What's on Your List Today?

First a quote: “Don’t just write a to-do list, write a to-be list.” — Karen Salmansohn

Hello and happy Monday,

I open with three questions and a bold statement!

• Question #1 – What is on your “to-do list” today?
• Question #2 – What is not on your “to-do list” today?
• Question #3 – How many of the items on your “to-do list” are reactive versus proactive and intentional?
• And my bold statement – It doesn’t matter if you’re leading a large organization, a small department, or simply your own life, career, or family; leadership is about moving forward and proactively leading toward a better future.

First, let me be clear that making a daily “to-do list” is an excellent time-management habit! (And, certainly a habit that requires my on-going attention.) I doubt there is a time management expert anywhere who wouldn’t promote the importance of making prioritized daily or weekly “to-do” lists.

Today, I’m simply inviting you to reflect on the kinds of activities that most typically make up your list. Are they primarily reactions to what life throws in your direction, or does your list also contain activities that you proactively and intentionally add with an eye on the future?

Life tends to come at us at breakneck speed. For example:

• Our bosses come to us with assignments and projects to be completed.
• Our customers and clients bring us challenges to be resolved, or products and services to be delivered.
• Emails, meeting requests, and problems tend to overfill our inboxes.
• Changes and challenges come at us.
• Life throws us all kinds of surprises (both pleasant and unpleasant) that scream for our immediate attention.

So, it is normal, or at least reasonable, that activities such as those bullet-pointed above end up on our “to-do lists;” we then go to work accomplishing those tasks.

If you’re doing this on a regular basis, kudos to you! Repeating, this is an excellent time management habit.?

My concern is this; I suspect too many of the items on most of our lists are reactionary in nature, as opposed to proactive.? Those reactionary items take up an inordinate amount of the 168 hours available to each of us every single week.

While it is often necessary to take care of the things thrown in our direction, too many of those items are preventing us from proactively making our life better in some way.

“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher?on our own ‘to do’ list.” — Michelle Obama

Incorporating proactive tasks onto your to-do list can significantly enhance your productivity, happiness, and long-term success.

And now a definition: Proactive tasks are those actions you take ahead of time to anticipate future needs, prevent problems, or work toward long-term goals.

“You have a choice in life. You can either live intentionally, according to a plan you've set. Or you can live by accident, reacting to the demands of others. The first approach is proactive; the second reactive.” ?– Michael Hyatt

These activities might include learning a new skill, planning future projects, networking, or improving your health and well-being.

If you’re a manager, the list might include strategic thinking, process improvement, shaping culture, team development, coaching, or up-skilling your team in advance of pending change initiatives.

By making room for these tasks, you move beyond the daily grind of “firefighting" and begin building toward a future that aligns with your broader goals and opportunities.

“I believe that everyone chooses how to approach life. If you're proactive, you focus on preparing. If you're reactive, you end up focusing on repairing.” ?– John C. Maxwell

I have often suggested that one of the most difficult challenges for leaders today is balancing the pressures of both delivering short-term results and preparing for long-term growth.

Adding future-focused tasks to your to-do list ensures you allocate time and energy for forward-thinking activities, not just urgent matters in times of crisis. Without proactive planning, it’s easy to remain stuck in a cycle of reactionary firefighting, which can stifle progress and limit opportunities and growth for the future.

I’m talking about fostering a sense of control over your life and career, empowering you to shape your path rather than simply responding to your present circumstances.

This simple paradigm shift could lead to greater personal fulfillment, professional success, and a more balanced lifestyle.

So, my closing question is: how are you using your to-do lists? As a simple tool for managing today’s problems and fires? Or as a roadmap for greater success in the future?

Can your to-do list be both?

What criteria do you use when adding items to your list? This might be a good time for personal reflection on this topic.

Hmmmm, I think I need to go make changes to my to-do list for this week right now.

How about you?

How will you live, love, or lead differently, or better, this week?

Sincerely,

Bryan Yager

“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”

Do you know someone who might benefit from this weekly leadership minute?? If so, please feel free to pass along the subscription link below:

• On LinkedIn: Click here to subscribe to the MMM newsletter on LinkedIn. (Recommended)
• Via email: Click here to subscribe to MMM and have it sent directly to your email inbox each Monday. ?(Please note: I plan to discontinue this service soon. If you’re on LinkedIn, I recommend subscribing with link above.)

Bonus Quotes:

• “Be a creator of circumstances rather than just a creature of circumstances. Be proactive rather than reactive.” – Brian Tracy
• “I've always been in the right place and time. Of course, I steered myself there.” – Bob Hope
• “One of the secrets of getting more done is to make a TO-DO List every day, keep it visible, and use it as a guide to action as you go through the day.” — Jean de La Fontaine
• “Complaining will not change things in your life; only action will. Make a list of all you need to do to change what doesn’t work in your life and, little by little, begin making those changes.” — Susan Jeffers
• “Don't just sit there and worry. Be proactive. Do something - anything - about what's worrying you so you can gain information, focus and control over the situation. I've suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” – Mark Twain
• “Not only should you have a to-do list, but it must become your best friend.” — Jim Kwik
• “Just as you make a daily list of your work priorities, make another list of the most important things you want to do with your family. Include things you want to do during the time you spend with them each night and each weekend.” — Mary Kay Ash
• “You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.” – Carl Jung
• “I’ve always made lists of things I want to achieve — it helps me track my progress. But to-do lists are only useful if you do the things on your list.” — Richard Branson
• “When you make a to-do list, you should also make a to-not-do list. Warren Buffet was asked about the secret to success, and he said that it was saying no to almost everything. Some of those little tasks won’t matter if you get the big tasks done.” — Brian Tracy
• “One of the secrets of getting more done is to make a TO-DO List every day, keep it visible.” — Alan Lakein