Here’s a simple method for planning your day. It’s just three lists, which fit nicely on a single piece of paper:
(1) MUST DO
This includes appointments and scheduled tasks, anything with a deadline or due date, and your core work tasks.
If it’s on your calendar (or should be), it’s a “Must Do”. If it is a core function of your work, e.g., returning phone calls, replying to letters and emails, reviewing and preparing documents, and so on, it also goes on your Must Do list.
(2) SHOULD DO
Your Should Do list contains 1-3 important tasks that bring value to your clients or to yourself and help you make progress towards achieving your goals.
These are discretionary tasks and projects and often don’t have an immediate payoff. That’s why people procrastinate on them, and why they need to be on your Should Do list.
Should Do tasks include things like writing articles, creating presentations, contacting prospective referral sources, and other marketing and management tasks. Should Do tasks can be grouped together, i.e., “call three clients to touch base”.
You might want to designate ONE of your Should Do tasks as your “Most Important Task” (MIT) of the day. Think of it this way: If you only did this one thing today, you would be satisfied.
(3) COULD DO
Anything else. Choose up to 5 additional tasks to do after you have done everything in the first two categories. These aren’t important but they may be necessary, e.g., errands, organizing files, additional research.
You should also maintain a running list or notebook with someday/maybe projects, ideas, and other things you’re not ready to do. Go through this list regularly and add tasks to your “Should Do” and “Could Do” lists.
At the end of each day, if you haven’t done everything on your three lists, add them to your next day’s lists.
If you have done everything on your three lists, you can either dip into your idea notebook for additional tasks or go home. You’ve had a great day.
I use Evernote to collect ideas and someday/maybes
