To-do lists offer some smart ways in which tasks get prioritized. Task-prioritization is an essential requirement for effective time management. Many distractions make people find themselves hard-pressed to remember all the things and tasks that they were supposed to complete any given day. This difficulty is where the magic of the to-do list (which is a form of bookkeeping) starts to become relevant. So how can we use to-do lists to prioritize tasks? Find out below.
The project list
Tasks usually consist of several activities. This complexity makes it hard for us to start and arrange activities on a priority basis. It is often not clear what to do first. But if we break it down into small steps and in order of priority, it will be easier to get an overview. We know where to start, and the task loses its terror.
However, it is essential to remember that for large projects, a to-do list is not enough. There is no way around proper project management. Though, for small, manageable businesses that can be done quickly and have little potential for surprise, to-do lists can be handy.
The goals list
In everyday life, we lose track of tasks and obligations and our long-term goals and wishes. These goals include concrete projects, such as graduating from a university or building a house, soft targets, playing regular sports, or meeting friends. To ensure that we do not lose sight of them, we must always question whether our activities serve to achieve them. It helps to create a goals list. This goal list is a form of a to-do list that highlights, in order of prioritization, the goals that are important to us and that we want to achieve in life.
The ad hoc list
If the deadline is already threateningly close and it just about to cross the limit, you better not set off immediately because now hardly anyone can think clearly. It’s smarter to make a simple list of needed steps. Everything that is not necessary to achieve the goal is kept away from the list. Things that belong to the project, but are not a prerequisite for success, are considered dispensable. If there is still time left later, then you can approach it. In such a situation, a to-do list can help to gain control through the prioritization of tasks.
Multiple lists
You can separate between work and private life and operate different lists for different situations. If you only use one, it won’t be easy to manage since the average person has many various projects running.
When we are at work, a list of tasks that concern us can be enough. At home, on the other hand, we need another list. It may also be several. Because the lists are contextual and manageable, we can work them out in a concentrated manner. These lists can also remind us of the priority of different tasks so that we may not lose time doing lower-priority activities before a high-priority activity.
Three-things list
By compelling ourselves to never write down more than three tasks, on the one hand, we ensure that only essential matters get handled. At the same time, it ensures that we keep track of things. The three-thing list is becoming more popular. It simplifies the whole process, and it also has the advantage of making it easier for a person to assign prioritization. When an extensive list gets created, it can be a real bother to decide each activity’s priority. With the three-thing list, however, you can get your preferences right 99% of the time!
So, it is quite evident that to-do lists can help you improve your prioritization of essential activities.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
