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Almost Doesn’t Count: Why Leaders Need Active To-Do Lists
Guest Post by Brad Farris :: Starting a new project is easy—in fact, it’s usually one of the most exciting parts of the process. But how many times have you seen a leader start a new project, devote a fair amount of time to development, but then leave it unfinished?
Or maybe you’ve found yourself in the predicament where you’ve started lots of different projects…but not quite finished any of them. It’s a rather unsatisfying place to be.
And here’s the big problem: Whether it’s 0% or 80% complete doesn’t matter to a client. Not finished is not finished. In fact, 80% finished is probably even worse—because you’ve devoted a lot of time to your task and you have nothing to show for it.
But there are ways to get to the completion stage. Let’s go over how active to-do lists get leaders from start to finish.
Make the list
Taking stock of your to-do list is the first step toward finishing. You need to have a clear picture of what it is you need to accomplish—and it all needs to be in one place. That means no breaking it up into sticky notes, a new project management system, etc. Keep it all together.
When you can get a realistic grasp of everything at once, you can start to keep track of your progress (instead of grabbing at the tasks that pop into your head.)
And guess what? People notice when you’re not actively staying on track. As a leader, your team looks to you as a source of direction—so you need to be organized. As soon as you lose your grip on that list, your team can see it.
Not sure what tool to use for your list building? Keep it simple.
Stick to whatever resource is easiest and most time-effective for your workflow.
Prioritize
As a leader, your time is precious. Therefore, you need to prioritize your to-do list so the most important (and urgent) tasks rank higher than those that can wait. From there, you can better decide what to tackle, what to delegate, and what to plan for down the road.
Set a due date
Your to-do list should be less abstract and more concrete about when tasks are going to be completed. Active lists are those that keep the flow of work moving and create hard deadlines.
When your to-do list adds structure to the tasks at hand, you can better visualize the amount of work you have slated for a week—and thus, better plan your schedule.
Cross it off
There’s no better feeling than the quick swipe of a pen when you’re crossing off an item on your to-do list. At the end of the week, you can see all that you’ve accomplished—and what tasks are waiting for you next week.
You’ll be revising your list throughout the week, but make sure you’re tracking completed projects so you can review your progress (and make sure there haven’t been any items falling through the cracks.)
Leaders are List-makers
You can be one of those people who just “has it together.” It starts with an active, well-planned to-do list (and some serious execution.)
Remember: almost finished isn’t finished. Stay on top of your tasks and always work toward completion rather than half-baked ideas.
What tips do you have for leaders who can’t seem to master their to-do lists?
About the author:
Brad Farris is the Founder of EnMast.com, an online community of business owners and the co-host of the most entertaining business podcast in the world, Breaking Down Your Business. He’s been advising businesses in the Chicagoland area for almost 15 years. He loves the NFL, biking on the lakefront and spending time in Chicago’s parks with his family.
