Do you have a to-do list? Maybe it’s a bulletpoint spread of tasks and goals you’ve jotted down on a scratch pad. Maybe it’s a long litany of projects outlined on a whiteboard. Perhaps you use an app or other digital tool to outline what needs to be completed.
Regardless of which tool you use, getting it down in some tangible form is just step one. If you really want to make progress, now you’ve got to develop a manageable system to check those items off the list.
Just because it popped into your head doesn’t mean it needs to be on your list. Take a moment to review the tasks you’ve outlined and make some honest assessments.
As an example, are you planning on earning a higher degree or certification? “Get my Master’s” may be a goal, but your to-do list isn’t the place to drop it. Instead, this week’s list might simply say “Research programs that offer local or remote classes for Master’s.” And perhaps that shows up a few days (or weeks) in a row before you’ve got all your due diligence done. Or even more specific, maybe today’s list just says “Research application requirements and degree programs at [university near you.]”
Yes, there are everyday tasks we complete because it’s just something we need to get done. Itemizing your expense report may not move you closer to your goals or be aligned with your passion, but it is a task you need to complete. It also represents expenses associated with tasks you completed on your way to meeting your professional goals and objectives. Just do it.
Beyond that, however, are the tasks on your list aligned with your direct responsibilities? Do they move you toward your expressed goals and objectives? Do they reflect your corporate and personal mission statement and values? If the items you need to get done routinely exceed the time and resources you have to complete them, it’s time to prioritize what you’re trying to accomplish and cut some things to better budget your time, energy, and resources. Start by focusing on those things that are aligned with your (and your company’s) vision and mission.
Are there things on your list that you add just because you feel like you should be doing them? Remember in step one, you asked “Is this a task I need to do or can I delegate it?” In step two you considered your tasks in relation to your goals and vision. Are there things still on the list that could either be reassigned or are not aligned with your mission and vision simply because you feel like they are something you should do? Take some time to consider the following about that task:
Carving out time to organize your inbox and your desk has value. Is it a high priority task? Should it take priority over other items with established deadlines? Perhaps. If the clutter and volume impacts your ability to be productive, sure, making space to get organized is a priority. On most days, however, these are things you can work on after the other stuff is done or when there is a quiet lull in your day.
Maybe it’s the final half hour of your week as everything has wound down. Maybe it’s the early hours of your day when you sit with a cup of coffee and make sense of your inbox. Find the quiet spaces where the urgency to get the other things isn’t pressing in on you to focus on lower-priority tasks.
Unless of course, you need the feel-good hit of checking something off. Then by all means, pick the low hanging fruit. Create some files. Stuff papers in the right spaces. Put the pens and highlighters back where they belong. Organize your space and check that box off. Relish in the accomplishment of scratching off something from your list and move on to the next thing.
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