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- Do You Have a To-Do List?
Do You Have a To-Do List?
- By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA
- Published 09/19/2008
- The Laws of Leadership
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Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA
Barbara Ficarra RN, BSN, MPA is an award-winning journalist, media broadcaster, media spokesperson, media coach, creator/executive producer/host of Health in 30® radio show which airs live Fridays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, broadcasts on WRCR-AM 1300 and streams live online at http://Healthin30.com. Health in 30® is a 30-minute show that brings listeners the latest health and medical news and information with leading guest medical experts. Barbara conducts lively, informative and engaging discussions with leaders in their fields to provide vital health information on a broad range of topics, while focusing on education and prevention; and listeners will often call-in with questions. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of the Healthin30.com website which provides vital health information covering a broad range of topics, and it centers on education and prevention.
It’s time I step away from the insider medical tips for now and focus on a something a little different. After all, no one really wants to think about being in a hospital. So I’m putting my tips to the side for this one post and I am imploring you for your expert tips. This new topic almost seems silly, but its one I’m really struggling with.
“The List.” Whatever you want to call it, it’s the never-ending “to-do list.” I’m sure most of us have one. My to-do list is so long I could probably start wall papering one of the rooms with it.
That never ending list includes anything from going food shopping to organizing years worth of photos, to picking up the dry cleaning to organizing the garage, picking your child up from soccer practice to writing thank you cards and to oh yeah, writing the next great New York Times Best-Selling Book.
There are those people who make the list and successfully check it off by week’s end. Then there are those who keep adding to list and it gets longer and longer and longer and by week’s end even if a few items are checked off the list is so long it seems as if there’s no end in sight.
I know how important it is to keep the list from getting out of control since that’ll only start stressing you out. Since I’m all about health, stress is definitely not a good thing and it’ll wreak havoc on your health. So this is where I need your expert tips from keeping the list from forming around my house. Here’s some questions about the list:
“The List.” Whatever you want to call it, it’s the never-ending “to-do list.” I’m sure most of us have one. My to-do list is so long I could probably start wall papering one of the rooms with it.
That never ending list includes anything from going food shopping to organizing years worth of photos, to picking up the dry cleaning to organizing the garage, picking your child up from soccer practice to writing thank you cards and to oh yeah, writing the next great New York Times Best-Selling Book.
There are those people who make the list and successfully check it off by week’s end. Then there are those who keep adding to list and it gets longer and longer and longer and by week’s end even if a few items are checked off the list is so long it seems as if there’s no end in sight.
I know how important it is to keep the list from getting out of control since that’ll only start stressing you out. Since I’m all about health, stress is definitely not a good thing and it’ll wreak havoc on your health. So this is where I need your expert tips from keeping the list from forming around my house. Here’s some questions about the list:
- When should the list be written? What day of the week is best?
- Is the list written for the week or month? How do you decide?
- How many lists should there be? Do you have one list for professional and work related items and a list for household things that need to be done and a list for kids and their activities? Or, are all of your to-do items on one list?
- Do you include your goals (short term and long term goals) on your list or should that be separate?
- Do you have a short term to-do list and a long term to-do list? Or ore they combined?
- How do you decide what to tackle first? (Okay, if you need to pick your child up after soccer practice; that’ll be one to be completed, but what about organizing photos?)
- Is it hand written or printed from the computer? And does it matter?
- Do you check off from the list or cross it off? And does it matter?
- After you check something off the list, can you add another item to the bottom? Or do you need to wait until everything is completed before adding to the list.
- Where do you keep the list?
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2 Responses to "Do You Have a To-Do List?"
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said this on 21 Sep 2008 2:43:21 AM CST
I can't live a day without my lists. I don't know how people do it without a list.
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Author/Admin)|
said this on 25 Sep 2008 8:36:34 AM CST
My To-Do-List is a must for me to have the "feeling" of accomplishment at the end of the day. I keep a hand written list and also MS Outlook list on my computer of both my personal and business action items. It's easier for me to focus on a daily list, as opposed to a weekly. I use my calender (Microsoft and Google) to keep tabs of things that will need my attention later on in the week.
What has been a great help for me lately is to have a Top 2 and Top 5 items on my daily list of things to do. I start working on my daily list for the next day, before I go to bed at night. The next day, I would organize my list with the Top 2-5 priority items and work my way through them, with the intention of having them completed by the end of the day. Everything else rolls over to the next day. I have learned that trying to start too many projects in one day from my To-Do list leaves me at the end of the day with too many unfinished projects and a feeling of being overwhelmed. So now I work on completing at least 2 items, in it's entirety every day. I sleep much better at nights doing it this way. My short-term and long-term goals list are kept separate from my daily to-do list. |
