Organize Through Building Lists – Easy And Rewarding
Most of us are not terribly efficient most of the time. Even when we get things done that need to get done we take forever to do them and constantly get sidetracked. Building lists is a simple way to start getting better organized. Lists can be a powerful tool in helping you decide not only what needs to be done but in which priority.
Brainstorming: Brainstorming on a piece of paper can be a great way to start the rough draft. Jot down anything that comes to mind. Once you cannot write down any more key words and have thought about everything possible, then organize your list and pick the words that stand out or are the most important.
Now you’re ready to put together a rough draft. Eliminate what is obviously trivial. What is left over let’s refer to as your key words. The next step is to list your keywords in order of importance to you or priority. You don’t have to be real picky at this point, just give it your best shot. Looking at plusses and minuses of each item will help you set priorities.
The final draft is where you make your best effort at listing things in order of priority. Don’t let procrastination get in your way. You want to start working on the truly important items first. Pay your most urgent bills and then sit down with that magazine you’ve been meaning to browse through. Most important isn’t often most fun.
Don’t put your list in a drawer for later. It won’t do you much good there. Keep it where you can easily refer to it and start executing the tasks in order of priority. Time management may become important here and don’t be afraid to make adjustments in the order of the tasks if it seems to make sense. It may not matter in which order you do your top three of four priority tasks as long as you get them all done in the time they need to get done.
Keep positive thoughts in your head while working on your list. Paying bills is no fun but having paid them is a good feeling. Most things we have to do are being done for a good reason even though the task itself may not always be pleasant. Focus on the outcome and how you’ll be apt to feel when you’re finished. Have a few things in your lists that you truly enjoy doing, they can also be important.
You can learn greatly from what you’ve done. You feel great once you’ve made it through your list. Now it’s time to look back and see what was easy and what wasn’t and where you could do better next time. More than likely you’ll get some ideas on how to manage your time better and also learn to face new tasks with less fear in your heart.
Look at the list building process as a tool you can use throughout your life. Don’t stop just because it worked for you once. The more you do it the easier it will become and the better you will become at getting the important things done when they need to get done. You’ll probably end up with much more free time as well.
Filed under: List Building