How do I make my to-do-list and really do it?

Most people create “To Do” lists COMPLETELY the wrong way. And it shows up in the results that they achieve.

I’ve found that creating effective to do lists is easier than you might imagine BUT it’s also completely counter intuitive. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Keep it Small

Most to-do lists are wayyyyy too long.

A mentor of mine once told me that “If you begin the day with more than 3 priorities, then you don’t have priorities. You have nice ideas”

Personally, I think he was being a little bit too conservative…

I prefer to use a “To Do” list strategy known as the Ivy Lee method.

Ivy Lee was a famous productivity expert who was hired by Charles Schwab to increase efficiency at one of his companies.

Lee came to the company and instructed all of the executives to do only one thing…

They would write out their 6 biggest priorities for the next day, schedule them out (as we will talk about in a minute), and then stay in their office until all of the tasks were complete.

He instructed Schwab to pay him “Only what you think my time was worth”.

After his executives used the tactic for 3 months, Mr. Schwab sent lee a check for the equivalent of $400,000.

Not too bad, huh?

If you have more than 6 items on your to do list then you have too many.

Learn to identify and pursue ONLY the most important tasks and you will be well on your way to increasing your productivity by 100%.

2. Schedule it Out

Knowing what you need to do is only half the battle.

You must also know exactly when you need to do it.

As you look at your list of 6 items or less, I want you to write down the exact start and end time you are going to assign to each task.

Prioritize the most mentally taxing activities and schedule them early in the morning 2–3 hours after you wake up.

If a task is redundant or administrative, save it for the end of the day when your mental energy levels are at their lowest (don’t try to do important tasks when you’re tired).

By knowing what you need to do and when you need to do it, you will increase your efficiency immediately and accomplish 10x more than you normally would.

3. Start with “Just One”

Sometimes, no matter how carefully you plan, you sit down at your desk and find yourself completely unable to get ANY work done.

Call it writer’s block, call it creative constipation, call it plain old bad luck, we’ve all been there and I know from first hand experience how much this sucks.

Instead of fighting it… Accept it.

Allow yourself to feel the frustration and then commit to one simple task.

You are only going to do one tiny action related to your to do list.

If you are supposed to write an email, write only the first sentence.

If you are coding a new website, write only one line of code.

Mentally commit to completing the smallest part of the task possible and then… Something magical will happen.

After you write that first sentence, you will automatically begin on the second.

After you make that first call, you will begin dialing the phone for #2.

And if you don’t?

Then take a break for a few minutes, come back, and try again.

But whatever you do, don’t stare blankly at your monitor praying for a bolt of inspiration.

4. Create Rewards and Reasons for Each Item on the List

For each item on your list, you are going to write down two simple sentences underneath it.

1.      How will I reward myself when this is complete?

2.     Why must I accomplish this?

By mentally anchoring a reason why you must complete a task you will increase your motivation to do it.

By rewarding yourself with something small (a bite of dark chocolate, 10 minutes of your favorite video game, or a short break listening to your favorite song) you will create a greater motivation to gain momentum.

5. Don’t Stop Until You’re Done

Plain and simple.

If you want your to do lists to be effective, you must wire yourself to complete them NO MATTER WHAT.

If it takes you until midnight, so be it.

If you finish by 2 p.m., then congrats!

Don’t allow yourself to quit the day until every task is complete.

This will re train your brain to only create lists that you can complete and will help you focus only on important tasks.

I promise… This WILL work.

Good luck and, as always, stay grounded,