November 12th 2007
Productivity
4 comments
It a themed week at Organize IT. Over the next three updates I will be focusing on that beloved tool: the to-do list. Whether you call it a tasks list or a next actions list, they all ultimately mean the same thing. In the first two posts I will detail ten items you can trim out of your to-do list to leave you with a much more focused and easy to follow list.
The quick and easy task
If you are writing down items that only take a few minutes or even seconds to do then there is a problem. As much as possible do there them there and then. If it’s a thirty second phone call, don’t add it to your list and leave it for later, get it completed and out of the way. Use the GTD rule: if it takes two minutes or less to do something, just do it straightaway. These tasks provide little satisfaction when completed anyways, they invariably clog up your to-do list and usually end up being harder to complete if do you put them off.
The constantly delayed task
If you have items that have been on your list for a while (maybe weeks or even months) you should really ask yourself why. If you are waiting on something else before moving forward with the task (waiting on a colleague to email you information for instance), then you shouldn’t be listing it on your to-do list anyways. Implement a separate sheet to record tasks that you are waiting on. If it’s simply a task you keep putting off, consider whether it’s a priority and whether you really need to do it or not. If you do, find out why you are hesitating on it resolve to complete it, otherwise remove it from your list. These sorts of tasks can be demoralizing because they constantly linger on your lists as ugly incomplete items.
The really obvious task
While GTD encourages you to get everything off your mind and into a trusted system, it is all too easy to take it too far. Your brain isn’t that useless. Noting down that you need to empty the bin for instance, is really not necessary. When the bin is overflowing and smells bad, that is typically a big sign that you need to do something about it. You don’t need to have it noted down on your to-do list too.
Tasks you don’t need to do
There are three types of task. Firstly you have those tasks you need to do otherwise there are negative consequences (a work report delegated to you by the boss), stuff you feel you should do (go to the gym) and stuff you want to do (watch that DVD you bought). You don’t need to have the last two on your to-do list. Stuff you should do typically requires separate tools for monitoring them anyway, and stuff you don’t need to do invariably takes care of itself because it typically carries no commitments, has no high priority and is not time-framed (try to plan your socializing and entertainment activities in the same way you plan your work life and you will see what I mean).
The next action
This is more related to those who follow GTD practices and view each task as a next action. Briefly, next actions are the next physical steps you need to take to move a project forward. Projects typically have an whole bunch of next actions tied to them depending on their size. Don’t use your to-do list to track all of them, use separate project files for that. If you plan to move forward with a project, only note down one next action for it on your to-do list each time. It shouldn’t be used to track what you intend to do three steps later.
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