So, let’s all agree that your list has positions like: mom, car, bank, John summary, budget.

What does it mean? Are those words clear enough that you know exactly what you need to do? Do you know what physically you need to do next to keep things moving forward?

I’ve been going through a book from David Allen called “Getting things done” and I’m amazed how much improvement I can have in my productivity simply by changing the way I construct my to-do lists. Instead, of writing down “apartment” as a task I try to deconstruct it to the precisely described next step. Lets say in that instance I want to place my apartment online for renting. I think about what is the real next step I need to take. In that instance I don’t have pictures. So my next task is: take pictures of the apartment. When I accomplish the first task then I repeat the exercise and write down a next physical action I need to take.

Such a deconstruction makes it a lot easier for our brain to deal with the amount of task we do daily. There is no more thought process needed to think and remember what was hidden under the word “apartment”. Now, I know exactly what and when I need to do.

Try it out and you will be amazed how much easier it is for us to stay on top of our to-do’s!