Keep a daily to-do list

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Ever look up at the clock at the end of the day and wonder where the time went? Do you freak out because something you needed to get done fell through the cracks?

Start your day with a list! If you work in a fast-paced environment with lots of demands on your time, give yourself time before you jump into the day to organize yourself.

There are lots of systems out there for making "to-do" lists, so give any and all a try. And the actual content of your lists should always flow from your overall work plan.

At the most basic level, here's what I recommend:

• Take 5-10 minutes before you start your day to think about what you need to get done. Write out a list.
• Step back from the list and highlight the 3-4 things that you MUST get done.
• Keep your list close by throughout the day and look at it from time to time to make sure you are on task.
• Cross off the tasks that get done; roll the unfinshed items over to the next day.

Without a list, and clear sense priority tasks, you are rudderless. But once you've got your priorities for the day straight, you are in a better position to respond to unexpected pulls on your time.

Got a great to-do list strategy? Share in the comments!

Sue Chinn is Program Director at NOI

Photo from tmray02, via Creative Commons