Dump The To-Do List

by Janet Ansell

When I was a child, the minute hand on the clock went at a snail’s pace. Now there is never enough time.

I used to think the answer to this problem was to-do lists. I had one at work, one at home and one for the weekends. I prioritized. I delegated. Learned to say no. Still my to-do list grew faster than I could tick items off. And, although I’d created the list to better manage my time, my to-do list seemed to be managing me.

One day my inner rebel had had enough. I put my to-do list away. And you know what? Life didn’t end. Things still got done when they needed to. And I found I actually had more time, not less.

The truth is this:

1.What has to get done, gets done, whether you schedule it or not. You will always find time to do the things you have to do.

2.The most important things in life rarely make an appearance on any to do list. There will never be enough time to do the things you want to.

3.Time is not a sequence of events; it’s the way you spend your life.

4.When you make time for the things you want to do, you will do the things you have to do more efficiently.

5.Just because it’s urgent doesn’t means it’s important.

6.You don’t have to do everything.

If you too want to get out of to-do tyranny, here are some ideas to try:

1.Make up your to-do list, then put it away. Getting items down on paper stops them from running around and away with your brain. What needs to get done, will get done.

2.Schedule some time each day to do what you want. These are the things that tend not to get done, so make time for them.

3.Declare one day a week a day of rest. Don’t schedule anything for it. Don’t do any chores. Don’t buy anything. Spend it getting together with friends, with family, reading, lying about.

4.Block out a limited amount of time each week for running errands. Avoid doing them on your way to someplace else. Try doing them at a time when fewer people are out and about (i.e. Saturday mornings before 11.) If you can, leave your car at home. Patronize businesses within walking or biking distance of your home. Bring home only what you can comfortably carry. Try home delivery.

5.Don’t confuse urgency with importance. Figure out what’s most important to you and make your decisions accordingly. Just because the phone rings or the doorbell rings, doesn’t mean you have to answer it. If you’re not spending the majority of your time doing what’s important to you, take a long hard look at why not.

6. Dump the to-do list. Instead, create the ‘done’ list. Focus on what you are getting done, not what you’re not getting around to.

Life is short. Use your time not only wisely, but well.

About the Author

Founder of Slow Salon(tm), Janet Ansell loves working with individuals so that they can live the life they want. To receive a complimentary copy of the Time Cruncher's Quiz , or the Slow Salon newsletter, e-mail janet@janetansell.com http://www.janetansell.com

(Note: Link incorrect. If you are the author, contact me so I can include a proper link.)

Related Article: The Problem With To-Do Lists.