely have to get done today a “1″. Then rank them in order of descending importance with letters: “A” is the first thing you’ll do, “B” is the second thing, etc.
4. Next, find all the jobs that you would like to get done today, and assign them a number “2″ status. Again, rank them just as you did with the “1″s.
5. Finally, assign everything else to the “3″ category. I call this the “Dream On” section. I hardly ever get to these things, so I don’t rank them. If you think you’ll get to them, though, you can also prioritize this section.
6. Now, take an overall view of the list, and ask yourself these questions:
   1. Do you have enough time to accomplish all of the “1″s? If you realistically can’t get through them all, move those you can’t get to over to the “2″s right now. May as well. It alleviates the guilt at the end of the day, when all your “1″s aren’t crossed off.
   2. What am I missing? You can always add later. too.

I guarantee that if you do this for a few days you’ll see yourself getting more accomplished.
And remember: 21 days makes a habit.
Another Great Master: Manny Ramirez



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The Dope on Lists

[fasteddie]

That makes a lot of sense, my problem has always been listing really general things like going on an adventure, and then not being able to think of an adventure when I get to it.

[n_vizion]

Great info. Thanks for sharing.

[spencer]

Thanks for sharing. I have been thinking to do something similar for a while, and it's finally time to really do it.

[Gypsypunk]

excellent suggestion

[sirjenia]

I am reading a book by Steven Covey - First Things First- it is about 300 pages of pure life management skills on a different level. author talks about how we can not manage time, we can manage and prioritize our whole life and everything we need and have to do. he teaches how to discern between important and urgent, primary and secondary... i have never read anything like it. i recommend it to everybody. i bought it used on amazon for less than $7.

[lucille]

Great post! I like the three levels of categories. I keep my to do list in a notepad file and right now it is really a mess. I think the three levels sounds like a good way to whip it into shape.

[manlovetea]

I combine GTD with structured procrastination, It works for me.

[AlmostFrugal]

Originally Posted by Lisa23

How to Make a Great List

This is a great way to create a list of things to do, but I wonder if you might not be spending more time on creating the list than actually getting things done? I think I would use this system for a list of things I wanted to do over a longer period of time: a week, a vacation, than a daily to do list.

[gtdagenda]

Great tips.

Another thing that is important is to start your day doing priority 1 tasks, and later work on 2 and 3 type tasks. You will feel and be more productive.

If you'd like to implement the ideas from the first post, combined with GTD tools like contexts and next actions, you may try this: http://www.gtdagenda.com