Managing staff and resources can be a juggling act. If you’ve struggled to whittle down a lengthy to-do list before the lunch hour arrives, here’s five ways to conquer to-do list frustration.
- Beat the clock. Aim to cross off three-to-four items on your agenda before the noon hour. The psychological boost will leave you feeling empowered and ready to dive into the remaining essential tasks of the day.
- Schedule a meeting with yourself. Start the day with an inner dialogue with yours truly. When a manager dives into work without a specific plan he can get caught up in minutia that will derail the day’s agenda. To get back on track, take a 20-minute break away from ringing phones and pinging email notifications to regather your focus. It’s an excellent use of time.
- Break down complex tasks. Spend five minutes to sort out tasks based on how much time you expect a particular task to complete. Prioritize by addressing the more difficult tasks right away. When the mid-afternoon slump in energy comes along, it won’t prove to be a morale killer.
- Cross items off your to-do list. Aim to reach the noon hour with at least three items completed. The boost of morale that comes with crossing off those items in the first half of the day will give you a sense of timely accomplishment, helping you gear up for completing your remaining tasks of the day.
- Group similar tasks in groups of three. When you pen a lengthy to-do list, you may run into the Zeigarnik effect, named after Bluma Zeigarnik, who discovered that inner nagging over unfinished tasks makes one less productive. Keep your list short and sweet.