 Your Daily To-Do List
The advantages of maintaining a to-do
list:
- A to do list helps us know the
different things that have do be done so that we do not miss anything.
- A to do list is more dependable than
our memory.
- Once we have a written list of the
things that we have to do, we can prioritize and decide which jobs should
be done first.
- A to do list helps us
to avoid repetition of labor.
For example, if we have to deliver a
document at an office and collect a document from another office
which is on the same block as the first office, both these tasks
can be done together. It saves us the time energy and effort of going to
the same place twice. But only if we have a ‘to-do’ list can we
know in advance that there are two jobs
at the same place. This is the way
mail carriers operate when they deliver mail.
A to do list enables us to cross out
the tasks which have finished doing and towards the end of the day
when we see the list of things that we have crossed out, it certainly
will give us a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. It also
has the effect of shocking us if nothing at all has been done and
crossed out.
If anything remains on today’s list,
it can be carried over to tomorrows list and that is excellent way
of preparing a to-do list for the next
day.
The ‘to-do’ list should be realistic.
It is not enough that daily
‘to-do’ lists be prepared. The list should be realistic
because it should include only things that can be accomplished
today. There is no sense in preparing a list that includes items
that can only be done over a week.
You should also create lists for the
week, month and even the year but on
separate paper. It is best to pin up
these longer term
lists instead of carrying them around.
Keep in mind is that a weekly
list is not something to be done on the last day of the week and a
monthly list is not something to be done
at the end of the month. Check your
other lists regularly and add what can
be done today to today's to do list.
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