I’ve fallen in and out of love with to-do lists over the course of my PhD. On one hand they are genuinely useful productivity tools but on the other, they are genuinely time wasting procrastination tools!
Making a List does NOT count as work!!
I’m embarrassed to say that I used to kid myself when I had a load of work to do and I didn’t know where to start that making a list was the start I had to make. I’d make a list, feel proud and feel like I’d achieved something. In reality, the reason I made the list – the overwhelming pile of work had not budged in the slightest, in fact, it probably had grown a little!
Programming the sat nav
This is how I see making a list. You have a long journey ahead of you, so you need to plan your route using a map or a sat nav. This is the list and this is why lists are a FANTASTIC idea! You work out exactly what you need to do, step by step to get to your final destination, but like I said before, programming your sat nav doesn’t mean you’ve put your keys in the inanition! Don’t fool yourself into think that.
The Mistake
One word – Priority! I used to prioritise tasks in a list based on their importance. What would actually end up happening, is that most of my tasks would end up being high priority. This left me in a puzzle when I came to start doing them because there wasn’t a sensible starting point. It’s kind of like planning your journey and saying you need to get to two or three places at exactly the same time.
As with all to-do lists, I would get to the end of the day and some high priority things would be left undone, which kind of meant my priority rating system was a bit pointless. How is something high priority if I can afford not to finish it?
A list is it’s own priority system!!
You write a list in order so it makes sense that you write your list in priority order. There can only be 1 top priority task on your to-do list. When it’s done, you cross it off and move onto the second highest priority item. If you work through a list like this then you are sure to finish all of your highest priority jobs in a day. Anything that is left unfinished will be lower priority and you can start back on the list tomorrow.
When I started doing this it revolutionised my productivity and unleashed the power of the list. The power is in the prioritisation. You need to work out where you need to get to first – then go there. Making a list lets you know exactly where you are heading.
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