W HILE YOU CAN ARGUE FOR THE addressed (or, almost as often, can’t be addressed
flavor and approach to task manage- yet). While you want to always stay aware of future
ment that best suits your style, it’s hard obligations and the work that they are likely to
to disparage the benefits that come from getting generate, the to-do list is absolutely not the place
task commitments out of your brain and captured to do it. Keep your to-do list a sacred tabernacle for
in a consistent location. Think of the to-do list as current activity, and maintain longer-term task and
the evolving strategy for focusing your effort and support materials as well as appointments where
attention in the immediate future. they belong — in a project support folder and your
calendar, respectively.
Anatomy of a To-Do The trick is that most jobs can be made easier The primary idea of a to-do is that it’s a task that long before they’re undertaken, simply by framing can and should be done — a point that might seem and naming them properly and in the right-sized obvious until you start uncovering how many of the units. As early as the capture and planning phases items on your to-do list may not belong there (or, of building your to-do list, you hold the power and conversely, how many uncaptured items do). The responsibility for defining your work properly. The best and most useful to-dos share some common last thing you want is to wonder whether you’re qualities: It’s a physical action. It can be accom- doing the right thing at the right time. plished at a sitting. It supports valuable progress toward a recognized goal. Glancing at your own to-do list, do you see any “Get specific in whittling potential troublemakers? Notice any items that make you squeamish? Any “mystery meat” tasks a task down to one that seem “un-doable” as is? Don’t sweat it. We’re activity that you can going to have you shaped up in no time. accomplish completely Let’s Get Physical Articulating your to-dos in terms of physical activity at a sitting.”
— even when they require only modest amounts of actual exertion — has a variety of benefits. Why Am I Doing This Task?
Most importantly, it ensures that you’ve thought When compiling a list of everything on your mind through your task to a point where you can envision (and plate), it’s crucial to unpack how each task how it will need to be undertaken and what it will you accept or assign to yourself will support your actually feel like once you’re doing it; it’s not just a projects, your roles, and your goals. Before adding bunch of words you’ve written on a page. a new item, reflect on the value that each chunk of
Framing your work in the physical world is easiest work brings to your world. Remember: Every minute when you imagine what’s being done, and the best you work on one task is necessarily a minute you trick here is to simply phrase your task in a form can’t work on another. Don’t accept or assign crap. like: “verb the noun with the object.” That means If it goes on your list, it’s a commitment to seeing instead of reminding yourself with the mystery that task through to completion. Respect your time meat of “year-end report,” you’d more accurately and attention enough to take your work seriously first start with “download Q3 spreadsheet from and plan it with care and forethought. Alpha geek work server.” And, instead of “get with Anil,” you’d status awaits once you can get your to-dos framed, probably want to “email Anil on Monday to schedule flipped, and retired as efficiently as possible. monthly disco funk party.” Get specific in whittling the task down to one activity that you can accom- Note: This column originally appeared in an expanded plish in ten minutes or less. version on Merlin Mann’s site, 43Folders.com.
Avoid the trap of littering your horizon with piles of crufty pseudo-tasks that can’t actually be
Learn how to reel in your mind at Danny O’Brien’s lifehacks.com and Merlin Mann’s 43folders.com.
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