Starting a business is an exciting yet challenging journey, often filled with countless tasks and endless learning curves. As an entrepreneur, finding ways to stay organized and productive can make a significant difference in achieving your goals.
One powerful tool to help you navigate this complexity is the to-do list.
However, not all to-do lists are created equal. In this article, we’ll reveal the secrets to crafting effective to-do lists that can boost your productivity and keep you on track, including:
- Creating actionable tasks
- Aligning your to-do list with your calendar
- How to approach perfectionism (the killer of progress)
These strategies will transform the way you approach your daily responsibilities and help you make steady progress toward your entrepreneurial goals.
Create a REAL “To-Do” List (Most People Make “Goal” Lists)
Trying to start a business involves a lot of moving parts – and, in many cases, a lot of learning.
However, our to-do list items often reflect the result of all those lessons and moving parts. Because of that, when we go to complete a task, there is a mountain of resistance to overcome before checking it off.
For example, at first glance, the to-do list on the left might look easier because it’s shorter, but in reality, it’s much harder to accomplish because each “task” is actually a goal with several smaller subitems. However, the to-do list on the left breaks down each of those goals into doable tasks, including the background research and necessary education (ex: “Watch KDP tutorial”).
Create a To-Do List Around Your Calendar
A lot of people keep a “running” to-do list, or maybe a “weekly” to-do list. And this might make things seem easier because everything is in one place.
However, even people who don’t procrastinate might find themselves falling into the trap of feeling like they have lots of time to complete their tasks.
This is because we tend to take up the amount of time we allot for a task. For example, if you have an hour to write an email for a marketing campaign, you’ll probably take an hour. If you only have fifteen minutes, there’s a good chance you’ll find a way to crank out a finished product in that space.
Because of this, staying on track with a long to-do list can be easier if it is split into smaller lists, with one for each day of the week. That way, there’s a little extra pressure to get things done in that shorter time period. This will keep you from pushing the same task to the next week for months in a row because you “had all week” to do it, and now the Sunday Scaries are settling in with no time left to get everything done.
Caution: Don’t Overbook Yourself
It’s important to be realistic. If you know that Monday is packed with an early-morning workout, back-to-back meetings, a doctor’s appointment, and dinner with a friend, it will not be possible to get the same amount of work done that you could on a day that you’re able to work from home and can get groceries delivered instead of spending time in the grocery store.
While it’s easy to get overzealous about what you can get done in a day, overbooking yourself and having multiple tasks “roll over” into the next days can make it hard to feel like you’re making progress, which can tank your motivation.
If you’re struggling to split up tasks, aim to put tasks that require you to learn new things or “figure something out” on days where you can assign several hours to that concept (even if you don’t think it will take that long). For tasks that you know how to crank out quickly, those can be more easily booked on days that you know will already be more mentally taxing. That way, you won’t feel too tired to complete them, and it’s easier to stay on track.
For example, someone who is learning to tattoo and wants to open their own tattoo studio might schedule simpler tasks – like drawing tattoo designs or watching tattooing tutorials – in their evenings after work. They’ll save more taxing work, like researching locations and zoning laws, for a Saturday when they have more free time.
Done is Better Than Perfect
When it comes to making a lot of progress quickly, nitpicking isn’t an option. If you want to start seeing results, in most cases it’s more important that you tick things off your to-do list than make everything perfect.
For example, if you’re writing content, make sure it’s good, but don’t take hours and hours making minor improvements. If you need to make a graphic, put something effective together, even if it doesn’t look exactly like you imagined it.
This way, you’re getting tasks done and making progress. You can revisit and upgrade your work whenever you’d like. But building the groundwork is more important if you’re just starting out and you’re still a one-person team.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the art of the to-do list can be a game-changer for any entrepreneur. By creating realistic and actionable tasks, aligning your list with your calendar, avoiding overbooking, and prioritizing progress over perfection, you can significantly enhance your productivity.
Remember, a well-structured to-do list is not just a tool for managing tasks—it’s a roadmap to your business’ success.
Implement these strategies, stay consistent, and watch as you achieve your goals more efficiently with less stress. Your entrepreneurial journey will become more manageable, and you’ll find yourself moving closer to your dreams with each completed task.