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To-Do Lists Are Your Road Map To Success!

Just like every human I too have a lazy side. My motivated side and my lazy side do battle every day. One “tool” I use in the combat against my lazy side is a To-Do list.

I have found that To-Do lists are the only way I get anything done. They are critical to my success. I know it sounds very simple but you would be surprised at how many people do not use To-Do lists. They just wake up every day and hope that they will be productive. I think of To-Do lists as my roadmap for the day. If I can get everything on my To-Do list done and crossed off then that is proof right there in writing that I have had a very productive and successful day. Does this happen every day? Of course not. I do have some days where a customer will call me in the middle of the morning with a big issue that I spend the rest of the day having to solve. This will happen and it is no reason not to use To-Do lists. If this happens often then write it into your To-Do list as an item. Use the term “Resolve Random Customer Issue” and then when it pops up you’ll have it under control. After solving the issue you can move on to the rest of your To-Do list.

I usually have several To-Do lists going on. I usually have one large To-Do list for my day job. I keep this in an Excel spreadsheet with dates to complete the items as well as a priority letter and sub items to let me know what other things have to happen in order to get the overall task accomplished. I use the alphabet as my priority letter or indicators. The letter “A” means it is a top priority and has to be completed first. The letter “B” items are to be completed after the letter “A” items and so on.

I also have overall To-Do lists for each business I am working on. Usually these are either written on a legal pad or typed into Word. This helps me to keep everything separated in my brain from a high level view. I then take a sticky note and I write out another To-Do list for the day incorporating items from each list. Now I have a very small and portable road map of what I want to get done for that day. I sometimes type this daily To-Do list into my Blackberry Storm.

This is what I have found works very well for me. It has taken me a few years to figure out that this method works best for me. Find the To-Do list method that works best for you and stick with it. You will find that it will do wonders for your productivity and your success!