Dot Connector Blog

Big jobs go to the people who prove their ability to outgrow small ones.

- Theodore Roosevelt

(Source: karindalziel)

Getting organized — and staying organized — can help you get things done, feel more fulfilled, and clear your mind for more creative thought!

A cornerstone of every organization “system” are to do lists. Below, are my Top 10 To Do List tips.  FYI: I use the online organization tool Remember the Milk to manage my to do lists online.

Note: If you’re familiar with David Allen’s “Getting Things Done,” system/book, some of the ideas below will look familiar. However, I’ve taken my own approach, as you will see throughout this post. Also, the following tips are specifically designed for getting organized at work. However, you could easily apply them to your personal life as well.

1. Create the system that’s right for you. For years I used a paper-based version of the to do list system outlined below. Just over a year ago, I moved to a completely online system. Really, it comes down to the tools you want to use (or already use) in your daily routine. Are you online a lot? Do you have a web browser on your phone or Blackberry? If so, I’d recommend using the tips below with Remember the Milk. Are you less concerned with the “digital world”? That’s just fine, you can use a paper-based system just as effectively!
2. Create only 3 lists: “To Do List,” “Waiting For,” and “Someday/Maybe.” Then, put all of your to dos on your 3 new lists, as outlined below. Remember, it’s fine to create more lists, segment lists into areas (i.e. “To Dos by Client,” or “Project A’s Someday/Maybe list”), etc., but really try to keep it simple for now. You can always refine later!
   • Paper-based Tip: Create a To Do List template and save it. That way, when you need to create more lists, you can just print more copies! You can download my Excel To Do List template here.
3. Your “To Do List” is the new home for all of the current things you need to get done. Personally, I like to have a motivational quote at the top of my list, and separate out my Top 3 for today (see Tips #9 and #10 below), Calls I need to make, and the rest of my To Dos.
   • Paper-based Tip: You can use sticky notes to write down your Top 3 for today, and simply slap today’s note on top of your To Do List.
4. Your “Waiting For” list should contain all of the things you are waiting on others to do, including stuff you’ve delegated. Be sure to list WHO you are waiting for at the beginning of the item for easy scanning later (i.e. “Doug: Revised 2008 Strategic Plan”)
5. Your “Someday/Maybe” list is a place to store all the crazy ideas, brainstorm session results, stuff you just can’t think to hard about right now, and dreams that you have but that may never happen. It’s a place to actively “remember” new ideas!
6. Start each item on your to do list with an action verb. This is a subtle, but powerful tip, that I found thanks to Patrick Rhone’s blog. It has helped transform my lists into lists of action! Just by starting a to do with “Call…” or “Determine…” or “Present…” you get your mind thinking about taking action.
7. Dedicate some time to review your lists. Just like with email, your to do lists are a “thing” that needs attention. Even taking just 5 minutes at the beginning and end of each day will help you focus on what you need to do, and ensure you are keeping your lists up-to-date.
8. Develop easy ways to keep your to do lists up-to-date. Your lists are little help to you if the things you need to do are not in them! Find ways to make sure you keep them updated.
9. Each morning, make a list of 3 things you need to do today. By limiting yourself to only 3 things, you set yourself up for success. Also, it means you have to go through your lists and decide what is most important. And don’t pick more than 3 — most days don’t go as planned, and you need to be easy on yourself (that’s very hard in today’s world). By only picking 3 things, you give yourself the time necessary to do those other things that come up!
10. Don’t let your system run your life! Always do the right things first. We all have 1,000’s of things to do. You can easily let your well-organized to do lists run your life, and settle into being a “task doer” at work. Don’t let that happen! This to do list system is strictly a “place” to keep all of your to dos, not a direction on what to do. Deciding what to do — and how you want to react to what you have to do — takes thought, prioritization, and intuition.

Asking for help is one of the most critical steps to effectively get things done, innovating in your projects, and advancing your career.

But, why is asking for help so hard?

1. We are taught to be self-reliant. Self-reliance is a great skill to have, but not at the expense of collaborating and reaching out to others around you to learn from them.
2. We have horrible experiences with group projects in college/business school. The first group projects we have, while still in college, are rarely stellar. Usually, it’s a group of people without a common goal, understanding, or approach, working to complete a project they are most likely not interested in.
3. We are proud. Many people are very hesitant to ask for help, because they see it as a sign of weakness. Others have a strong sense of pride that prevents them from showing others that they don’t know the answer, or have the solution.

Asking for help is actually a great way to grow stronger relationships within your work environment. Consider that…

1. Most people are flattered when someone asks them for help. By asking for help from someone, you are acknowledging their expertise and/or knowledge in a particular area. Most people will go out of their way to help you once you have done this.
2. Changes you didn’t know were possible can happen. Let’s say you’re stuck on a project, and just can’t see a solution. Often, asking for help from a team leader, manager, etc. can lead to resources, tools, and solutions you didn’t even know were possible. Frequently, project tasks, and even entire projects, can be re-prioritized when you ask for help. You will learn dramatically from these situations.
3. Usually, people are more likely to reach out to you when they need help. By asking for help, you open up a line of communication with other people where they are more likely to ask you for help in return. Again, you never know just where this can take you.

So, the next time you need to, go ahead and ask for help! You’ll probably be surprised with the results.

There’s an old saying that goes “you have to tell your story or someone will tell it for you.”

That single principle, that you have to be continuously “telling your story,” is an essential business communication tip.

Why? Think about these sample situations:

• You work for 3 years with a high-level executive. Then, that executive is replaced with another. The new person might not know all of the things you have accomplished or plan to implement.
• You work with a large project team where new team members are rotated in and out of projects on a frequent basis. If you haven’t created a good story (and chronicled your successes and failures), new project team members will have a hard time assimilating into the team.
• You work in a large organization where you may come into contact with tens, or even hundreds, of different people across your different projects. It’s always best if your good reputation preceded you.

Ok, but am I saying you should brag about yourself? Absolutely not. So then how do you tell your story?

1. Connect the Dots! If there are projects you are working on that others might benefit from knowing about, tell them! Remember, tell your story by talking about “what’s in it for them.” They’ll appreciate that you were thinking about them, and it will build trust between you.
2. Create a Weekly Paper Newsletter! I created a newsletter called The Weekly WOW! for a controversial project that involved over 75 people. I used this newsletter to communicate the progress of the project (complete with a countdown to launch), share stories about the project team’s individual accomplishments, and include motivational quotes. People loved it! It wasn’t a voicemail, and it wasn’t (another!) email, it was just clear, beneficial information about the project that showed up as a printed newsletter at everyone’s desk on Fridays. (Side note: the project was a huge success!)
3. Use Voicemail to Get the Word Out! Do you send a weekly voicemail update to your “Clients” about your progress? If so, great! If not, why not? Share the great information you know with them. You can also use voicemail to share when you can’t see them in person. If this idea interests you, be sure to check out my 10 Tips to Improve Your Voicemails post.

Tell your story and you’ll be amazed how much it can help you!

Here are my top 3 business email etiquette tips that have worked well for me and many others:

#1 – Never flag business emails with “high priority”

• If an email is important enough that it warrants “high priority” (i.e. that red exclamation point in most email programs), then it warrants a face-to-face conversation, phone call, or urgent voicemail.
• Don’t “drop bombs” in email by sending high priority messages. Just seek out the people you are sending the message to and talk to them.

#2 – Never use BCC in business emails

• If you need someone to see an email you sent, forward it to them from your sent items. Never use BCC – if people ever find out that you use it, they will likely never trust your email conversations again.
• Since the reader of a BCC email can “reply to all” they can easily “reveal” that they are on the email.

#3 – Make your emails easy to read

• Most people are dealing with an email “avalanche” every single day. Create messages that are easy to scan, and don’t take a lot of effort to read.
• Keep your emails as concise as possible. Write it, and then try to cut it in half!
• Bulleted lists are your friend – use bulleted lists (which are easy to scan) whenever possible. If you are sending messages to Blackberry users, you can use an * (i.e. shift plus the number eight) as a bullet. Try to limit your use of long paragraphs of copy.
• If you are using formatting in your emails, use black text for normal content. Use red text for eye-catching, must-read content (and bad news). Use green text for good news.

If you’re looking for more info on email organization, check out my Email Management series.

If you can think of other email etiquette tips, please feel free to post a comment!