The first and foremost rule of list making is that there are no rules. Use the method that best compliments your personality. I have my own method. It doesn't work for everyone. It does work for me. The only way to measure the effectiveness of your lists is by monitoring your tasks and goals. If the rate at which they are being accomplished increases then your list is effective. Unfortunately, this is sometimes hard to gauge since you probably have no idea how well you were doing before you started using the list. If for no other reason than increased awareness, lists are worth the effort.
I keep several lists to help me stay organized, active, and efficient. I have found that without these lists I tend to waste significant amounts of time doing absolutely nothing. Without them I lose track of what has been done and what still needs doing. The first and most important list I have is my Life Goals list. It sounds corny but it works. The second is my list of short-term goals. The third, and usually least important, my list of things I need to purchase and or pay off.
My Life Goals list is, like the other two, an ever-evolving document. I started it in 2004 and have been actively updating since its creation. Updating a list includes both adding to it and marking items as complete. The latter is the more satisfying of the two but by no means the most important. The two tasks form a symbiotic relationship in that one would be either pointless or impossible without the other. It can be argued that you could just as easily accomplish your goals without a list. I have found, however, that the likelihood of that happening is exponentially lower than if the goal is included in an active list.
The Short Term Goals list (i.e. Tasks, Things to do, etc…) is updated more often than the Life Goals list and includes tasks from every aspect of my life. I find it helpful to keep it separated into two groups: Personal and Business. I refer to it as one list even though it is technically two lists because I always keep them together. This ensures that they both stay active. Most people tend to pay more attention to the tasks associated with their job because the consequences of not doing so are more obvious. Keeping the two lists together all but guarantees that your personal life will get as much attention as your job.
The list of things I need to purchase is not a grocery list but rather a list of the larger or more expensive items that I would like and cannot purchase immediately. This is the only list that I keep in order based on how importance. Many people rank the items in their lists of tasks and goals. It works for some but not for me. I find that the items at the bottom of the list tend to remain there for long durations when they could normally be accomplished in a few minutes. That is not to say that you can't rank the tasks in your list and then bounce around. Your list should be organized in the manner that best suits your lifestyle.
Some guidelines:
- Keep lists accessible and portable
- Buy a small folder that holds a pad & pen to keep your list in
- If an item requires many smaller tasks to be completed, list those tasks directly under the larger item
- Finish at least one item per day if possible (Short Term Goals)
- Keep your Life Goal list in a visible location. (Look at least once a week).
- Do not cross off items before they are finished
- Plan the night before for which tasks you will try to accomplish the following day
- Don't be afraid to add tasks that have already been started
- Rewrite your Short Term list occasionally to keep it neat
- Do Not Ever rewrite your Life Goals list. Keep it to remind yourself of what you can, have, and will accomplish.
Note: For an interesting and different take on how to use lists, look up a program called, “Life Shaker.” There is a free trial version available for download on the Apple website.
