We all have the same twenty-four hours each day. Despite that, it always feels like there are some people who use them better than others.
It’s hard to feel like some of the world’s wealthiest people operate on the same amount of hours as we do.
The secret is usually not in some insane assistant who does everything for them, but in how they create their to do list!
Here is how to create a realistic to do list that makes it possible to get things done.
Think about how your time is distributed
As I mentioned earlier, we all have the same 24 hours. How we use those hours each day is up to you and your family’s lifestyle.
You will spend roughly 8 hours sleeping each day, at least one hour for each meal, and a variety of other activities that you can’t avoid each day.
When you are creating a to-do list, the goal isn’t to fill every hour of the day and work your schedule around it.
The goal is to distribute your time based on the time you have after those activities.
Write your to-do list the night before
By writing this list the night before instead of the morning of, you know exactly what time you need to get up in order to get everything done.
Some days, you may be required to get up a few hours early in order to get everything done.
Knowing that before you even go to sleep at night can better prepare you for your day ahead.
Schedule blocks of time instead of activities
Being flexible with your schedule is going to keep you from having items on your to-do list pile up.
Instead of blocking time for activities, block your time. In 90 minute or however long your chunk of time needs to be, write down what you want to accomplish during that time.
Include everything from meals, sleep, to even the time you plan on getting work done.
Be generous with your time
As a general rule of thumb, it takes longer to do things than we think it does in our head.
We always want to say that we’ll only spend a mere 20 minutes getting ready when in reality it might actually take us 30 minutes or more.
If you aren’t sure how long it takes to do certain activities, set a timer and see how long it takes you.
Set up routines
Routines not only help with getting things done faster, but it ensures you are getting things done!
Set up routines for both the evening and morning, as well as routines for tedious activities you do regularly such as cooking and cleaning.
By having these routines in place, you can better block out your time, and prepare yourself for the day ahead.
Creating a realistic to do list is the first step in actually being able to get things done. If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to a more productive life.
