Expert Advice Tip Sheet -- Creating A To-Do List -- OnlineOrganizing.com

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	Creating A To-Do List

	By Ramona Creel

Feel free to use this tip sheet / checklist as you tackle your own ""do-it-yourself"" organizing projects. If you would like to REPRINT or DISTRIBUTE this information, please click here for reprinting instructions.

6 REASONS TO KEEP A TO-DO LIST

can help you take control of your time
gives a one-glance look at everything you want to accomplish
minimizes mind-clutter by keeping track of odds and ends
improves your memory by writing everything down
frees up mental "RAM" by emptying your brain of trivial items
helps you prioritize your activities

BUILDING A MASTER TO-DO LIST

keep a notepad nearby so you can enter items as they occur to you
empty all of the to-do's in your head onto a piece of paper
don't worry about priority, importance, or time frame for completing
this is your "master to-do list"
don't try to tackle all the items on this list
you will build your "daily to-do list" from your master list

CATEGORIZING AND PRIORITIZING

break your master list into meaningful categories by activity
home maintenance, work, calls, errands, to buy, etc.
break large projects into smaller individual tasks
assign a letter code to each item on the list
"A" = must do; "B" = should do; "C" = could do
prioritize items in each category by letter ("A" then "B" then "C")

DAILY TO-DO LIST

limit your daily list to no more than 10 items you hope to complete
include no more than 2 large or difficult tasks
your daily list includes appointments and commitments to others
also include "A" items off of your master list
if you have time, fill in the gaps with some "B" and "C" items
leave room for urgent items that just pop up

DEVELOPING A NOT-TO-DO LIST

not every item on your to-do list has to be done
the key to productivity is awareness of how you spend your time
what you do, how long it takes, and what benefit you get
create a log tracking your activities for a week
evaluate the time investment time versus "payoff" for each activity
how much benefit or enjoyment are you getting from each activity?
keep high-payoff and enjoyable activities on your to-do list
ask yourself if low-payoff activities need to be done at all
if they do need to be done, do they have to be done by you?
if they need to be done by you, could they be simplified?

HOW TO TACKLE YOUR LIST

tasks should be completed in order of importance
unless they have a specific time frame (like a meeting or class)
is this the best possible use of your time at the exact moment?
your goal is to complete all of your "A" items first
then finish as many "B" and "C" items in the time available
be realistic about how much you can accomplish in a day
create an agenda for your daily task list
schedule times for completing specific activities whenever possible
if you didn't complete a task, you had too many items on your list
move unfinished items to another day and re-evaluate the priority

MAKING SURE YOUR ACTION ITEMS GET DONE

if you procrastinate, create artificial deadlines to finish early
know your work style (long stretches or short bursts)
understand your high and low energy periods
plan your to-do's accordingly
make liberal use of memory joggers -- alarms, sticky notes, etc.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES

get your family to take on household responsibilities from your list
ask a co-worker for assistance with routine business tasks
...and offer to help out the next time that co-worker needs a break!
make use of support staff (admin clerks, assistants, etc.)
outsource jobs to an independent contractor or freelancer
develop a local co-op for sharing time-consuming domestic chores
set up an informal chore swap with a neighbor

Copyright 2000-2009 Ramona Creel -- you are welcome to reprint any article, but you MUST include this resource box.

"Ramona Creel is a modern Renaissance woman and guru of simplicity -- traveling the country as a full-time RVer, sharing her story of radically downsizing, and inspiring others to regain control of their own lives. As a Professional Organizer and Accountability Coach, Ramona will help you create the time and space to focus on your true priorities -- clearing away the clutter other obstacles and standing in the way of that life you've always wanted to be living. As a Professional Photographer, Ramona captures powerful images of places and people as she travels. And as a travel writer, social commentator, and blogger, she shares her experiences and insights about the world as we know it. You can see all these sides of Ramona -- read her articles, browse through her photographs, and even hire her to help get your life in order -- at www.RamonaCreel.com. And be sure to follow her on Twitter and on Facebook."

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