Writing and Completing Your To-Do List
In addition to being one of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin was also an inventor, scientist, author, printer and a diplomat. He is well-known for having created libraries, fire departments, and the postal service. If that weren’t enough, he invented bifocals, the Franklin stove, and the lightning rod. He was involved in politics, wrote a newspaper, traveled, had an active social life and was a single father.
Franklin was also a man who made to-do lists. Mr. Franklin's lists included things like housecleaning and reading, as well as reminders to bathe and be frugal. No doubt someone as busy as Ben needed to be reminded of those things!
While few of us aspire to do as much in our lifetimes as Benjamin Franklin did, a to-do list can still be a great way to keep track of our tasks that need to be done. But many times we find ourselves dissatisfied at day's end when we discover how many things didn't get accomplished.
So why aren't we completing our tasks? What's wrong with our lists? And what can we do about it?
Too many things on the list. It's impossible to do everything, and you're setting yourself up for failure right from the beginning if you put too many things on your list. Pick out the most important things that must be done. If you do more than those, then you’re ahead of the curve.
Our tasks may be bigger than we first thought. How often have you just jotted down something “simple” only to find there's a lot more to it? An item reading “take care of change of address stuff” when you've just moved may mean more than visiting the post office—you may need to go to your bank, the DMV, contact your insurance company, etc. If you find yourself in this situation, break tasks down into smaller steps. A little bit here, a little bit there, and eventually the job will get done!
Too often unplanned things come up. A child is sick, or the car had a flat, or the client has extra work, or no one answered any of your emails or calls today—no doubt even Franklin had days when things went wrong. Relax. The way Franklin actually put it was: “Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.” Just learn how to say “no” when you need to say “no.”
We procrastinate about things we particularly don't want to do. How many times has the same undone item shown up on your list? You're still adding it to the list, even though you know that you probably won't do it. Delegate it or drop it. If you're not going to do it, then find someone else who will. Failing that, forget about it.
At the end of each day Franklin always wrote down “What good have I done today?” Don't forget to keep track of your accomplishments, too!
Check out this post in Infusionsoft’s blog on the art of creating to-do lists.