Dot Connector

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, including how I use the online organization tool Backpack from 37signals, to manage my to do lists online. Below, I will outline approaches for paper and online systems where relevant.

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 Backpack. 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!
   • Backpack Tip: I’d recommend a separate page for each list, as shown to the right (Note: I use symbols like “!” and “@” to make pages show up in a certain order in Backpack.
   • 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.
   • Backpack Tip: See the screen shot at right for a sample of my To Do List page in Backpack. By using Backpack’s easy drag-and-drop features, you can move items from your To Do List to your Top 3 area easily. Also, by clicking a link at the bottom of your Backpack page, you can easily send your page to yourself via email.
   • 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.
   • Backpack Tip: Use email to send To Dos to your Backpack page! This is one of the greatest features of Backpack, and it works especially well if you use a mobile device like a Blackberry. You can add items to your lists by simply sending an email to your Backpack page! Here’s a complete tutorial.
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.

As many of you know, as the “Leader of Leaders and Pursuer of WOW!” at Quicken Loans (Fortune Magazine’s #2 Best Company to Work For), I lead an amazing team of folks who completes well over 1,000 projects per year. In a future post, I’ll share my secrets for using Backpack as a leadership and management tool.

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