Excellence with G.O.P.T.A.© Series: Part 91 (Steps in preparing To-Do List)

By: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Sr. Associate Editor, ICN Group

(In the past article, we knew about importance of preparing To-Do List. Today, we will know about steps in preparing To-Do List)  

Steps in preparing To-Do List

Here are some essential steps for preparing a To-Do list:-

      • When preparing To-Do list for the first time, write all the pending items of work.
      • Since beginning, bifurcate these items under two or more sub-categories for domestic works and for office works and any other category, if you so desire. 
      • Have columns in your To-Do list to show, what works have to be done today; during next week; during next month; or during the year.
      • Allot priority as per the importance and urgency of the work and according to the energy level required for doing the work, so that you can allot the time to high energy level works when your energy normally remains at its peak.
      • Update your To-Do list during the day. If a new unexpected or unplanned task arrives, then first put it into your To-Do list and accord priority. Then only you should proceed to attend the task. It will save lot of time and attention, as you will not directly jump over to attend the new task outrightly at the cost of leaving your current job in hand. 

Here is a sample format of a To-Do list. You have to fill the priority A/B/C/D under the relevant column according to the importance and urgency. 

To-Do list for domestic/ official works
Description of work For today For this week For this month For this year Should be done by self or delegated If to be delegated, to whom Expected Time Required Done
Priority

A/B/C/D

High/ Low Energy Work

When finished, it will show you the works to be done today along with priority written against it; and at the same time, you will not lose track of the things, you have to do during whole of the upcoming week or month. If you desire, you can also put a mark ‘Time Bound’, if the work is time bound. For example, if you are preparing the To-Do list on 10th August and the last date of filing Income Tax return is 31st August, write Time Bound against the item in column titled ‘for this month’ and if possible, also mention the last date, so that you can promote it to day’s priority when the deadlines approaches, say on 15th August onwards, so that you can afford to miss out 1 day or 2 before actually filing the return. 

Then decide, whether this particular task is to be done by yourself or you can delegate it to somebody else. Preferably, identify and write down the name of the person, to whom the task is to be delegated. Don’t strike out the item from your To-Do list just after delegating. You are delegating the task, not abdicating. Let it be there in your To-Do list until the person, to whom the task was delegated, reports compliance. After all, it is your work and it is your responsibility to monitor completion of the task. 

A word of caution here; having monthly and weekly To-Do list does not mean that you have to do that work on the last date of the month or week. Instead, shift the item to your day’s To-Do list at appropriate time well before the end of the month or week or before the deadline. 

If you are preparing your To-Do list manually, I would suggest that you should preferably use Excel Worksheet on your computer, so that editing for changing priority or addition/ deletion of items becomes easier and your To-Do list always look up-to-date.   

(In the next article, I will discuss about benefits of using online softwares of maintaining To-Do List. I believe that you are enjoying the journey towards the future of your dreams with me. If yes, please stay tuned. Happy G.O.P.T.A.)

Dr. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Creator & copyright holder of the concept G.O.P.T.A.©  is an Author, Certified NLP Lifestyle Trainer, Strategic Interventionist, Corporate Trainer & Motivational Speaker ( http://bit.ly/Signature-Workshops-Sanjay-Kumar-Agarwal ) and recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Excellence (Management) by prestigious Young Scientist University, California, USA. He is Founder of ‘Read, Learn & Earn Movement’ and is popularly known among his fans & followers across the globe as ‘Time and Goal Guru’.

Related posts