November 07, 2013

SLT048: To Do Lists In Four Easy Steps, & an Interview with Erik Fisher

59 minutes

Let’s face reality…we all have To Do lists. And while they seem to be never ending at times, To Do Lists can be a good thing. It kinda means we’re still alive! If you don’t have any in your life, then you’re probably dead! So, knowing that we’ll always have To Dos, maybe we should have a plan for how to keep track of them and get them done!

So what’s the best To Do list? Well, the best To Do lists are the ones that works for you! Whether you prefer an analog or digital solution…anywhere on the spectrum of tying a string around your finger, pencil and paper, or the latest To Do app…figure out the tool or tools that work best for you and stick with it/them. Continue reading…

If you’re not sure which tools work best for you, don’t worry. Just take some time to think about, research and maybe even test a few tools for yourself before committing to one…or a TON of To Do list management tools. But before you get started, there are some things you should know or consider.

Main Topic:

To Do Lists in Four Simple Steps

We have lots of different types of To Dos: personal, professional, work, projects, etc. But no matter what type of To Do you have, there are four simple steps you have to focus on to get your tasks or To Dos done: CAPTURE them, CONTAIN them, ASSIGN a date and EXECUTE!

1. CAPTURE your To Dos. There are different ways you can do this (you may need to use several ways to capture your To Dos):

Write them down. On scratch paper, a post it note or in a notebook.

You can also record a voice memo. We use Dragon Dictation and Evernote.

Send an email to yourself. This is convenient when you’re on the road or out and about away from the office.

Or directly input your task on your To Do list if you have immediate access to it.

2. CONTAIN your To Dos. This is WHERE your To Dos are kept. One of the best things you can do to manage your To Dos is to capture them in ONE PLACE!

Paper notebook: Use one you can easily carry around with you or keep in your purse/backpack to take to meetings, on errands, etc.

Digital: Google Tasks or spreadsheets are an easy tool to use when it comes to editing and not having to re-write your lists when they get messy on paper.

Mobile apps: There are tons! Try searching for “best To Do apps” for your mobile device and try a couple out.

Note: Containing your To Dos usually requires some sort of a routine, like an end of work routine before closing up shop or a nightly routine at home where you gather all of your To Dos and put them in the proper “container.”

3. ASSIGN a date and time to get them done!

Before you decide on WHEN…you need to first determine category (personal, work, projects, etc) and the priority of your tasks.

Note: Priorities may change….that’s why you need to have a routine of systematically reviewing your To Dos.

Then plug it in on your calendar. Remember…To Dos are pointless unless you assign a date and time to get them done!

4. EXECUTE your To Dos. Putting them on the calendar doesn’t guarantee they’re going to get done but you can use control measures to get help get them done like:

Use reminders like on Google Calendar where you can set up email, text and/or pop-up notifications to remind you of your To Do item.

Set alarms on your computer or mobile phone for To Dos you need to get done each day.

Start a nightly routine where you review your To Dos for the next day.

Use post it notes (strategically placed) as an additional reminder for those To Dos you just reviewed during your nightly routine.

Create and put up checklists (again…strategically placed) to help remind you of recurring To Do items. These can be posted on paper, dry erase boards, large post it notes, glass boards, etc.

Takeaway:

We all have To Do lists and it can get pretty overwhelming trying to manage all of the myriad tasks associated with them. But if you keep it simple and take a different approach to how you manage your To Dos by Capturing them, Containing them, Assigning a time to get them done and then actually Executing those To Dos, then maybe it won’t be so overwhelming and you’ll start feeling a little more like you’re accomplishing those tasks instead of falling too far behind.

Question:

What types of To Do lists or apps do you use that have helped you simplify your life? Please let us know and share your ideas and thoughts with us in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!

Interview with Erik Fisher of Beyond the To Do List

We had the pleasure of interviewing Erik Fisher of Beyond the To List. He has an incredibly popular podcast dedicated to productivity and making things in your life easier.

Thing Segment:

If you’re looking for a virtual assistant, Meredith Jones of Elms Marketing did an amazing job for us! She’s offered a free 30-minute consultation to just for SLT listeners and a 25% discount on VA services. Contact her at meredith@elmsmarketing.com

Announcements:

2013 Podcast Awards:

Simple Life Together is a finalist for the 2013 Podcast Awards in the Education and People’s Choice categories.

Voting is still on until 15 November, and you can and should vote once a day at PodcastAwards.com.

Our friend Erik Fisher’s show Beyond The To Do List is also a finalist so be sure to show him some lovin’ when you vote, as well!

Simple Life Together Meetup in D.C.

We will be in the DC area for the week of Thanksgiving and are looking at having our first Simple Life Together meetup!

We’d love to have you come join us for great conversation, pay as you go snacks and drinks, and the chance to connect with others who are looking to lead a simple life in the modern world.

We’ll be at La Tasca in Rockville Town Square at 7:00 PM on Sunday, 24 November.

Spaces are very limited but they’re FREE, so make sure you grab a seat before they’re all gone!

Just go to SimpleLifeTogether.com/dc to sign up or search for Simple Life Together at Eventbrite.com

Shownotes:

You can download a PDF of our show prep, too.

Resources and Links:

Erik’s Book Beyond The To Do List: Goals

Erik’s Podcast: Beyond The To Do List

Beyond The To Do List Website

Podcast Answerman Podcast

GTD by David Allen: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

Elms marketing VA Services

As always, you can help support SimpleLifeTogether.com by using our Amazon Affiliate Link for any purchases you must make. Thanks!

If you haven’t already, please be sure to go to iTunes to subscribe to the show. Don’t forget to leave us a rating & review! Thanks!

Photo Credit: Courtney Dirks

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