Written by: Heidi Richards Mooney, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Are you finding it challenging to accomplish even the most mundane tasks? Do you find that some days feel like a total waste in terms of getting things done? Are you struggling with reaching your goals?
It could be because you have not implemented the right 'system' to feel that sense of completion, of accomplishment. Consider using tried-and-true to-do lists throughout your day. For me, to-do lists have been the single most powerful productivity tools out there. It doesn’t matter if you use the old-fashioned notebook and pen, or a to-do list app on your phone. When it comes to keeping you productive all day long, there are three reasons they work so well.
To-Do Lists Make You Plan
When you sit down to make out your to-do list you’re forced to plan your day. You’re taking a look at everything you’re working on and deciding what you need to take care of today and in what order.
Depending on how you make out your list, you may even think about what items on your list have the highest priority. The simple task of making the list makes you work out a lot of things in your head ahead of time. This alone will help you stay more productive throughout your day.
"Think of your to-do list as your road map to success. It is important to keep things simple and practical so that an activity does not linger on your to-do list, never to be accomplished." – Heidi Richards Mooney
To-Do Lists Keep You Focused
Having that list in front of you, or next to you as you work away will help you stay focused on what you need to work on and accomplish throughout your busy day. We are all dealing with distractions. It’s easy to lose focus and get sucked into meaningless tasks and conversations.
With your list, you know at a glance what you should be working on and if you make yourself get into the habit of not calling it a day until each item on your list is taken care of, you’re less likely to allow those distractions to take over big chunks of your day.
To-Do Lists Give You A Feeling Of Accomplishment
Checking an item off your to-do list gives you a sense of accomplishment. For some, this is more effective when they can cross something off a piece of paper. For others, clicking the little checkmark on the app does the trick. Try each of them and see what works best for you.
Two apps I recommend include:
Todoist (https://todoist.com/) – a simple task manager app that allows you to record and group tasks together based on projects. Consider this an upgraded version of your traditional to-do list. In addition to recording and organizing your own tasks, you can use the app to collaborate with other people by sharing and assigning tasks. Free to Fee
Due (https://www.dueapp.com/) is a simple, easy-to-use app that helps you set due dates (get it?) and reminders in your schedule. This app is great for people who forget things easily and need extra help remembering what needs to happen when. Due has customizable options that lets users choose when they want to receive notifications about a specific item, with options to snooze or dismiss them as they come up. ($6.99 for mobile and $14.99 for desktop)
There are many other time-management apps you can research such as Toggl, Calendly, Google Docs, IFTTT, Hive, MindMeister, and more. I recommend you do your own research if you are looking for something specific you need help with. Due and Todoist are perfect to get you started.
Once you decide on the system that works for you, take a moment to appreciate how much you’ve gotten done each time you check an item off the list. Then use that feeling of accomplishment to power you through the next item. Rinse and repeat and before you know it, you’ve made it through another highly productive day.
If you’re not in the habit of using daily to-do lists yet, I hope this encourages you to give it a try. Make a list of three to five things you want to get done before you call it a night today. They could be simple things that you have been putting off such as cleaning out a dresser drawer or going through a pile of papers. See how that goes. Starting tomorrow you can get in the habit of working from a daily list.
Heidi Richards Mooney, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Heidi is a professional speaker (past president for Floridas Speakers Association) an author, coach, small business owner, internet marketing and social media expert who specializes in helping clients get their Website, Blog, and social media channels noticed. She teaches audiences how to GROW their business using targeted social media channels including Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Heidi is also the publisher of several online magazines including WE Magazine for Women, Women of Wisdom Magazine, Marketing Small Business Magazine, Inventing Women Magazine, and Flowers Galore Magazine. She brings a unique combination of experience, technical expertise, and traditional marketing skills as well as creative new marketing approaches to maximize her clients online and social media presence. "
