I am a person with many tasks due to my multiple roles. I write about my different roles in this article - Changing robes for multiple roles a day. I usually mixed up tasks and do my things alternatively and ending up a day without a completed work. This means that some tasks are just started but were not finished because I keep on starting a new one whenever it comes to mind or somebody will remind or tell me about a job. And yes, I am easily distracted while on work. So I tried making a way on how to be productive for a day. That technique is making a list of all the things that I should do for a day.
Making a TO DO list
Everyday as I arrived in the office, what I usually do first is ask the Lord's guidance for the whole day work. Then, I make a list of what are the things that I should do. It could be a task that requires short or long period of time. Examples are :
Email to Cindy the manuscript
Remind Wilkin of the certificates
Meet-up with class at 10:00 A.M.
Record video for Database
Print grades.
Finish the proposal for Happy Fish Kids
Message ACER about the Acer Academy
Submit completion grades.
Check student projects.
As detailed as they are, I can manage to fill in half of the short bond paper for a day's task. After which, I look on the list which tasks are related and can be done right away and also I put notes if it's a priority. So tasks like email Cindy, Message ACER, Remind Wilkin are quite relevant so I can just do them in one setting. After I finish some tasks, I crash out from the list.
Then I move forward to another tasks. When I reach almost 5:00pm I would go back to my list and check which tasks are done, which tasks are started and which are not yet started. All the started ones and the not yet started are forwarded to the next days TO DO list.
What are the benefits of making a TO DO List?
Serves as a guide for the tasks to be done. When I have a to do list, I am guided of the tasks that I should do for a day and it prevents some tasks to be missed out. It is better to put tasks in paper rather than keeping them in mind. With the list I can also give details for each big task.
Allows one to focus. Since I am easily distracted, I am making a goal that I should focus on a task in my list and complete it first before I proceed to another tasks. If along the work, a new tasks is given I will evaluate if it is immediate and priority and add them in my list as well.
Determining which tasks needs delegation. Through listing as well, I could determine which tasks needs to be delegated to the other colleagues or other people. There are tasks that I cannot do alone, so asking help from others is an option.
Gives sense of accomplishment. All the things I am writing on my TO DO list are my targets and when the target is done, it would be turn into an accomplishment that would help me in evaluating how productive is my day. It makes me happy seeing many tasks being crashed out in the list.
Closing Thoughts
Having a TO DO list really helped me in a way or another. It serves as my guide and it gives me a way of determining and measuring my accomplishments for day. Each of us has a different style and technique in work, this may work for me but not for you. But whatever style and techniques works for us, let's just always remember that at the end of the day, we should accomplish the works that we need to do.
So how about you? Are you also listing your tasks in paper? I would love to know your experiences.
Lead Image: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay and all other images are from Pixabay free of attribution.
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Task list is very helpful indeed in increasing productivity...i add my tasks in my bujo