Why You Need A Realistic To-do List To Be More Productive

We need a realistic to-do list to be more productive. But what does it mean? Read these practical tips to help you get the results you want.

Having lists help us get organized, but we must have a realistic to-do list to be more productive.

The difference between them?

You have a list from the moment you start to write things down using bullet points.

Makes sense?

This is an example of a shopping list.

While you’ll probably think it’s just fine, I’m here to tell you it could be better. A LOT BETTER!

Have you ever handed such a list to someone?

If yes, did you get the groceries you were expecting?

I’d guess that your answer is “no”.

And why is that?

Things missing:

• quantity?
• brand?
• brand not to buy?

Of course that if you were the one doing the groceries, you wouldn’t need any extra information.

But as you can see your day-to-day shopping list has room for improvement.

Now let’s move towards our to-do list…

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How to write a to-do list

We need lists to keep ourselves organized.

There are many ways you can do it.

But on this post, I’m focusing on how you can create to-do lists that will boost your efficiency.

Below you’ll find my 3 favorite practical tips.

Start each item with an action verb

The major difference between your shopping list and a to-do list is the fact that the second is related to tasks, not objects.

Tasks require an action.

So the first practical tip about your to-do list is that each item has to start with an action verb.

Here’s a simple example:

This one is just to illustrate what I mean.

Would you understand my list if I had written something like:

• blog post
• social media
• Tribe

Even though the object is clear, “blog post” can relate to a ton of things such as:

• reading
• writing
• updating
• reviewing

Unless you specify the action that needs to take place, your planning is going to be vague. Making it very hard to understand and follow through.

You can also underestimate the required time because you misunderstand or overlook steps.

Don’t be afraid of details

Taking our to-do list one step further, how about shedding some light on the first item of my previous example.

What do I exactly mean by “scheduling a blog post”?

Is it only the final step before publishing my article online? Or is it more?

If I already have everything that needs to be completed and all I have to do is scheduling, the description is perfect.

But what if there’s more?

That leads us to my second practical tip that’s not being afraid of details.

For some reason, many of us feel more comfortable writing just a sentence or 2 to describe entire projects.

You may save a lot of paper with it, but it isn’t a realistic approach.

What if I broke down my “schedule a blog post” item for clarity:

Isn’t the example above a much clearer picture of what exactly I need to do?

Yes, I do have more items on my to-do list, but I have to perform these tasks anyway. Why should I hide them?

To be sincere with you, I see each blog post of mine as a project. A small one, but still a project.

You have no idea about the time and headache this approach saves me.

Plan your tasks according to their priorities and your availability

Finally one of the greatest advantages of not being afraid of details is keeping my list real.

Using another item from the blue post-it, how can I plan my day well if I just write down “engage with Tribe”?

If I want to be naive, I can say I’m doing my work if I just scroll my Facebook feed up and down. But is it really engagement? Or is it just pastime?

The last practical tip I have for you today is to plan your tasks according to their priorities and your availability.

When I detail my activities, I break down engagement per:

• platform
• goal
• public

If I’m having a very busy day and I need to reorganize my priorities, I’ll put engagement with my clients and customers above chatting on Facebook groups.

Any person who reads my blog posts, [ninja-popup ID=11356]subscribes to my newsletter[/ninja-popup], or share my content on social media is a member of my Tribe.

However, there are those who value themselves and my services so much they invested in my coaching packages and courses.

Of course that, if I run short on time, I reschedule other sorts of interactions to make sure these people get my full attention.

And it’s only possible because I make them a priority and block time to answer their questions and provide all the requested follow up.

How to organize your to-do list

We all need lists.

They save us a lot of time and headaches.

To-do lists are great to help us:

• get more done
• plan our day
• rank our priorities

But as important as having a to-do list is organizing it.

If you need help to create a realistic to-do list to be more productive, please, [ninja-popup ID=11356]come on over to our challenge.[/ninja-popup]

This week, we’ll be covering all the steps to boost your efficiency with an effective list of tasks.

The 2017 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You is free.

Grab your copy of my list of [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity[/ninja-popup] and join the conversation.

52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You

I’m hosting a 52-week productivity challenge on my closed Facebook Group.

You can read everything about the challenge here.

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How the 52-week productivity challenge works

First of all, grab a copy of the list [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity[/ninja-popup].

After signing up, you’ll be invited to join my closed Facebook group.

On the group, I’ll share daily prompts during the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You.

I’ll guide you through a brand-new topic each week.

From Monday through Friday, you’ll learn how you can use Mindful Planning™ to:

• Become more efficient
• Save time
• Manage stress
• Achieve your goals

You can start the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You at any moment of the year.

And you choose whether to follow every single week or to focus on your personal pain points.

If you miss anything, you can always refer to older posts for catch-up or review.

All that FOR FREE!

See you at the challenge

The method I apply to the challenge is exactly the same one I use with my clients: Mindful Planning™.

It’s a 5-step method you can use to all aspects of your life become more productive one day at a time without added stress.

Come and join the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You today.

I’m looking forward guiding you towards a successful year and beyond!