The Key to Efficiency

1. How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I'm committed to?  ~Anthony Robbins The Key to Efficiency

2. Do you often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do? • Do you find yourself missing deadlines? • Do you sometimes just forget to do something important?

3. All of these are symptoms of not keeping a proper "To-Do List" • To-Do Lists are prioritized lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out. • They list everything that you have to do • Most important tasks at the top of the list • Least important tasks at the bottom

4. By keeping a To-Do List, you make sure that your tasks are written down all in one place so you don't forget anything important. • By prioritizing tasks, you plan the order in which you'll do them, so that you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can leave until later.

5. To-Do Lists are essential if you're going to beat work overload • When you don't use To-Do Lists effectively, you'll become unfocused • When you do use them effectively, you'll be much better organized • You'll experience less stress, safe in the knowledge that you haven't forgotten anything important. • If you prioritize intelligently, you'll focus your time and energy on high value activities

6. Step 1: • Write down all of the tasks that you need to complete. • If they're large tasks, break out the first action step, and write this down with the larger task. • Ideally, tasks or action steps should take no longer than 1-2 hours to complete.

7. Example: • Read 400 pages • Read Chapters 1-5 of The Scarlet Letter • Math homework • Government homework • Talk with Katie • Ask Trent to Sadies • Practice piano • Read scriptures

8. Step 2: • Run through these tasks allocating priorities from 1 (very important, or very urgent) to 5 (unimportant, or not at all urgent). • If too many tasks have a high priority, run through the list again and demote the less important ones.

9. Example: • 5 Read 400 pages • 2 Read Chapters 1-5 of The Scarlet Letter • 1 Math homework • 1 Government homework • 3 Talk with Katie • 4 Ask Trent to Sadies • 2 Practice piano • 2 Read scriptures

10. Once you have done this, rewrite the list in priority order: • 1 Math homework • 1 Government homework • 2 Read Chapters 1-5 of The Scarlet Letter • 2 Practice piano • 2 Read scriptures • 3 Talk with Katie • 4 Ask Trent to Sadies • 5 Read 400 pages

11. Check Up • Spend 10 minutes at the end of the day organizing tasks on your To-Do List for the next day.

12. Example: • 1 Read Chapters 1-5 of The Scarlet Letter • 2 Talk with Katie • 2 Math homework • 2 Government homework • 2 Practice piano • 2 Read scriptures • 3 Ask Trent to Sadies • 4 Read 20 pages • 5 Read 380 pages

13. Using Software • Software-based To-Do Lists can be efficient. • These can remind you of events or tasks that will soon be overdue • They can be synchronized with your phone or email • They can be shared with others if you're collaborating on a project.

14. Time Management Software • MSWord or MSExcel • Microsoft Outlook • Gmail • On-line Accounts • Remember the Milk • Todoist • Ta-Da Lists • Toodledo

15. Advantages of Software • One of the biggest advantages to using a software-based approach to manage your To-Do List is that you can update it easily. • For example, instead of scratching off tasks and rewriting the list every day, software allows you to move and prioritize tasks quickly.

16. Key Points: • To be well organized, you need to be using To-Do Lists. • By using them, you will ensure that: • You remember to carry out all necessary tasks. • You tackle the most important jobs first, and don't waste time on trivial tasks. • You don't get stressed by a large number of unimportant jobs.

17. Homework! • Write down a list of what needs to be done today. • Write down what needs to be done tomorrow • Write down what needs to be done this week • Combine the lists into one big list • Using numbers 1-5, prioritize your list • 1 is most important • 5 is least important • Relist from the most important to the least.