What to do? (January 2009)
What to do?
A to-do list for making more effective to-do lists
A to-do list for making more effective to-do lists At any given time, the average man has 150 to 200 short-term action items and 30 to 100 longer-term projects bubbling away, says David Allen, a time-management consultant. Hence, the to-do list. If you’re having trouble crossing items off on yours, it’s probably not because you’re lazy or unfocused; it’s because your lists may not be effective to begin with. Here’s how to set that right.
1 Put it in writing
As time-management expert Peter Turla says: “Paper remembers, people forget.”
2 Make it specific and measurable
“If your goal is to ‘do your best’, you probably won’t,” says Dr Edwin Locke, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland’s school of business in the US.
3 Put a date on it
“A dream becomes a goal when you attach a time frame to it,” says Turla.
4 Phrase it positively
“If your goal is to stop eating so much chocolate, you’ll obsess about eating chocolate,” explains Locke. “It’s better to write, ‘I will reward myself with one chocolate a month if I average three workouts per week.’ ”
5 Make it realistic
Grand goals are inspiring, but be sure to approach them incrementally. “Kick-start your get-goingness by setting small goals – and realising them,” advises Allen.
6 Keep entries short and separate
Turla recommends formulating goals for seven life areas: health, relationships, finances, material goods, career, education and recreation. Then learn to balance your priorities. “Most men are much better at setting work goals than personal ones,” says Locke. “But it’s probably harder to maintain a successful marriage, retire wealthy or stay healthy than it is to succeed at work. Make sure you have goals for these things, too.”
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