Tag Archive for: how to get more done

To-Do List Fix: You Never Cross Anything Off

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Why you aren't crossing things off yourI often get questions from people who need help fixing their to do list. I find that the same problems often crop up again and again.  So I figured I’d write posts from time to time to help you tackle them because I’m guessing some of you might be having the same issues.

Problem: You never check everything off your list

Fix:

1.  Use Action Words:  Your list isn’t specific enough.  Don’t just write “respond to emails” – write instead “write back to Debbie about holiday party.”  That gives you a concentrated action that you can feel good about crossing off your list.

2.  Prioritize:  Look through your list and determine what really needs your attention first.  Once you figure that out then make a separate list for those items.

3.  Evaluate:  It’s also important to consider whether or not your list is realistic. Sometimes we set ourselves up for failure by writing down tasks we couldn’t possibly complete.

4.  Divide & Conquer:  If you have a mammoth task to complete try to break it down into smaller pieces and do a little bit every day.  If you make smaller lists this will help you to feel a bigger sense of accomplishment faster. It will feel like you’ve done so much because you’ll be able to move onto the next list sooner.

5.  Outsource:  Another way to shrink your lists is by outsourcing some as much as possible. Do you really need to do all the items on your list or can you get someone to do it for you?

What are some classic list problems that you have?

Why You’re Not More Productive and How to Fix it

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notproductiveHere’s something that might surprise you — all this productivity stuff doesn’t always come so easily to me. I’ve shared this at several of the signings for my book Listful Thinking and people have really been shocked.

The truth is I’m actually a big procrastinator.

I know that working in television under really strict deadlines, with serious time constraints has helped to pull me out of my procrastinator ways. The same rules for productivity applies for many businesses too, as well as personal goals.

I use systems all the time like list making, rewarding myself and making fake deadlines to get more accomplished.

That’s how this blog got started but I want you all to know that I work at it every single day.

Yes I do have an advantage because I like to organize shirts by color and write my to-do list on beautiful stationery. But I have to work at maintaining my lists, keeping my schedule in check and being more efficient with my free time.

I think it’s important to share our productivity struggles as well as our successes. Too often when I speak with people who are struggling they feel like they are the only one.

If this rings true with you — remember you’re not alone!

In fact, the more people I talk to, the more I realize how similar our stories are.

The same phrases always seem to come up:

“I’m too busy.”

“I don’t have time.”

“It’s too difficult.”

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See How I Detox a To-Do List on TV

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Last week I shared with you the exciting news that I was going to be on The Better Show. If you didn’t have to chance to catch it when it was on TV, here are the clips from the show:

Detox Your To Do List

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There’s a right way and a wrong way to make a list. Watch this clip to make sure your doing it the right way to set yourself up for success.

 

 

Make A List That Works!

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In this clip I show you how to make our lists work for you, not against you. Plus there’s a round-up of gadgets that can help you. Do your best ideas come to you in the shower? Watch this!

 

Appy Listing

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In this clip I give a rundown for the best  apps to keep you organized while you shop and travel.

ListProducer.com is Getting a Makeover

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ListfulThinkingI can’t believe this blog is almost 4 years old. Yep – can you believe it? This April will mark 4 years since I took list-making to a whole new level! ListProducer.com has always had the same look and I loved it. But I think it’s time for a change…something new…something brighter and something better! So starting Monday — ListProducer.com will look different.

This original look is something that I threw together with a graphic designer friend but now that my book is out and I’m hoping to build this site into so much more – it’s time for a makeover! Yay! Oh wait — I hate change. It’s true – I have a really hard time switching gears when something has served me well. I was the kid who never wanted to switch teachers or desks at school.

Even though I’ve done great up until now with this site and my natural tendency is to say “it’s fine, why change it?” – it’s time to outsource and upgrade. I’m so thrilled that my path crossed with Cass McCory’s from Capra Strategy who is helping me with this redesign and transition. She’s also a list maker! And she totally gets me. So it was a much easier decision than usual.

Although redoing my website had been on my “want list” for quite some time it was one thing that I was putting off. If you’ve been doing the same — this checklist is for you! Cass wrote it up for us — in list form of course:

A Checklist for a Website Redesign

by Cass McCrory

Are you ready to have your website re-done professionally? Here are 5 tips to identify if you’re ready and what to do next…

1. Does your website impact your ability to make money in your business? The answer to this question is always yes, you just may not know HOW. When you work with a vendor they should be able to help you identify revenue streams from your website and suggest ways to optimize for the best result. If they can’t do that, they’re probably not the right vendor for you.

2. There’s a tipping point where your time is better spent doing what YOU do best rather than figuring out how to make your website do something you need it to do. A good rule of thumb: if you’re spending more than 10 hours on something and struggling it’s better to go to a pro – that 10 hours can make a big impact if you’re doing what you do best.

3. Question to ask your vendor: Can I edit it when you’re done? This is a really important question because you’ve been doing it on your own up to this point and you do not want your hands to be tied in updating your site moving forward. A reputable vendor will make sure that you can take it from here, and always be available as a back-up.

4. Another question for your vendor: When can we meet? Bigger agencies will work standard business hours, but if you’re just starting out and juggling a full-time job along with your passion project you may need someone that can talk live after-hours. Ask the question upfront. While email communication is great sometimes you need to talk live to effectively communicate what you want.

5. You get what you pay for. Can your cousin’s son create a new website for you? Yes. Yes, he probably can. But will it be a great website for you? It might be, and it might not be. Looking around at other websites that you like and inquiring about who did their work is a great place to start.

BONUS TIP: Are you looking for a fresh design, new logo, the works? Spend a few weeks thinking about your target audience and what will appeal to them – identify magazines they’d read, places they’d like to shop and what they’re striving for. Start a Pinterest board for inspiration and provide this to your vendor, it will really help them kick-off a design project on the right foot.

Getting to Your Forgotten To-Dos

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ShineonWe all have that one thing at the bottom of our list. The thing that keeps popping up over and over again and getting copied from list to list. My friend Karen Rizzo, author of “Things to Bring, S#!t to Do.” – an autobiography in lists, had ‘learn Italian’ written on the bottom of her list for years. Other people have different goals like learning a musical instrument or running a marathon.

Well now it’s crunch time.

The first thing you have to think about is – Do I actually want this? It’s fun to dream about learning a new language, but the reality is  — it takes a lot of time and work. Do you have that free time? It’s okay to let it go if you don’t. We can’t do everything.

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