How do you feel when you look at your to do list? Overwhelmed? Depressed? Confused? Wishful? Frustrated? Resentful? Guilty?
Those emotions are telling you something. Those feelings come from your thoughts about that list. For most people, their “to do” list is a harsh master that nags them about everything that is undone. It is a whiney old woman that stays on their case, telling them of their lack of accomplishment and unfulfilled desires. Yuck!
You could just throw the list away, but my guess is that would just create anxiety about what you are forgetting. I want to offer you a system that will turn that old nagging to do list into a beautiful set of plans that will serve you.
David Allen in his classic book “Getting Things Done” asserts that most “To Do” lists are just amorphous collections of confusion. The good news is these lists can be transformed into useful action plans by clarifying two things for each item; a clearly defined outcome, and a clear next action step. When every item on your list has that clarity, you can prioritize the list each day and get into action. You will even feel great about what you are not doing, because you know you are doing what is most important first.
Here’s an example of how to transform your list. One item might be to “organize newsletter article archive”. When you look at that item as it is, it is a source of overwhelm, guilt and wishful thinking. It has been on the list for months, and it just sits there as a disappointment. Here’s how you can transform this nagging item into a delightful project! First, create the desired outcome. “I want a complete organized on-line repository for all my writings, audios and articles that can be easily accessed by anyone.” Second, create the next action step. “I will e-mail my IT fellow today and schedule a meeting this week to describe this project and contract with him to complete it.” If he fails to respond or cannot meet my schedule, “I will find another contractor by the end of this month.” Taking that step turns a previously dead “to do” idea into a delightful project that is on the path to completion.
As you define clear outcomes and specific next action steps for each item, they are transformed from burdens into projects. For an idea to become a project, there must be a clearly defined outcome and a commitment to take a specific next action by a certain date.
Every day as you review your project list, you can pick priority actions to take that day. This will elicit feelings of progress, accomplishment, and joy. I encourage you to take your current do list and create some great projects today. It will be fun.
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