Comments on: 5 Steps of My To-Do Lists Revolution http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/ Get Organized. Stay Motivated. Enjoy Life. Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:02:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-42575 Gleb Reys Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:23:47 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-42575 Thanks, Alexey! I agree with you - knowing how important and/or urgent a task is more vital than just plan to finish a task on a certain day. This approach of mine has been a great start to my further research into productivity and tasks organization, but I have certainly moved on since then. Thanks for sharing your ideas! Hope to see you again! Thanks, Alexey!

I agree with you – knowing how important and/or urgent a task is more vital than just plan to finish a task on a certain day. This approach of mine has been a great start to my further research into productivity and tasks organization, but I have certainly moved on since then.

Thanks for sharing your ideas! Hope to see you again!

]]> By: Alexey Peskov http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-42536 Alexey Peskov Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:29:05 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-42536 Hello. Thank you for the article. Like you I always use to-do lists to organize my routine and I've experimented with it quite a lot. I think your idea of a blackboard (A4 paper in your case) with areas for each kind of tasks - it's a good idea. But for me I'm using slightly different approach - instead of dividing areas by time I'm dividing them by priority: must do (the most urgent), should do, nice do, can delegate, can eliminate (the less urgent). When I get the new task to do I think whether it's possible to accomplish it immediately or not. If I can - I do it, if not - I decide where it's better to place this new task, in which category. Each day I try to complete all my tasks from the first category and in the end of the day I look through all these groups and rearrange all the tasks. Very often I find some task not important or not actual (usually it happens with tasks from last category) and remove them from my list. Currently I'm using a mind-mapping tool for keeping this tree of tasks (you can find a screenshot in my blog), but recently I've started to think that it would be better to bring it offline. So I'm going to try out a blackboard and stickers approach. Another group of tasks I have had (now I'm using another approach) - weekly tasks. Again it's a subtree where I have days as branches of a current week root and when I'm planning my week and days I place tasks as a leaf of correspondent branch. Now I'm not using this approach because of extra paper work and I just have a general tree of tasks grouped by priority and a small sheet of paper where I have a short list of tasks for current day. I don't track the history of tasks because I don't know why should I need it - I made the task, I got result, that's all. Thank you. Hello.
Thank you for the article.
Like you I always use to-do lists to organize my routine and I’ve experimented with it quite a lot. I think your idea of a blackboard (A4 paper in your case) with areas for each kind of tasks – it’s a good idea. But for me I’m using slightly different approach – instead of dividing areas by time I’m dividing them by priority: must do (the most urgent), should do, nice do, can delegate, can eliminate (the less urgent). When I get the new task to do I think whether it’s possible to accomplish it immediately or not. If I can – I do it, if not – I decide where it’s better to place this new task, in which category. Each day I try to complete all my tasks from the first category and in the end of the day I look through all these groups and rearrange all the tasks. Very often I find some task not important or not actual (usually it happens with tasks from last category) and remove them from my list. Currently I’m using a mind-mapping tool for keeping this tree of tasks (you can find a screenshot in my blog), but recently I’ve started to think that it would be better to bring it offline. So I’m going to try out a blackboard and stickers approach.
Another group of tasks I have had (now I’m using another approach) – weekly tasks. Again it’s a subtree where I have days as branches of a current week root and when I’m planning my week and days I place tasks as a leaf of correspondent branch.
Now I’m not using this approach because of extra paper work and I just have a general tree of tasks grouped by priority and a small sheet of paper where I have a short list of tasks for current day. I don’t track the history of tasks because I don’t know why should I need it – I made the task, I got result, that’s all.

Thank you.

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-40531 Gleb Reys Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:31:14 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-40531 Thanks, Ashvin and Ici! Thanks, Ashvin and Ici!

]]> By: Ashvin http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-40530 Ashvin Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:54:55 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-40530 this is a very useful concept. For those electronically inclined you can do the same thing (postponing or marking complete a task) in a clickable format using rememberthemilk.com (my current favorite) or toodledo.com or vitalist (tried this one and generally less enthused about it). The first one is quite useful because of the integration with Gmail. Anyhow, I won't continue proselytizing too much but for me the electronic versions seem to work better than paper (cause I don't want to lug around an organizer). But the concept of getting things off your page and using a system so that you're not copying the same postponed tasks over and over each day makes very good sense. this is a very useful concept. For those electronically inclined you can do the same thing (postponing or marking complete a task) in a clickable format using rememberthemilk.com (my current favorite) or toodledo.com or vitalist (tried this one and generally less enthused about it). The first one is quite useful because of the integration with Gmail. Anyhow, I won’t continue proselytizing too much but for me the electronic versions seem to work better than paper (cause I don’t want to lug around an organizer). But the concept of getting things off your page and using a system so that you’re not copying the same postponed tasks over and over each day makes very good sense.

]]> By: rudanici http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-40428 rudanici Sat, 08 Dec 2007 09:15:10 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-40428 Thanx a bunch. really like ur ideas, and how u present them Thanx a bunch. really like ur ideas, and how u present them

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-35825 Gleb Reys Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:09:15 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-35825 Thanks for sharing your approach! I do more or less the same nowadays. Reviewing things in the evening makes sure you start thinking of the most important things for the day to come, so when you wake up you're ready to start working on them. Thanks for sharing your approach!

I do more or less the same nowadays. Reviewing things in the evening makes sure you start thinking of the most important things for the day to come, so when you wake up you’re ready to start working on them.

]]> By: NitroG http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-35821 NitroG Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:04:57 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-35821 I had a mentor (thanks Jackie W) who had a system that really works for my to-do-list. 1. Write this in your diary. 2. Review at the end of the day. 3. Cross off all items, whether achieved or not. 4. Reschedule all items not done immediately, in terms of priority and urgency. 5. Repeat.... This stops me from having to look back in my diary, whether analogue or digital to remind me of what has to be done. Nitro I had a mentor (thanks Jackie W) who had a system that really works for my to-do-list.
1. Write this in your diary.
2. Review at the end of the day.
3. Cross off all items, whether achieved or not.
4. Reschedule all items not done immediately, in terms of priority and urgency.
5. Repeat….
This stops me from having to look back in my diary, whether analogue or digital to remind me of what has to be done.

Nitro

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-32834 Gleb Reys Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:47:18 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-32834 Hi Adolf! Yes, I have my top 3 things to do for every day, on top of a regular to-do list. I agree, it does help a lot! Hi Adolf!

Yes, I have my top 3 things to do for every day, on top of a regular to-do list. I agree, it does help a lot!

]]> By: Adolf De Necker http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-31800 Adolf De Necker Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:10:22 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-31800 Hi I think to do lists is good ,but i added a DDA ( daily deliberet action) plan to mine.Its make thing a easier Regards Hi
I think to do lists is good ,but i added a DDA ( daily deliberet action) plan to mine.Its make thing a easier
Regards

]]> By: In search of the perfect to-do list system » bloodykitty.com http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-796 In search of the perfect to-do list system » bloodykitty.com Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:55:05 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-796 [...] 5 Steps of My To-Do Lists Revolution: How throwing away traditional to-do lists can be more productive for some people. [...] [...] 5 Steps of My To-Do Lists Revolution: How throwing away traditional to-do lists can be more productive for some people. [...]

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-385 Gleb Reys Sun, 05 Nov 2006 20:16:36 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-385 Hi Isabella! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this! You know something really interesting? I came to doing exactly the same - setting 6 things for me to do every day, and then prioritizing the rest. So, if I get an urgent request which is important, I know that I have to take something else off the list, because I'm not allowing myself to have more than 6 things on the list. I never knew it was an idea by Mary Kay, though. So thanks for letting me know! And you idea of having wish lists instead of to-do lists sounds like a very good habit to develop. Will give it a try :) All the best, Isabella! Hope to see you on my website again! Hi Isabella!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!

You know something really interesting? I came to doing exactly the same – setting 6 things for me to do every day, and then prioritizing the rest. So, if I get an urgent request which is important, I know that I have to take something else off the list, because I’m not allowing myself to have more than 6 things on the list. I never knew it was an idea by Mary Kay, though. So thanks for letting me know!

And you idea of having wish lists instead of to-do lists sounds like a very good habit to develop. Will give it a try :)

All the best, Isabella! Hope to see you on my website again!

]]> By: isabella mori http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-381 isabella mori Sun, 05 Nov 2006 16:54:15 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-381 i can't agree with you more. i used to whip myself with to-do lists, too, in similar ways. love the sticky notes idea (am a big fan of sticky notes). another version of that is what mary kay suggests (a smart businesswoman if there ever was one), which is to NEVER have more than 6 things on your to do list for each day, and then get them all out of the way first thing in the morning. what's worked well for me was to change the wording - i started calling it a wish list. that made it less daunting. for a while, when i was part of an online business support group, i would also post my three goals for the week with that support group first thing monday morning. that was also very helpful. i can’t agree with you more. i used to whip myself with to-do lists, too, in similar ways. love the sticky notes idea (am a big fan of sticky notes). another version of that is what mary kay suggests (a smart businesswoman if there ever was one), which is to NEVER have more than 6 things on your to do list for each day, and then get them all out of the way first thing in the morning.

what’s worked well for me was to change the wording – i started calling it a wish list. that made it less daunting. for a while, when i was part of an online business support group, i would also post my three goals for the week with that support group first thing monday morning. that was also very helpful.

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Gleb Reys Mon, 14 Aug 2006 05:40:50 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-129 Hi Luigi! Thanks for finding time to leave a comment. I see you've been blogging about life and personal growth for about two month now? Best of luck with this! Hope to see you around! Hi Luigi!

Thanks for finding time to leave a comment. I see you’ve been blogging about life and personal growth for about two month now? Best of luck with this!

Hope to see you around!

]]> By: Mmm... Life... http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-128 Mmm... Life... Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:50:15 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-128 Great post. I'm always adding to my to do lists faster than I can cross things off. So many posts out there on how to make to-do lists, and not enough like yours -- that talk about how to whittle them down. Keep up the great work. Great post. I’m always adding to my to do lists faster than I can cross things off. So many posts out there on how to make to-do lists, and not enough like yours — that talk about how to whittle them down. Keep up the great work.

]]> By: MyLife Organized: Progress Review · Personal Development Ideas Blog http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-47 MyLife Organized: Progress Review · Personal Development Ideas Blog Thu, 15 Jun 2006 09:28:47 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-47 [...] As you remember, I’m trying to organize my plans and tasks in a form that I have an easy overview of things to be done today, this week, this month, and in some distant future. At the end of each time period, I take few minutes to review it. Usually, I do this review at the end of my day, right after I get back home - this is done so that I finish off the open loops for the working day, and review the plans for the rest of the evening. [...] [...] As you remember, I’m trying to organize my plans and tasks in a form that I have an easy overview of things to be done today, this week, this month, and in some distant future. At the end of each time period, I take few minutes to review it. Usually, I do this review at the end of my day, right after I get back home – this is done so that I finish off the open loops for the working day, and review the plans for the rest of the evening. [...]

]]> By: Organizing Things Online · Personal Development Ideas Blog http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Organizing Things Online · Personal Development Ideas Blog Wed, 14 Jun 2006 07:48:46 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-45 [...] Although I’m pretty happy with the success of using first 5-section A4 organizer and then the MyLifeOrganized software for keeping track of my daily tasks and plans, I’m still looking for an even better way to manage tasks. [...] [...] Although I’m pretty happy with the success of using first 5-section A4 organizer and then the MyLifeOrganized software for keeping track of my daily tasks and plans, I’m still looking for an even better way to manage tasks. [...]

]]> By: MyLife Organized review · Personal Development Ideas Blog http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-44 MyLife Organized review · Personal Development Ideas Blog Thu, 08 Jun 2006 07:22:30 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-44 [...] I’ve been using the evaluation version 1.5.06 of MyLife Organized to replace the organizing process I had been using after my recent to-do lists revolution. So far it’s proved to be reasonably easy to manage tasks using this software, but I’m still not sure if it’s the ideal solution for me, and I’ll explain why. [...] [...] I’ve been using the evaluation version 1.5.06 of MyLife Organized to replace the organizing process I had been using after my recent to-do lists revolution. So far it’s proved to be reasonably easy to manage tasks using this software, but I’m still not sure if it’s the ideal solution for me, and I’ll explain why. [...]

]]> By: Performance or Balance: What’s More Important? · Personal Development Ideas Blog http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Performance or Balance: What’s More Important? · Personal Development Ideas Blog Mon, 29 May 2006 20:06:33 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-36 [...] As you have probably read in My To-Do Lists Revolution article before, I’ve gone through few stages of various optimizations in search of the most efficient way of organizing all the things I have to do. [...] [...] As you have probably read in My To-Do Lists Revolution article before, I’ve gone through few stages of various optimizations in search of the most efficient way of organizing all the things I have to do. [...]

]]> By: Having To-Do Lists Is Just Not Enough · Personal Development Ideas Blog http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Having To-Do Lists Is Just Not Enough · Personal Development Ideas Blog Tue, 09 May 2006 12:39:24 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-17 [...] I’m not a to-do lists person. Not anymore, anyway. You’ll see what I mean if you read about my recent To-Do Lists Revolution. Still, I have deliberately left quite a room for developing the topic, so there it is - yet another blog entry on to-do lists. Thoughts described below are just an opinion of mine, and the aim of this entry is to help you make up your own view of to-do lists and decide whether they really are the best tool available for managing your daily tasks. To-do lists are supposed to be a fairly simple and self-explanatory concept. You make and follow these lists to do stuff. Usually we refer to our daily to-do lists, but it’s not uncommon to have weekly or even monthly to-do lists as well. To-Do lists are great for getting more things done that you’d normally do without such lists, but at the same time they’re not so great for lots of other aspects of your activities. In other words, simply having to-do lists is just not enough to stay on top of things. And in this entry, I’m going you show you why, and I will give you examples of how to-do lists don’t encourage and sometimes even slow down your progress. [...] [...] I’m not a to-do lists person. Not anymore, anyway. You’ll see what I mean if you read about my recent To-Do Lists Revolution. Still, I have deliberately left quite a room for developing the topic, so there it is – yet another blog entry on to-do lists. Thoughts described below are just an opinion of mine, and the aim of this entry is to help you make up your own view of to-do lists and decide whether they really are the best tool available for managing your daily tasks. To-do lists are supposed to be a fairly simple and self-explanatory concept. You make and follow these lists to do stuff. Usually we refer to our daily to-do lists, but it’s not uncommon to have weekly or even monthly to-do lists as well. To-Do lists are great for getting more things done that you’d normally do without such lists, but at the same time they’re not so great for lots of other aspects of your activities. In other words, simply having to-do lists is just not enough to stay on top of things. And in this entry, I’m going you show you why, and I will give you examples of how to-do lists don’t encourage and sometimes even slow down your progress. [...]

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Gleb Reys Wed, 19 Apr 2006 14:50:24 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-16 Good luck with this, Bea! This is only the first part of a series of posts of mine on productivity, so be sure to come back later for more. After I'm done with to-do lists, I'll start exploring the computer-based approaches, because this would is essentially the way to go. I've got an idea or two to try out first, but I'll definitely post about my experiments here, so you'll be among the first to know! :) Thanks for the comment! Good luck with this, Bea!

This is only the first part of a series of posts of mine on productivity, so be sure to come back later for more. After I’m done with to-do lists, I’ll start exploring the computer-based approaches, because this would is essentially the way to go. I’ve got an idea or two to try out first, but I’ll definitely post about my experiments here, so you’ll be among the first to know! :)

Thanks for the comment!

]]> By: Bea http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Bea Wed, 19 Apr 2006 12:59:50 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-15 Once more, Gleb, you are making me think a lot! I think I'll try this to-do lists approach of yours, above all at home, because my attempts are not being any successful right now (what I do now, or try to do, is write my tasks in my PDA "tasks" section, which I never look, so it's no use). At work my system is using the "tasks" section of Outlook, and though I'm sure I can improve it, it's working more or less OK. But at home I don't have a PC screen in front of me all the time, so I think it will be useful to have some physical reminder of my pending tasks... I'll try the post-its and let you know ;:-) Once more, Gleb, you are making me think a lot!

I think I’ll try this to-do lists approach of yours, above all at home, because my attempts are not being any successful right now (what I do now, or try to do, is write my tasks in my PDA “tasks” section, which I never look, so it’s no use).

At work my system is using the “tasks” section of Outlook, and though I’m sure I can improve it, it’s working more or less OK. But at home I don’t have a PC screen in front of me all the time, so I think it will be useful to have some physical reminder of my pending tasks… I’ll try the post-its and let you know ;:-)

]]> By: 5 Steps of My To-Do Lists Revolution - lifehack.org http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/comment-page-1/#comment-12 5 Steps of My To-Do Lists Revolution - lifehack.org Thu, 13 Apr 2006 14:12:18 +0000 http://www.personaldevelopment.ie/2006/04/to-do-lists-revolution/#comment-12 [...] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers canshare and discover new web pages. [...] [...] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers canshare and discover new web pages. [...]

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