7 steps how to deal with your "to do list"

Those long, never accomplished and living in your draw forever "to do lists"... Why do we bother making them if they are a part of our everyday life and yet they live on that piece of paper forever? 

Full respect to those who actually make a list for a day or a week and ACTUALLY complete every task! There are only a few people like that! Normally we let less important, not urgent things and other people’s needs overtake and then we are stuck with your own needs, listed in our diary or phone and we know, secretly we all know - it will stay there for a while. For a Very Long time - to be very precise. You might cross out a thing or two, but all the rest will be just there, waiting for...the right time! 

I struggled with my own endless lists and just had to come up with a solution to be more productive as I was sorting my life out, building my business, helping people with life coaching and counselling, as well as started my speaking career. All of that whilst I was also a single mom... I desperately needed a magical formula and I created one! It helped me, so many of my clients, as well as friends and other people... Here is a step-by-step guidance for you... (if you wish to Try and Apply?)

STEP 1: Make The Final List. Yes, literally just sit down and make a list - or add on to your existing list of to-do things in every area and aspect of your life. Write down about absolutely anything coming to your mind, invest your time to make it - The Final List! You can do it either on your computer, notepad or just phone - whatever suits you!

STEP 2: Divide it into 2 large areas: work (or business) and personal. If you work on just one area of your life then another will be neglected. Then it will affect the other area and you will be back to square one. Working on both areas will not take too much of your time if you follow next steps.

 STEP 3: Highlight the most urgent tasks - put them in order by due date. Urgent tasks come first! Repetitive tasks - preplan ahead: if that's a tax return, you know it must be done every year, so just preplan it ahead for next year now, preferably one month in advance.

STEP 4: Break bigger and more complicated tasks into little steps, no longer than one hour. This way it won't feel like you are doing one task forever. If that's writing a blog, then put down "one article a day".

STEP 5: Write two tasks into every day of your diary: one for work (or business) and one personal. Choose the most productive time of your day, it could be first thing in the morning or just after lunch. This way there are more chances it will be done and you will have an amazing feeling of accomplishment! It could be 5 days a week or 7, up to you. I prefer to do it 5 days a week, then the weekend is for my family! As long as you do two of them, no longer than 1 hour each task on daily basis!

STEP 6: Decide what will be your reward and your "punishment" for every day: for example, you can't have a chocolate bar until you have completed both tasks. As I mentioned earlier, one task must not take longer than an hour. If you still have that desired chocolate - then let's say you will have to put ￡10.00 into your money box. This way you will definitely motivate yourself - you will still crave for something sweet, but you will know you can't have it. So, it will make you more productive! And if you will break the deal - then at least you will save money because of it!

STEP 7: Find an accountable partner - someone you can trust, so you can send over your to-do list and the other person can check on you every day. You can make it a competition between friends or partners!

Challenge yourself for at least 21 day! After that most likely you will build a strong habit of doing this task-completion exercise, you will love the excitement of reward and therefore it will become absolutely natural, like brushing your teeth twice a day!

Wishing you all the best with that and if you need any help with becoming more productive and succesful, contact me on [email protected] or visit www.newlifekickstart.com.