I’ve always recommended bloggers create a schedule to stay organized. I encourage the use of To-Do List applications or even simply writing down what they have to do and stick to the list throughout the day. However, I’m surprised at the number of people still having a hard time keeping to their schedule. I try and figure out why they are having such a hard time and know it’s mainly because they have approached the concept the wrong way. For example, no matter what you do in life, if it’s NOT approached the right way, you’re going to have trouble sticking to it later in the future. I decided to do a little research to find out why some bloggers find it hard to stick to their to-do lists and was surprised at what I found.
Here are some of the common reasons many people fail with their to-do lists…
Mixing Up Lists
When building your to-do lists, it’s important to NOT mix up tasks that are irrelevant to your work success. You have to stick to the tasks that help you succeed in business and help you reach your ultimate objective. What good are items on your list that don’t add to your bottom line? For example, will I add “complete yard work” to a to-do list on my business? The answer is: Of Course NOT.
When you start adding irrelevant tasks to your list, you end up creating a massive, never ending list that makes you anxious and feel like your work is never going to finish. This can play as massive de-motivation and is NOT good for your bottom line.
Misplace Your Lists
Another reason people have a hard time keeping to their list is because it’s NOT visible every morning when they sit to do work. You have to make sure it’s visible and ready for you to get started with. I use an application that alerts me by email and pops up on my browser first thing in the morning. Having this system in place will ensure I see my list in the morning and I can get started with the MOST important tasks. You’ll learn about the importance of prioritizing a little later but in the meantime, make sure your list is visible.
Too Many Items
I’ve read many people fail to follow their lists because they simply have too many things on it. This means you keep adding to it even when the tasks are very small and make no difference to your business. I’ve made it a point to add only the most important tasks on the list so I can stick to it and complete it by the end of the day. What good is a list that continues to keep going and going WITHOUT an end in sight? This is why it’s important to have just the right set of important tasks on the list.
If you have too many on your daily list, to a point where you don’t complete them throughout the day, then you have to redesign your to-do list and your priorities. It’s that simple!
NOT Prioritizing
One of the biggest reasons people fail to use to-do lists is because they feel it’s ineffective. They feel as though it doesn’t produce results adding to your bottom line. However, I’m here to tell you, if it’s organized the right way, then you’ll be able to check the last item off the list in the end of the day and add to your bottom line. Here’s the best tip I can give you…
Only add the most important tasks to your list so by the end of the day, you know you’ve accomplished something GREAT. If you keep adding tasks that are a priority, then after about 2-3 weeks, you’ll notice you’ve made some positive steps forward in your business. You’ve essentially been more productive and taken care of the MOST important tasks, which will increase productivity, profits, conversions, and growth.