First, we had the to-do list. Then we heard about the “don’t do” list. For those of us who sometimes find these lists too black-and-white and would like another option comes the latest idea: the “do more” and “do less” lists.

Instead of committing to something big all at once, before we’re ready, a full-on exercise program, for example, we can put exercise on our “do more” list to keep the idea front and center until we’re ready to put something more specific on our to-do list or calendar.

We can use a “do less” list to wean ourselves away from bad habits, time-wasting activities, and things we don’t want to do but feel guilty about giving up.

The “do more” and “do less” lists give us a nuanced way to bring things into or out of our field of vision.

If you know you need to do more marketing but you’re not committed to it or don’t know where to start, start by putting “marketing” on your “do more” list. If you want to lose weight, put “carbs” on your “do less” list.

Baby steps.

Go through your master list and move things to one of these lists. Or add a tag to designate “do more” or “do less” in addition to whatever else you’re doing with a task or project.

You might start with just a few things you want to improve on (or remove from) your life and focus on these for now. If you’re especially busy or conflicted about your priorities, start by putting as much as possible on your “do less” list since this will free up more time for your “do more” list.

If you’re not sure about this, if you want to give it more thought, analyze the pros and cons, and consider all of your options, do this: put “over-thinking” on your “do less list”.

Want more referrals? Put this on your “do more” list

What are you doing three weeks from today at 3:15 pm? Some people can answer that question. They schedule their days and weeks in 15-minute increments. If this describes you, God bless. Do what works for you. If you’re like me and this sounds suffocating and impractical, you need another option.

I’ve mentioned this before but thought I’d provide a little more detail about what I do.

I schedule appointments, calls, and anything with a deadline. I also (sometimes) schedule “time blocks” for working on projects or groups of related tasks. For everything else, I keep a list of 3-5 projects I’m currently working on or want to work on this week and a list of 3-5 tasks I want to work on “now” (today).

I keep another list of what I want to do “next,” that is after I finish what’s on the other two lists. I limit the “next” list to no more than 20 items to keep me from being overwhelmed with hundreds of options. Everything else goes on a someday/maybe list.

(Actually, I use tags for all of this.)

This gives me flexibility. I keep my lists in front of me and look at them frequently. At any time, I can look at my lists and decide what to work on. I make that decision based on factors like:

• The type of work–some tasks require more focus and energy than others
• Time needed to complete the work
• My experience/ability with that type of work
• What I’ve done/will do before the task
• What I need to do after the task (e.g., appointments, other tasks)
• My energy level (and projected energy level; mornings are better than afternoons)
• Deadlines
• Current progress on the project
• Enjoyment factor–do I like the task or detest it
• Difficulty
• Need to coordinate with others (or waiting for something from others)
• And so on

I don’t use a checklist for this. I look at my options and let my gut tell me what to do next. When I’m on a roll, I might keep at something for a couple of hours. When I feel resistance or fatigue,  I might put it aside or move it another list.

And that’s why I don’t micro-schedule my time.

Anyway, that’s how I do it. How about you?

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You’ve just finished a meeting and have ten or twenty minutes before your next appointment. Or you’ve finished a research or writing project but don’t feel like starting anything new.

To stay productive, maintain a running list of tasks you can do in five or ten minutes.

Ideas:

• Send a note/email/social media message: thank you, birthday, networking, praise, etc.
• Call a former client to say hello
• Call a business contact and invite them to coffee/lunch
• Stretching exercises/get some air
• Clean your desktop or your computer desktop
• Read an article or two in your “read later” list
• Un-subscribe from email lists you don’t read
• Empty your email inbox (respond/file/delete)
• Empty your task inbox
• Organize computer documents
• Add new contacts to contact management app
• Review your to-do list, re-prioritize tasks
• Shop for a gift
• Edit/outline/proofread a document
• Clean up bookmarks
• Backup files
• Update software

Once a week, you might create a short list of contacts to connect with for the week. That way, when you have an extra five minutes, you won’t have to use the time deciding who to contact.

So, what’s on your list?

Keep your list in this

Many experts recommend adding a specific number of tasks to your task list each day, or a specific number of projects for the week or month. They recommend limiting your “work in progress” to three to five tasks or projects and moving everything else to another list.

Choosing a small number of items helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed. You can see what’s on tap for the day or week, what to do first and what to do after that.

But no matter how many items you put on your list, in a way your list is always just one item. At any moment, you choose one thing you need to do or want to do and do it. If you’re smart, you don’t think about anything else until you’ve completed your number one task or taken it as far as you can go.

First things first. Second things never.

Gary Keller says, “Until my number one priority is done, everything else is a distraction.”

Okay, I’ve got to admit, I know what I’m going to work on after I finish this. After that? I don’t know. Its more fun that way.

Earn more, work less. This shows you how.