The Power of the to-do List Part 2

Reading my friend Connie’s blog yesterday and some of the comments left by readers reminded me of a few things I forgot to tell you about the power of ‘to-do’ list.

First, there is a tremendous sense of accomplishment when you can cross a task off of your list as complete. It just feels great!

And, second, the most powerful benefit of the ‘to-do’ list is that it is a tangible, visible list of steps that move you toward your dreams and goals. They are a way to dream and plan your future, to try new things out, and to test the waters with baby steps.

Often times my ‘to-do’ lists will include ideas for new blog posts, workshops, and new things I want to try. They are a way for me to dream of new things while also listing tangible action steps I can take to get the ball rolling.

In addition to my weekly ‘to-do’ lists I also make monthly and yearly ‘to-do’ lists. These lists are much broader in scope. They list my ‘big ideas’, ‘big goals’ and ‘big dreams’. I use these ‘to-do’ lists to guide me when I am making my weekly lists. They help me narrow down what projects need to be worked on this week and which ones can wait until next month. They also are a gentle reminder to keep pushing forward and trying new things. They are dreams waiting to happen.

One other powerful way that my ‘to-do’ lists help me is that they serve as reminders.

I keep my lists and review them periodically. They remind me how much I have accomplished – one little step at a time. Sometimes I will see a ‘to-do’ task or idea that kept getting pushed low on the priority lost until it disappeared completely. Maybe I was too busy. Maybe it wasn’t the right time. But, by keeping my lists and reviewing them I never lose an idea or an action step that will move me closer to my ‘big’ dreams and goals.

So, here are a few more ‘to-do’ list tips…

• Make a ‘big’ dream list – a ‘big to-do’ list. What do you want to accomplish this year? This month?
• Take some time for yourself every week to list what you want to do, and need to do.
• Prioritize you list
• Cross things off of your list, high five yourself, feel good, dance a little and then move onto the next task.
• Take a few minutes at the end of every day to reflect on what you’ve accomplished. If you need to, adjust your list or make a new one for tomorrow.
• Dream big. Set big goals. Ask yourself everyday will this task, this idea, this action step move me closer to my dreams and goals or further away?
• Have fun with your ‘to-do’ lists. Like I said I like purple pens and yellow legal pads. But, you can use anything you want. Maybe you might like rainbow colored post-it notes or pastel index cards. Have fun making your ‘to-do’ lists!

And, just one more thing, remember, “to-do’ lists are a powerful tool to help you achieve your dreams and goals – but, remember they are just tools. They are not meant to control your life or imprison your creativity. They are your lists, your ideas and your action steps. You’re the boss. You manage your list, don’t let your list manage you!! Always have fun!!