My Organized Biz » to do list http://www.myorganizedbiz.com Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:00:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 The difference between a to-do list and a project http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/the-difference-between-a-to-do-list-and-a-project/ http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/the-difference-between-a-to-do-list-and-a-project/#comments Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:52:11 +0000 Becky Scott http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/?p=568 Post from: My Organized Biz

]]> Does your to-do list overwhelm you? Is it so large or intimidating that you don’t know where to start? Stop and think about it for a minute. Maybe your to-do list isn’t what it should be. Although I strongly feel that there’s no single right way to do things, maybe you do need to think about purpose a to-do list really serves.

to do listFor instance, I still need to do my taxes. Normally I have them done by February, but I still have some sorting and data entry to do. It’s been harder to fit it in than I thought it would be. So it’s on my to-do list: do taxes. But that’s a lot to think about isn’t it?

That’s because it’s more of a project than a to-do item. What’s the anatomy of a to-do item? According to Merlin at 43folders, it’s this:

  • It’s a physical action
  • It can be accomplished at a sitting
  • It supports valuable progress toward a recognized goal
  • It’s something for which you are the most appropriate person for the job

If your list contains items bigger or more complicated than that, then those items may not actually belong on your to-do list, but on a project list. As David Allen notes in Getting Things Done, a small project requires more than one activity in order to be completed.

Filing taxes is definitely a small project – or maybe even a large one! Here are the steps I still need to take:

  • Go through the last of my receipts for business expenses
  • Log the expenses
  • Review the entries to make sure items have categories and are categorized properly
  • Add up expense categories (my accounting software will do this, but I still need to prompt it to add up everything for just 2008)
  • Enter the totals into my tax software
  • Pay my tax bill or get a refund (I think we’ll be pretty close to even, so at this point it could go either way)
  • Monitor my filing to make sure it is accepted by the IRS

You see, doing my taxes is more than just a single item. And when I stop to do just one pieces, like going through my receipts, it suddenly doesn’t seem to intimidating.

Take a close look at your to-do list. Think about what your next action should be. Is that really reflected on your list?

Image: Newscom

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]]> http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/the-difference-between-a-to-do-list-and-a-project/feed/ 0 Tip of the week: Prioritizing made easy http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/tip-of-the-week-prioritizing-made-easy/ http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/tip-of-the-week-prioritizing-made-easy/#comments Sat, 17 May 2008 13:00:36 +0000 Jennifer Hofmann http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/tip-of-the-week-prioritizing-made-easy/ Post from: My Organized Biz

]]> http://www.sxc.hu/pic/m/n/nk/nkzs/951347_note_1.jpg(www.myorganizedbiz.com) – Have you ever had those days when you can’t decide where to start? You have the luxury of a few hours to get things done, but you feel uncertain and unmotivated about where to begin.

If you’re having that kind of day, make a quick trip to The Prioritizer from Idea Sandbox. In a few minutes, and a few A or B choices, you have a prioritized list generated for you.

Here’s what I found when I tried it: I was uncertain about which things I really wanted to do more, so I just put them all in. I didn’t necessarily agree with the list that got generated for me – but that got me to edit the list and I got right to it. What fun!

Try out the Prioritizer and see what you think!

Thanks for the tip, Kathy Mallary!

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]]> http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/tip-of-the-week-prioritizing-made-easy/feed/ 1 Check this list before you leave the house/office http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/check-this-list-before-you-leave-the-houseoffice/ http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/check-this-list-before-you-leave-the-houseoffice/#comments Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:00:17 +0000 Jennifer Hofmann http://www.myorganizedbiz.com/check-this-list-before-you-leave-the-houseoffice/ Post from: My Organized Biz

]]> (www.myorganizedbiz.com) - Ever gotten to a meeting and realized that you left a crucial item at home? We’ve all done it. If you’re like a lot of people, you leave the house 5 minutes late at the same time juggling your planner, phone, keys, coffee, sunglasses, and purse/briefcase. In a rush.

No wonder road rage is becoming normal.

Let me say that there really is another way to do this self-employed life.

Plan for a five-minute check-out process. By your door, post a list of things that you always need to have with you. You might also want a dry erase board to remind you of special items to bring with you on a certain errand.

Before you leave, check this list. Build it into your day and really make time for it. Not only will it increase efficiency, it will also create more calm and focus for whatever task lies ahead.

You might also consider this checklist pad found at OnlineOrganizing.com.

Do you do something like this already? Feel free to share your ideas!

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