11 Proven Rules for a Highly Effective To Do List

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How can you get the most out of a humble todo list?

A todo list probably the most basic self organization tool available, and can be really powerful in the right hands. But if you don’t do it properly, you are just wasting your time.

So here are 11 rules for getting results from your todo list:

1. Update your todo list every day. If you start letting it slip you know you will just end up disorganized again. The best way is to always do it at the same time each day. Doing it first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day.

2. While updating your task list, do any quick two minute or less tasks immediately.

3. Prioritize using a 1 to 5 scale, and have no more than three priority 1 tasks at any one time. Look at your list of priority 1 tasks. You know some are not as important, so just make them priority 2. If you are still finding it hard, then choose the top 3 most important priority 1 tasks and drop any others back to priority 2.

4. Only do priority one tasks. This is a hard one, its easy to get tempted into doing the easier tasks down the list. It’s true that priority 1 tasks tend to be the harder ones, but think about the satisfaction you will get from completing an important task.

5. Pass off any tasks that can be done better by someone else to that person. For a freelancer, why not hire someone to do that task? Delegate your way to an empty task list!

6. Just because you have updated your task list, doesn’t mean you can put it away and forget about it. Every time you finish a task, go back and pick the next task on your list. Momentum is a funny thing, it helps you keep going but you have to keep the momentum going too.

7. When a new task comes in during the day, don’t interrupt yourself if possible. Even a 2 minute break to do a quick task can lead to 15 minutes of lost time on your main task. Instead keep a list of tasks that need to be added to your todo list, just the name of the task will do. Only add and prioritize when you are updating your todo list in the morning.

8. As you complete tasks, cross them off. When you run out of priority 1 tasks choose a priority 2 task and work on that one.

9. Have a weekly review, and rethink the priorities. Got a priority 1 task that you haven’t worked on all week? Then it was so important after all, was it? Look at your priority 2s and see if any need to go up to 1 or down to 3. Look at your priority 3, 4 and 5 and see which ones can be dropped.

10. Make your todo list a habit, not a chore. If you don’t like doing it, then it won’t help. When you get into the habit of using your task list every day it will become easier and more efficient.

11. Don’t forget to set some todos for yourself! Having a task list is not just about your work tasks. You can organize your personal life very well with a todo list. You won’t need to go into as much detail, or break tasks down into as many subtasks either. For anyone interested in self development and self organization a todo list is an absolute requirement.

So, thats my 11 rules. Whats stopping you from getting organized? Todo: write a comment.

But wait, there’s more. I will be writing more about todo lists in the future, so stay tuned! Join our newsletter, or get our RSS feed to have new posts about todo lists delivered straight to your inbox.