I have a lot of lists in my productivity arsenal but two are most important. The first is “today” (@today)–tasks I plan to accomplish (or begin) before the day ends.
This is the most important list because today is when “doing” gets done. We can plan something for tomorrow or next week or next month but we can’t do anything until that day arrives and it becomes today.
If I have due dates, I put them on my calendar. I also calendar tickler dates for deferred tasks. When the tickler date arrives, I either move the task to @today and do it or review it and decide its fate.
If I’m doing something today, it goes on my today list. However, when it has become a habit, e.g., writing a daily blog post, walking, etc., I no longer keep it on a list or calendar.
My other most important list is my list of top priorities for the week (@week). These are the three or four high priority projects I’m focusing on this week.
I have other lists:
- “Work in progress” (@wip) includes current and recurring projects that aren’t (yet) a top priority
- “Soon” (@soon) refers to tasks and projects I want to do soon, e.g., next
- “Ready” (@ready) are projects and tasks I plan to do after I’ve cleared higher priorities
- “Backlog” (@backlog) are tasks I don’t need to get to for the next few weeks
- “Someday/maybe (@sm), are things I may or may not want to do someday
I spend most of my day in the @today and @week lists. I also look at the @wip list. If I get caught up, or I feel like doing something different, I look @soon and/or @ready.
I don’t do a lot of long-term planning because by the time long-term gets here, my priorities have often changed.
That’s my current set-up. But it’s a @wip.
Have you read my Evernote for Lawyers?Â
