People who have their act together don’t get easily distracted by trivial things. Yet, even they sometimes struggle to focus. The primary reason they lose focus is the overwhelming thought of all the work they’re not doing.
The world around us is constantly changing in both predictable and unpredictable ways, often making you feel like you’re losing control of your work. Instinctively, you decide to make a to-do list. Aha! You feel better and get a few things done. Fast forward a few days, and you notice your to-do list crumbling under the onslaught of new tasks.
Don’t blame your to-do list if this is happening to you. Instead, turbocharge your to-do list. Here’s how:
- Centralize Your Master To-Do List: Use one place to make your master to-do list—whether it’s a notebook, a spreadsheet, or an app, stick to just one. You can temporarily collect tasks elsewhere, but as soon as possible, transfer them to your master list. Don’t worry if it grows into a monster; just ensure it’s always up to date.
- Weekly Review and Focus: Scan your master to-do list every weekend. Pull out what’s relevant for the coming week and create a weekly to-do list. Focus only on that weekly list during the week.
- Daily Review and Execution: Each day, review your weekly to-do list and create a day-specific to-do list. Focus on completing just that small list each day.
- Incorporate New Tasks: Any new tasks that come up should go into your master to-do list. Add them to your current week’s list if they are relevant for that week.
By following this system, when you work on a task, you know it’s the best use of your time at that moment. The other tasks are safely listed and won’t be missed or fall through the cracks. This confidence keeps your mind calm, allowing you to focus on the work at hand.
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(featured image: Photo by vikram sundaramoorthy from Pexels)
