One of the keys to amazing productivity is knowing what to do and when. Staying on top of your to do list helps you make that happen. Use these 3 steps to figure out what’s important and get more done!
Figuring Out What’s Important TO YOU
Priorities come from the heart. They are not a list of shoulds or have-tos. Your priorities must fit YOU. Your priorities can be the same as someone else’s as long as they have meaning for YOU.
Priorities only have to make sense to you. Only you.
What’s important to you can change over time. If your family is young, your children are usually your main priority. When you’re starting a business, that becomes a priority.
Priorities can change day-to-day or week-to-week. A sick child takes priority over everything else, right? A heavy week of business meetings may mean your business takes top billing for that week.
Knowing your priorities and reviewing them frequently can help you get more of the right things done.
So, how do you figure out your priorities? Here are some questions that might help…
- What would you drop everything for to take care of? My answer? Family. Kids, grandkids, husband, Mom, Dad. They take top billing any time.
- What do you find distracting if it’s not done? I’ve never considered myself very domestic so my answer to this one surprised me – Home. I have a list of things I do every day or every other week or whenever. Until those things are done or I have planned a time to do them, I have trouble focusing on anything else. And yet you’d never know it by looking around my house!
- What gives you a sense of accomplishment? For me it’s having a productive day in my business. I actually sleep better knowing that I created something of value.
- What makes your heart sing? Being out in nature? Creating something beautiful? Running? Yoga? Volunteering? All of the above?
Why is it important to know your priorities?
When you know your priorities, scheduling your day or your week is a snap. At a glance, you can tell which tasks on your to do list are going to make a difference.
Too much on your to do list? Use your priorities to decide which tasks are important and which ones can wait.
Look at the Week Ahead
A half-hour review session, one day a week, can make all the difference in upping your productivity and reducing stress. Being prepared lets you head in to the week with confidence. True, it may all go wrong at a moment’s notice, but at least you’ll have a plan you can use to get back on track.
Start with your Calendar
- Do you have any appointments? Meetings? School activities?
- Schedule some time now to prepare for these events.
- Make sure you have all the things you need ready to go.
Choose your priorities for the week
If you have a week of heavy meetings or if your kids have the week off school, it’s probably not the best time to plan big blocks of time to work. Find some smaller tasks – or chunks of big tasks – that you can fit in around meetings and kids. You’ll all be a lot less stressed!
Pick a Day
- Have errands to run? Schedule an errand day to get them all done at once.
- Have a day with no appointments or meetings? (Don’t laugh, they do happen…) Use it to make progress on a big goal.
Review your to do list
- Schedule tasks that fit with your priorities and time available.
- Use your 7-Day SmartList to see what’s due this week.
- Delete or reschedule any tasks that don’t need to be done this week.
Share!
- Does anyone else need to know what you’ve got on this week?
- Do you need to know what anyone else is doing? A family weekly review might be a good idea!
- Do you need to line up some help? The sooner you know you need help, the sooner you can ask.
Getting things set up ahead of time leaves you feeling in control – almost as if you know what you’re doing! Let your family and co-workers know what you’ve got scheduled and help the puzzle pieces of your life fit a little better too.
Start Your Day Off Right
A quick review of your to do list EVERY morning will reduce the chance of you missing deadlines or important tasks. Yep, some days that list will overwhelm you but here are some ideas to help.
Pick 3 things
Based on your priorities and Today SmartList, pick your 3 most important tasks. These tasks should be the ones you focus on today. Any others can be done later or rescheduled.
Check your Calendar
Make sure you know where you’re supposed to be and when. Nothing says unprofessional more than showing up at the wrong place or at the wrong time.
Check the Conditions
- Check the weather forecast (not that they’re right very often but it’s all you can go by…). Bad weather may mean you’ll need extra time to get where you’re going.
- Check traffic reports and adjust your leave-time if necessary.
Be Prepared!
Schedule a block of time first thing in the morning to make sure you’re prepared for the day. Know what you’re going to wear, get your notes together for that meeting, make sure the school knows you’re picking Timmy up early to get his eyes checked.
Reset
Have a task on your list that you know can’t be done today? Maybe you don’t have all the information you need or a part didn’t arrive? Reschedule it right away instead of letting it sit, overdue, on your list.
Now that you know what you need to do today, go out there and rock your productivity!
End on a High Note
Your day is winding down, things are quiet for a little bit. Grab your to do list and…
- Check off all daily activities that didn’t get done. Don’t worry, they’ll pop up again tomorrow.
- Look over the other tasks that didn’t get done. Should you reschedule them or leave them as overdue for tomorrow?
- Is there anything you can get done tonight to make a task easier tomorrow? Gather your tools? Jot down a few ideas? Arrange for help?
You are the one in control of your to do list. It can either help or hinder you. Make your to do list a tool that helps you get more out of life by getting the important things done so you have more time for fun!
Check out our other posts to find out how you can get more done working from home!