A never-ending list of chores or a helpful checklist to keep you focused?

Whatever your thoughts are of your list, there are things you can do to make sure it is a positive tool in your business planning.

Decide what you’re using your to-do-list for.

One of the reasons why many people feel overwhelmed by their to-do-list is because they fill it with literally everything they need or want to achieve in what can seem a lifetime.

Your to-do-list should be made up of immediate action points or projects with imminent deadlines. For longer term aims and goals, create a business plan or a yearly overview.

Evaluate your tasks

What is the end result you’re looking to achieve? Once you know this, you may be able to cull your tasks to only those that are going to move you closer to the end result. Often, we put tasks on our to-do-list without even considering if they’re worth the time or are in fact a pointless step.

Organise your list

This isn’t just about organising your tasks into a timeline of most important to those which have more time in which to complete. We’re talking about grouping tasks in a way that’s intuitive to you. For example, if you’re a coach you may wish to group your tasks in to ‘Client Work’, ‘Business Projects’, ‘Admin’, ‘Conferences’. Once you have the tasks in their relevant group, put them in the right order giving them a priority and a due date.

Make it less of a chore

Often people’s to-do-lists are just that. It’s a list of tasks recorded somewhere. Why not make your list more visually appealing, hopefully sparking a positive vibe. Maybe add some colour, some emojis or images. And every time you complete a task, mark it with something that brings a sense of achievement when you refer to it.

Outsource

Are all the tasks on your to-do list things you need to be doing? If your list is constantly growing, it might be time to consider outsourcing tasks you don’t have time to do or don’t enjoy doing. Not only will this make your to-do-list smaller, but it will free up some of your time to focus on other areas of your business.

Choose the right tool

If your to-do-list is written on a bit of paper, is it time to consider an app or digital platform?

Not only does this make prioritising your tasks easier with drag and drop tools, but there are so many other brilliant functions available.

• You can share it with a team. Great if you’re looking for some help to get your list done. Not only share the list but assign tasks to individuals and track its progress.
• You can keep a record of past tasks so you can see what you’ve achieved, or just in case you miss a step.
• You can link them to your diary and devices. Great for reminders and notifications of any deadlines.
• You can update them on the go. If you’re out of the office and something comes to mind, you can add it there and then.

If you need any help with your to-do list, get in touch.