What to do With Your "To-Do" List

Over the last few days I have been making an attempt to knock items off my “To-Do” list one-by-one. When I think of all the things I have to do as a whole, I am overwhelmed. A meeting here, a lunch there, press releases, phone calls, emails, articles – my head could explode from all the thoughts. And, naturally, with each minute I am also realizing there are things I FORGOT to add to that running list.

However, when I breathe in and breathe out, and take a moment to de-stress, I realize I can get more done if I attack it in pieces. For instance, yesterday I vowed, after I plopped down in front of my computer, “I will not move on to the next thing until I complete one draft of this flyer.” Sitting there and focusing on that one single task made me accountable for getting it done. I’m not making phone calls, I am not checking email, and my one goal is to bang out a first draft.

When that first draft was completed, I moved on to my next task. I would only overlook the errors on the flyer if I tried to edit it now. I knew I could come back with a fresh set of eyes to the flyer later. Before I began my next task, checking emails, I am made sure to time myself. It is easy to get lost answering a bunch of emails. You begin to remember other things you wanted to respond to; you realize the info you need is in an email you received two weeks ago, and you spend minutes hunting down the previous emails and flow of responses.

To avoid getting lost in this shuffle, I give myself an hour to respond to emails – including inquiries I am sending to new clients, check ins I am making with existing clients, or business and ordering matters I need to clear.

I work in this manner dividing tasks and times until I reach the period I have marked as the end of my work day. This gives me time to refocus my energy on my son – pick him up from school, talk about his day, have dinner and unwind. When he’s sleeping, I can revisit an article that needed proofing or take a stab at the press release. However, yesterday, I chose to plop down on the couch, pour myself a glass of rum on ice and read Essence magazine until it was lights out.

Priorities people … we must set them. I’d rather drift off into a calm sleep, than stay up to two o’clock in the morning worrying about projects. This way, I am relaxed in the morning and can approach day two of my busy schedule with a clear head.

How do you get through your busy agenda? Please share your stories and tried and true resolutions.