Have you ever started the week with a to-do list only to find yourself not actually getting things done?
One of the most common issues people bring to me is
I know what I should be doing, but I’m not doing it.
Perhaps you get distracted or interrupted. Maybe you procrastinate.
If that’s you, you’re in the right place.
First, release the self-judgement. Resist the urge to buy into the stories you’ve heard about procrastination and resistance.
Procrastination isn’t the cause of your problem, but the effect of an ineffective planning strategy.
Today, we’re going to change the way you view your to-do list so that you can plan more effectively.
Reframe: Your To-Do List Is a Marketing Document
Consider your to-do list as a marketing document.
Because that’s what it is: it’s an offering you create to your future self, an invitation to “buy into” doing certain tasks.
Once you think of your to-do list as a marketing document, then you can create a more effective to-do list by applying one of the fundamental principles of marketing and sales:
A confused mind says “No.”
If your future mind is confused about what is being offered in the list, you won’t “buy” what you’re selling — you won’t do the task.
When you look at your “to do” list and don’t take action, on some level you’re confused about what needs to be done.
You might think you “know what you need to do” — and maybe you do know. But you know in a general sense.
You don’t have specific clarity on the task.
To create a more effective to-do list, you must give your future self greater clarity about the task.
6 Elements for a More Effective To-Do List
A good plan has the basic elements you learned in elementary school. It answers the essential 6 questions:
(1) WHAT
What do you need to do?
This may seem obvious, but most people are not specific about the what. The biggest trap in defining the “what” is that you list a project and not a task.
The more specifics you can offer, the easier it will be for your future self to take action.
To illustrate, here’s a simple example in the context of workouts. Consider the difference between these descriptions of a task:
- Workout.
- Workout: strength training.
- Workout: strength training: leg day.
- Workout: deadlifts.
- Workout: deadlifts 5×5.
Which gives you the greatest clarity?
When considering “what” you need to do, keep in mind that a task is one specific action. Anything that is more that one specific action is a project.
(2) WHY
Why does this task need to be done? Why do you want to do it? Why is this necessary?
Before you move on to the other pieces of the task, make sure you are clear on why you want to do it — and why it’s necessary.
Your “why” should remind you of your bigger purpose for doing the task and also why this task is actually necessary to achieve your desired outcome.
This is especially important if you tend to be a “questioner” who needs a reason for doing something, or if you don’t like to do unnecessary work.
(3) WHO
The element of “who” has two parts:
(a) Who needs to do the task?
Is this a task that you need to do personally, or can you leverage this to someone else?
In theory, and ideally, if you don’t need to do it personally it wouldn’t be on your list in the first place. As you review your tasks, it’s is a good time to question whether you really need to do this yourself.
(b) What support do you need?
Assuming you must do this personally, what kind of support do you need to do the task, and who can provide that support?
Over the past 20 years of learning how to work more effectively with ADHD, I’ve learned that there are certain tasks for which I need support. That support may look different depending on the task.
The top 3 ways I typically need support are:
- Body Double — a person to sit with me while I work.
- Tutor or Trainer — a person who will guide me through the task.
- Collaborator — a person who will actively engage with me in doing the task.
(4) WHEN
When will you do the task?
Your to-do list is just a wish list, unless you schedule a time to do the tasks.
Block time in your calendar to do the tasks, at a time that makes sense for your bio-rhythms.
(5) WHERE
Where will you do the task?
While you’re scheduling your tasks, make use of the “location” feature in your calendar app to plan exactly where you’re going to do it. And make sure that space is available at that time.
It’s not helpful to have “cook dinner” in your schedule if you don’t have access to a kitchen at the time you’ve planned to do the task.
(6) HOW
How will you do the task?
What information, guidance, tools, or resources will you need to do the task?
I recently shared how when I planned my lifts for CrossFit class, my plan included the specific weights I was going to put on the barbell for each lift. Having this information in front of me made it foolproof to implement.
To use the cooking metaphor, what ingredients will you need? What recipe will you use?
Having the “how” at your fingertips will help you actually do the “what.”
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