To Do List Success Tips

The humble to do list is a powerful organization tool. It doesn't matter whether you create and keep a digital list using an app such as Todoist or use a pen and paper. What matters is that you create and use your lists every day to help you get and stay organized. The following tips will ensure that your to do lists are a successful tool in your organizational tool box.

 

Keep it Short

 

The ideal length of a to do list is 10 items or less. You've probably created lists in the past that have seemed endless. Instead of helping you feel organized and successful, you probably ended the day with most of the items still unchecked and feeling a failure.

 

By keeping your list purposely short you are more likely to cross off every item and end the day feeling successful.

 

Separate Lists for Home and Work

 

Don't add your work tasks to your personal to do list. Maintain separate lists.

 

Prioritize

 

Once you've listed everything you need to accomplish then number the items in order of priority. Do the most important items first and you'll feel the biggest sense of achievement.

 

If there are any items on your list that aren't important then mark them as such. That way you won't need to feel guilty if you don't cross them off.

 

Assign a Time Limit

 

Wherever possible set a time limit for every item on the list. Not just how long it will take but when it needs to be done. That way you can identify tasks that need to be completed before lunch or before picking up the kids from school.

 

Re-visit and Re-work

 

A to do list should be a working document. Once written it should be revisited throughout the day. You can check off those items you've completed and reprioritize or schedule those that remain.

 

You can also cross items off that are no longer important or unnecessary. It will also give you the opportunity to add any additional tasks that crop up during the day.

 

Keep it with You

 

How often have you made a to do list at the beginning of the day and then totally ignored it? Probably because you left the house without it at the beginning of the day!

 

To make sure that your list is where you need it you could use an app such as Todoist or Jamie's To Do. Better still you could keep your daily to do list in your daily or weekly spread in your bullet journal. That way it will be with you wherever you go and you'll get the satisfaction of marking off the items as you complete them. You'll also have a visual record of your achievement.

 

Your to do list can be a powerful tool for helping you to live an organised life. Using these tips will help you to ensure that it is used successfully.

 

6 Essential Tools to Keep Your Life Organized

Creating an organized life, and maintaining it, isn't as hard as you might think. Of course, it will require planning and some time to set it up but once you've got the following six key tools in place you will feel more focused and in control of your life and time.

 

Paper Planner

 

Yes, even in the age of digital organization a paper planner does still have a place in your organizational tool chest. It doesn't have to be big and bulky or expensive. In fact, you might find that the latest trend for a bespoke bullet journal might suit you best. Your paper planner can include tasks and items that you want to keep a close eye on, as well as for making notes and lists.

 

On-line Calendar

 

In addition to the paper planner, an online calendar or app for your smartphone, is another essential. This handy tool will be with you everywhere that your phone goes and has the added benefit of being able to give you alerts for meetings and scheduled tasks.

 

Evernote

 

This handy tool is free but does have a paid option that provides more functionality. However, for most people the free version will be sufficient. You can clip whole webpages, URLs, create notebooks, share information, create draft documents and add pdf files. It is an online tool but has apps for smart devices that will allow you to sync your notebooks across all of your devices so you'll always be able to access your information.

 

Financial Planner

 

If you're using a bullet journal, then you may decide to create a financial planner within it. If not then you really need to create a dedicated financial planner in which to record your income, expenses and savings. You can keep a track of bills due with a monthly bill payment calendar to ensure that you never miss making a payment again. If you don't want to have a paper planner for your finances, then there are lots of financial planning and management apps available online. One such tool is Good Budget which is a free app for iPhone and Android.

 

To Do List

 

Your to do list is going to be an essential tool to keep your life on track, running smoothly and perfectly organized. Paper lists are great as you can carry them with you or display them where you can't miss them. There are also plenty of to do list apps that can help you create, monitor and organize your lists. Suggested apps are Todoist and Jamie's To Do which are both free.

 

My Fitness Pal

 

A health and fitness tracker can help you monitor your exercise as well as your diet. My Fitness Pal is a popular free online tool with Android and iPhone apps. It contains a huge food database for tracking what you eat and you can create a personalized diet profile.

 

These six tools can really help you stay on top of organization. There are obviously other tools that you may find useful and necessary in organizing your life.

 

Pros and Cons of Buying Time Management Software

Do you work as an internet marketer? If so, your ability to manage time is important to your success. Not only that, it will directly impact the income you generate. For that reason, make sure you have a good sense of time management.

 

Unfortunately, good time management is not a skill that we all have. If you are known for getting distracted easily, procrastinating, or falling behind schedule, you may be looking for help. For some, that help comes in the form of time management software, but is it right for you?

 

The Pros of Time Management Software

 

Time management software can promote organization. It comes in a number of different formats. Regardless of that format, organization is promoted. You should receive specific lists and categories to choose from. For example, you may have the option of creating a daily to-do list, the option of outlining weekly projects, and more.

 

Time management software is installed right on your computer. Since time management software is installed on your computer and since you work from your computer, it is easy for you to access. In fact, you can always leave the program running in the background for quick access and easy loading.

 

The number of choices you have. As previously stated, time management software comes in a number of different formats. Different programs have different features. Look for those you can benefit from. Do you work as an internet marketer for hire? If so, you can benefit from a program that stores the contact information of your clients, as well as links that information to projects. When buying a software program, only spend money on features you will use.

 

The Cons of Time Management Software

 

Time management software costs money. In fact, it can be expensive. On average, a time management software program costs between $50 and $100. You may find programs for sale for more and less. If you are shopping on a budget, compare prices, but don’t forget value. A cheap software program is nice, but not if it is loaded with features you do not want or cannot use.

 

Time management software isn’t always a good value for the money. As previously stated, time management software is expensive and it may come loaded with features you will never use. The perfect solution to this problem is programs you can customize for an affordable fee; however, they are hard to come across. As a cheaper alternative, create your own spreadsheet. In fact, many software programs use spreadsheets. The only thing missing is the countdown clock that most include to alert you to an impending deadline.

 

Time management software can be difficult to use. When buying time management software, you should receive a detailed user’s manual. This guide will show you how to use the program, but you may still have questions. Not only that, if a learning curve is hard, you waste time.

 

Time management software can become a distraction. As previously stated, some programs have a difficult learning curve. As opposed to being simple, learning to use a program can now become a huge distraction. It is ironic, as time management software is designed to improve your productivity. That is only if you know how to use it. For that reason, read reviews online. If users state a product is hard to use, examine other options.

The Best Apps For Productivity

Our lives are marked with lots of work. Rarely will you find enough time, especially during the day to complete your work. Well, this can be attributed to the fact that during the day, people have meetings to attend and a lot of issues to address. But, what about the projects that keeps on accumulating in the office? Undeniably, you need an app that will get your stuff done in the office. Here are some apps that will be of great help to you. With these apps, there will be absolutely no need to work overtime and even on weekends.

 

1. Mailtracker

 

Sometimes, people are reluctant to read mails. And when this happens, mailtracker becomes a handy tool. This iOS app will notify you when people read your mail, and the best part? It will give you detailed notifications of where they read it from. When it comes to memo, you can easily ascertain if a person is telling the truth or not.

 

2. Pushbullet

 

So, you want not to forget anything? Well, this app will be your ultimate solution. It synchronizes with your computer and thus will display notifications from your phone to the screen. Not to forget, it lets you exchange files between different devices, which you can instantly download.

 

3. Focus lock

 

Admittedly, our phones are the greatest form of distractions. As a matter of fact, if you are not keen, you may miss important information just because your concentration is on your phone. This app allows you to choose apps that you want to be locked out of. That done, you will still reads your mails and receive phone calls, but you will be locked out of frequent updates such as sports and weather.

 

4. ETA

 

If you want to be punctual whenever you have meetings, then ETA is your ultimate app. If you will need to drive to your next destination, this app will tell you how long you will take. Amazing! It also facilitates the process of locating where you need to go.

 

5. Evernote

 

This is a multipurpose app that allows you to write to-do lists, notes and other tasks. This app is ideal for making notes during meetings, and the best part? It has a scanning feature that lets you get business cards.

 

In this world full of ups and downs, there is the need to simplify work. Productivity apps will certainly see how achieve this. So, if you have undone work at the office, you have a reason to smile. Gone are the days where a manager had to forego meetings so as to do work at the office. With these apps, you can rest assured that your work will be greatly simplified.