How to get things done: Best answer yet

If you're finding yourself struggling to get things done, or worse yet, having trouble even remembering what you have to get done, this blog is for you.  There are several tips I have found over the years that have helped me make the most of each hour of the day.  Many of the tips have been put to use religiously, - like David Allen's tip... that if something will take two minutes or less of your time to complete, do it now!  I've practiced that one and have benefited greatly from it.

Having said this, I haven't found an entire system, yet, to pull it all together.  I have several ways of reminding myself of various projects, and fortunately I have a good memory, so far...but sometimes I fear that I'm forgetting something important.

But, thanks to Michael Hyatt, I have a new system in place.  It involves using the idea of a primary "command center" as your to-do list system.  This command center functions to maintain your central focus throughout the day.  I especially like the tool he uses and plan to purchase it.  Here's what Michael does to make his to-do list his personal command center:   

1. Make sure your to-do list consists of “next actions.” This is the secret to getting things done and avoiding procrastination. You have to break a project down into discrete actions. For example, “Prepare Thomas Nelson Strategic Plan” is a project. “Write first draft of updated vision statement” is a discrete action within that project. I try to create a bite-sized action that I can complete in less than a few hours. If it’s going to take more than that, I break the action down further.
2. Prepare your to-do page the night before. I like to do this toward the very end of the day. This gives my subconscious a chance to work on the items overnight. I find that I am much more productive the next day if I do this. It also gives me a chance to hit the ground running, knowing exactly what needs to be accomplished.
3. Review your to-do list first thing in the morning. Before I do anything else, I review my calendar and my to-do page. The calendar provides the “hard edges” of my non-discretionary time. These are the things I must do. My to-do list provides the discretionary items I will have to get done when I am not in a meeting or otherwise committed. Reviewing these items first, provides me with the opportunity to make last minute adjustments to my game plan. I also arrange these items in roughly the order I plan to do them.
4. Stay focused on your to-do page throughout the day. I always have my to-do list in front of me. I use Things, a software program for the Mac, so it is only a keystroke a way. But the tool is really unimportant. There are tons of great ones on the market, including Nozbe (another favorite) or even a plain old Moleskine Notebook. The main thing is to stay focused on one project at a time, check it off, and then go to the next one. When your to-do page is your command center, it keeps you from getting distracted by everything else pinging your brain.
5. Add to your to-do list as items occur. You want to be able to get to-dos out of your head and into a reliable system for follow-up at the appropriate time. If they keep rattling around in your head they “consume psychic energy,” as David Allen puts it. Again, I try to keep this a keystroke away. With Things, I just press ^⌘-Space, and it opens a new to-do window. If my cursor is on an email message, it automatically links that message to the new to-do item. But again, the tool is not important. Use what makes it fast and effortless.
6. Rinse and repeat. I rarely get everything on my daily to-do list done. Items that I don’t complete become candidates for tomorrow’s page. Sometimes, that makes them more important for tomorrow’s list or I realize that these items are no longer a priority and delete them altogether. Regardless, at the end of the day, I start the cycle over and prepare for tomorrow.

If you have tools or systems for getting stuff done, I'd love to hear about them...

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.  

Comments

[Katelynmash.wordpress.com]

Very helpful information for getting the most out of your day. In any field using the computer it is easy to become distracted with social media or juggle between tasks too much. I'm beginning to write down a to-do list the evening before work and find I'm much more focused the next day.

Best,

Katelyn