Break it down with me
Up until a few months ago, my to-do list used to look something like this:
Newsletter
Proposal
Birthday gift
Monday motivation
And so on, and so forth. Like, a lot of "forth." I'd list numerous items or chores I needed to get done and beat myself up when days went by without crossing a dang thing off. I'd feel unproductive as I realized it took several steps to accomplish one of these tasks. I'd be surprised when "Monday motivation" was actually more time-consuming than I'd anticipated. I'd feel frustrated when I forgot to follow-up on a "completed" task.
That's when it hit me: my to-do list was too vague. I'd frantically jot something down without taking a few extra moments to break down the item and contemplate what I really needed to do to get it done. This meant that the above list really should say:
Draft newsletter
Proof newsletter
Finalize and schedule newsletter
Draft proposal to send to X person
Finalize and send proposal to X person
Schedule date to follow-up on proposal
Order birthday present from Target
Pick up birthday card at Hallmark
Identify Monday motivation
Draft copy for Monday motivation
Create image in Canva/take picture for Monday motivation post
You might be scratching your head, thinking: "But that is SO much longer than the original list!" Why yes, my wise one. You are correct. But what's more important is that this list makes me:
Think through each task to identify the steps involved in accomplishing it.
Write down each sub-task so I am accountable for completing it/remember to complete it.
Allocate the appropriate amount of time to complete each sub-task.
*Plus, if you're a recovering "accomplishment junkie" like me, you get a nice boost after crossing one item off the list instead of waiting to cross off what was really a "category." .
To say that this process changed my life would be an understatement. The extra time I spend breaking down everything I need to do saves me time in the long run. I'm not frazzled when I realize that "Monday motivation" is actually a multi-step process. Then I can decide whether to handle it all at once or piece-by-piece.
And if you really want your mind blown, stay tuned to find out how I actually organize and allocate these bite-sized pieces to make sure they get done. It's something I never thought would work for me, but never say never!
P.S. I had to laugh when I found the below image for this entry. This person has EXACTLY the right idea with their to-do list!
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