The To-Do List by
OYIN WILLIAM PMP
• A KEY TIME – MANAGEMENT TOOL
The famous mantra devised by Napoleon Hill,
author of the “success” classic Think and Grow
Rich, says, “plan your work and work your
plan.” It’s a good rule that successful
executives follows. The key to the “planning”
part is an effective, workable to-do list.
THREE EXECUTIVE TO-DO LIST STYLES
• The high-powered, detailed to-do list,
organized on a daily or weekly.
• The “rolling” master list – a single to-do list,
updated, revised, and rewritten on a more or
less daily basis.
• The minimalist to-do list-just a few items,
scratched on Post-its, an index card, or a legal
pad.
The High powered Detailed To-do list
• Many people who use this type of list design to-do list
forms that they carry with them through the day and
week.
• But how do you know whether this kind of detailed,
heavily task-oriented list is the right style for you?
Because it seems to be linked to an intensely hands-on
form of productivity.
• Is this your to-do style? Are there clues that hint you
are by temperament, a hands-on manager for whom
this kind of intensely detailed would be suited? Check
off any of these three characteristics that apply to you:
• Pleasure in discrete tasks that have definite
beginnings and endings.
• An interest in how things are made. Perhaps in
earlier years or even now, as relaxation – you
enjoyed tinkering with autos or the innards of
computers.
• A taste for exactitude in knowing where projects
stand at any given moment.
If you checked two or three boxes, this suggests
that intense task involvement will release your
productivity.
The “Rolling” Master List
• A “rolling” master list is simply a continuous list
to which to-dos are added constantly as they
arrive.
SEVEN VARIATIONS OF THE “ROLLING” MASTER LIST
1. The “slips of paper” tactic:- to capture all the ideas and
reminders make stick-on notes when they pop up.
2. The stemo pad method: - carry memo of current
projects, updated weekly, that includes all the names
and numbers you’ll need.
3. 3. A single master list: - to prevent “to-do-list
overwhelm,” an extensive master list needs to be broken
into “current” and “do later” items. Having a prioritized
master list of the goals you need to accomplish really
helps put in perspective.
4. The dictation method: - add phone calls to make, memos
to write, and ideas to follow up on your to-do-list, while
crossing out accomplished items. At the end of the day
you can dictate it to an assistant, specifying due dates and
order of priority.
5. The Index cards technique: take control of your time by
using index cards as follows:
- enter each task on an index card, along with due date
and estimated time allocation. E.g. review three
proposals; due next August; two hours.” You can star
priorities in red.
- Every morning pull out six task cards from the stask:
two or three high-priority tasks, the rest of average
importance.
- Slate priority tasks for the morning hours, when you
are freshest.
- At about 4:00pm., complete whatever outstanding
tasks he can, and reassigns any task not finished that day
to another day.
6. The Tickler-file based to-do list: -set an “action day” for
each item on the agenda, enters the specific tasks on
her schedule, and then put any back ground materials
in a tickler file that you can refer to on the scheduled
day. If circumstances change simply reschedule the
task and return it to the tickler for another day.
7. Mind Dump: - On a pad or in your PDA, write every
task, goal, and would-like-to-do that comes to mind.
Then divide the tasks into two categories: those that
you can or should delegate and those that you must
do. For each task, note the steps that you or those you
delegate need to take during the coming week, and a
time for starting each step. Then monitor your list each
day. A good mind “mind dump” time is at the end of
the work week or on Sunday evening, so you can look
ahead to the coming week.
The “Minimalist” to-do list
• A To-Do Review : - each day quickly scan your
to-do list as follows:
• What is the worst that could happen if this
task was post-poned or dropped altogether?
• Assuming it must be done, is the task
appropiate to my level of responsibility? Can it
be delegated as a whole or in part?
• Can the task be simplified, made less detailed,
or otherwise downsized?
Six steps to “working” your to-do list
• Write down everything you want to accomplish during the
day.
• Seek out items you can delegate. Assign them immediately.
• Note any task with a specific deadline directly on your
calender.
• Assess each remaining task according to its estimated time
commitment and difficulty: high, medium or low.
• Allocate each task a specific time during the day keeping
your energy levels through out the day in mind. Don’t over
book as unexpected developments will surely impinge on
your plan.
• Move any uncompleted tasks to the next day’s to-do list.
Don’t try to pack it all in. always be realistic about how
many tasks you can reasonably hope to accomplish each
day.
CAREER BUILDING ADVICE
• A good working to-do list is a map, a
navigational plan. The executive key to
productive use of the plan is
• 1. to sequester yourself for half an hour a day
on top-priority tasks, and
• 2. to stay on high alert, seeking out even five-
minute intervals to forward tasks, a little at a
time. With this two punch, you will arrive at
your goal.
