How to Make Your To-Do List Doable

[zvi]

1. Only Put Items on the List That You're Definitely Doing (things you might do go on a separate list)
2. Only put actions on the list (projects go on a separate list)
   1. Only put the next action from a project on the todo list
   2. Use precise verbs to describe the next action
   3. Include as much info as possible in the to do list action
3. Make the list short
4. Prioritize tasks
5. Remove tasks and add tasks at the same rate, a few every day
6. Purge and update list weekly (make this an appointment on your calendar)
7. Log completed tasks
8. Restart the system when it breaks down

complete article by Gina Trapani

Comments

[badgerbag]

Hmm, it's tempting to try and do it that way! Right now I have a whole system in Remember the Milk! Working decently but things just keep piling up and the lists get longer. Maybe after a while they could go to a separate "long term maybe" list.

[zvi]

If your system works for you, don't switch. Maybe you need a separate long-term list, maybe you just need to look at a different view in Remember the Milk, so stuff you're doing today and this week is visible, and stuff that lingers is less visible.

[ell]

Most helpful thing I've seen so far today! Thank you for posting!

[zvi]

welcome.

[justhuman]

Thanks for posting. I had never come across (or perhaps don't recall) the advice to keep projects on a separate list. I had heard keeping the task list to strictly tasks, but having a place to put projects would be useful.

[zvi]

this is from lifehacker, and it's sort of pared down Getting Things Done. I like productivity blogs a lot, even if I'm not always the most productive person in the world.