Tag Archive for: time management

Making an Ignore List

L is for Lists

L is for Lists (Photo credit: Swiv)

Sometimes even more important than a to-do list is an ignore list. I just made one this weekend actually. I wrote down all the to-dos that I wanted to accomplish. Then I reevaluated this list.

Sure I wanted to finish the slides for a presentation I’m doing in December…but it didn’t need to get done right now. Doing that task would push other more important tasks to the bottom of the pile. So I added it to my ignore list. This doesn’t mean I’ll never get to it – it just means that I don’t need to get to it right now. So I’m ignoring it this weekend.

Doing this will help you to prioritize and really look at each to-do individually. If you don’t have the drive, resources or time to complete that task right now — don’t. Put it on your ignore list. Eventually you can move it to your to-do list and get it done.

Toss or Keep Your Lists?

It’s always so interesting for me to hear how other people manage their to-do lists.  For instance — I thought everyone kept their lists after crossing everything off — just like I do.  Apparently that’s not the case.  A lot of people toss their lists as soon as they’re done!

I Keep All My Lists!

For me — I like to keep all my work to-dos in Steno pads and keep them in my desk.  Each day before I leave work I write a new list for the following day.  I run through the next day in my head and list out every phone call, followup email, meeting and shoot I need to take care of the next day.  But even when I fill up the pad — I keep it in my desk…just in case.

Sometimes I have to refer back to a note I made on a page or remember what I was doing on a particular day.  I just like to have a record of my life — even if it’s a scratched out, doodled on version.  Apparently so does Karen Rizzo (no relation) — as she told her memoir, “Things to Bring, S#!t To Do” entirely in lists!

Many People Toss Them

But there are some people who throw out their Post-its the second they accomplish whatever goal they set for themselves.  I guess this is a way of physically getting the task out of your way so you can clear your head and move onto the next task.

So what about you —  toss or keep?