Tag: to-do list

Quote: Have you yet discovered that your mind has limited space, and it's a terrible office? - David Allen

It has limited space, and it’s a terrible office

by EvieBurke, posted in video

No, it’s not my office. Although, sometimes I do make this my office and it doesn’t work well for very long.

What has limited space and is a terrible office?

It’s your mind.

It comes from this quote:

It’s so important to have a place (or two, but not many more!) where you will collect your ideas and tasks.

When I started my business, keeping them in a notebook worked best for me. As my business grew, I kept a digital list. My business has now outgrown that and I’ve moved to an online task management system.

It doesn’t matter where you’re keeping your tasks and ideas, as long as it works for you.

And did you know that some people hire others to manage all of that for them? These people send them a short, manageable list every week or every couple of days of what they need to accomplish to stay on track, meet their goals, and bring their big ideas to life.

I remember hearing about it on an Amy Porterfield podcast and thinking, “I’d LOVE to do that!” And now that’s part of my offering!

Again, it doesn’t matter whether you’re managing all your moving pieces or someone else is, as long as you’re not trying to keep it all in your mind (where inevitably something falls through the cracks).

If you want some help with this, reach out!

Background of a wall of doors with text on top "What if you had fewer decisions to make each day"

What if you had fewer decisions to make each day?

by EvieBurke, posted in Task List

What if you had fewer decisions to make each day?

How would that feel?

Would you get more done?

How many times throughout your day are you sitting at your desk deciding what needs to happen next? Only to do it again when you complete that task. You have to mentally go through all of the things that have to happen. And it can be exhausting.

Instead, create that to-do list so that you know what you need to work on next, and you don’t have to make that decision each time you’re ready to move on to a new task.

I’ve had clients tell me that they were surprised at how much smoother their day went with a good to-do list. They didn’t need to try to remember what the next thing was that they needed to get done. They had the next task written down already. The decision was already made.

So create your to-do list!

And if you want to make sure you set up your to-do list to tie in with your goals for the month, the quarter, and the year. I invite you to attend the free training I am doing at the end of April. It’s called Plan Prioritize Profit: The Three Keys to Getting the Right Things Done Each Day. In this training, I will be talking about to-do lists and sharing my framework for how to set them up in a way that allows you to make fewer decisions.

If you prefer listening/watching, you can catch this on YouTube or in my free FB group.

Text: Two quick secrets about to-do lists

Two quick secrets about to-do lists

by EvieBurke, posted in Task List

To-do lists get a bad rap as bringing stress and overwhelm and taking SO MUCH TIME.

Here are two super quick secrets about to-do lists.

Secret 1: It’s just another name for goal and project management.
To-do lists are your system for keeping your business and life running smoothly and staying focused on what matters.

Secret 2: A well-crafted to-do list gives you time back.
It does! Because it’s tied to your goals and gives you permission to not worry about everything else. 

When you’re to-do list is crafted the right way, it does feel like everything is easier.

So, does your to-do list keep your business running smoothly? Does it give you time back? Or does it bring you stress and overwhelm?

Let me know if you want help creating a to-do list that keeps things running smoothly, gives you time back, and allows you to work less while accomplishing more.

Text "Is your to-do list less of a helpful tool and more of an anxiety-creating monster?" with small cute pink screaming monster

Is your to-do list less of a helpful tool and more of an anxiety-creating monster?

by EvieBurke, posted in Task List

At least once a year, I come across an article or video about how to-do lists don’t work and we shouldn’t use them.

Their definition of a to-do list tends to fall into one of two categories:

  • The list of everything you want and need to do
  • The list of things you plan to get done if today is the perfect day with no interruptions or unexpected sidetracks AND if you can get 12 hours of work done in 7 or less!

A to-do list is less of a helpful tool and more of an anxiety-creating monster with either of those definitions.

Your to-do list can be a helpful tool that keeps you on track with your goals.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for the list of everything you want and need to do.

As David Allen says:

Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.

Your daily to-do list is not your everything list. Instead, your daily to-do list is a list of items that you plan on completing taking into account your appointments and normal interruptions.

I already hear you saying, “But I can’t plan for my interruptions. That’s why they’re interruptions!”

One of the common reasons I hear for not creating a to-do list is, “I never can get through it because of the unexpected interruptions! It’s so frustrating!”

This is a cycle that prevents you from creating a daily to-do list that works for you. 

How long will you let this cycle hold you back?

Let me know if you’d like to have a chat about how to create a to-do list that works for you.