Tip #4 – To Do Lists
Never start your day without a to do list for the day. This will keep you focussed and on track with what needs to happen in your day.
I like to break my to do list up and I simply grab a piece of paper and hand write my list each and every day. There is something magical that happens when you put pen to paper, it kind of locks things in.
I usually put all my appointments on one side of my page with the times – be that phone calls or online meetings or meetings I need to leave the house for. That way I know where and when I need to be at specific times, otherwise I find I can get lost in my little world of work and forget I have a call on. I seem to lose track of time on some days. I also set an alarm on my phone for 5 minutes before any appointment – I hate being late and unprepared!
Next I put the high priority things at the top of my list. What really MUST be done today. That way they are front and centre.
Next I put in the other tasks that I would “like” to get done today. This is not my complete to do list of all projects, this is just the things I’m going to aim to get done today.
The next step is to learn how you set your to do list. For example, I always put too much on my to do list. I NEVER complete my entire to do list for the day….. I do ALWAYS complete all of my MUST be done today items or the high priorities, but I have found that the things like ‘like’ to get completed list is generally longer than I would ever be able to get done.
So why do I tell you this? Because at the end of the day, I don’t beat myself up that I didn’t finish my to do list…. Because I NEVER do! If I can get close, then that is an amazing day!
How do you set your to do list up?
There is a theory that taking just 10 minutes to plan your day will save you about an hour through the day, so take that 10 minutes to plan.
I grew up with my Mum working from home. If you ask my Mum, she will tell you that the amount she could get done on her to do list when I went down for a nap (my older brother and sister were at school) was incredible. As soon as I closed my eyes, Mum knew what she had to get done and got it done in that time.
You don’t need a sleeping baby to do this either by the way. Set an alarm for an hour and then see how many things you can check off your to do list in that time.
When working from home you are often on your own, so make sure you give yourself a high five or a little cheer or celebration when you achieve things. It may seem weird (but no one else will know either) but it does help you keep moving and keep getting things done on your to do list.
Get organised, it will make working from home easier and more productive.
