{"id":2875,"date":"2013-04-01T21:04:18","date_gmt":"2013-04-02T04:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/?p=2875"},"modified":"2013-04-01T21:04:18","modified_gmt":"2013-04-02T04:04:18","slug":"productive-to-do-list-are-you-missing-the-6-key-to-a-productive-to-do-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/2013\/04\/01\/productive-to-do-list-are-you-missing-the-6-key-to-a-productive-to-do-list\/","title":{"rendered":"Productive To Do Lists: Are You Missing the 6 Keys?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Productive To do lists are everywhere! \u00a0I heard about another “must have” to do list app just yesterday.
\nDo these to do list apps help or hinder your productivity? \u00a0Are there actual features that will make you and I productive? \u00a0 Which features will give me confidence that nothing important will be over\u00a0looked? \u00a0How can I assure my time is being spent on the activity that will produce results?<\/p>\n

Productive To Do List Must Haves<\/h1>\n

Here we establish key criteria for selecting a To Do List tool. \u00a0Once the criteria is set I’ll examine several To Do Apps\/Tools to see how they measure up. \u00a0Here are the key functions you want your to do list to have for productivity perfection!<\/p>\n

1. Vision\/Mission, Roles And Goals<\/h3>\n

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/a>\"\", Steven Covey teaches that\u00a0productive\u00a0people\u00a0keep their eye on the prize. \u00a0Their primary purpose is always front and center despite\u00a0the pull of urgent pressures of the moment. \u00a0Regular connection with your Mission\/Vision and Roles and Goals keeps you true to the\u00a0truly\u00a0important. \u00a0If your To Do List does not allow you to see your action items in light of the larger\u00a0purpose\u00a0and cause you just may be \u00a0missing the key to your personal productivity.<\/p>\n

2. Master To Do List<\/h3>\n

\"\"
\nEvery proponent of personal\u00a0productivity\u00a0agrees you need a system to capture and process the daily demand placed upon you. \u00a0David Allen, author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity<\/a>\"\", suggests a single “master list” is the key to less stress. \u00a0Stress goes up when you stumble over yourself searching through several to do lists. It \u00a0is very difficult to trust your system when you are looking all over the place for the next “To Do” item.
\nWhatever tool you choose you want to be able to quickly and easily pull everything into your master To Do List. \u00a0To Do List tools that make this collection into a master list a challenge should be dropped immediately. \u00a0Getting items onto the “Master To Do” list should happen in the flow everyday activity. Does your To Do List make adding, sorting and editing items easy?<\/p>\n

3. Productive To Do List Establishing Importance<\/h3>\n

When you are hit with stuff to do you need to decide if it is worthy of your time. \u00a0Your To Do List needs to help you make that important determination. \u00a0How do YOU determine if something to do is “important”? \u00a0Do you use a deadline date? \u00a0A status of “active”, “next action” or “planning”? \u00a0Do you decide to do it if it has a High Priority? \u00a0Everybody seems to rely on different rules for deciding importance. \u00a0You’ll want a To Do List tool that works like you do in placing a “importance” status on your next action item so you don’t miss it.<\/p>\n

4. Context – Is Id Doable Where You Are?<\/h3>\n

\"Productive
\nSome items on your to do list can only be done in\u00a0certain\u00a0settings. Can I call an associate at 5 am in the\u00a0morning? Probably not. \u00a0The context of that call is during waking\/business hours.\u00a0 \u00a0Some activities are only “doable” at your desk. \u00a0Others only at a certain location in town or when you are \u00a0out and about. \u00a0Your to do list should let you see the important \u00a0items you need at the time and place they can be completed. \u00a0Context clues in a to do list let’s helps you assure you are working productively where you are without being bothered by things you cannot do there. \u00a0Does your to do list provide you context to keep you productive?<\/p>\n

\u00a05. Related To Do Steps Make for a Nice Project<\/h3>\n

When you have several tasks to complete to accomplish a larger goal you have yourself a project. \u00a0Does your to do list let you tie related items together in a project or are you fighting to find related items when you are working to chip away at that looming project? \u00a0Project management in your personal to do list is inevitable. \u00a0Make sure you can group to do items into “projects” for\u00a0efficiency.<\/p>\n

6. Will You Work With Me?<\/h3>\n

Lastly your to do list will not live in a world along. \u00a0There is a strong chance you will need to delegate to others. \u00a0Some of the to do list tools actually let you delegate tasks to team members. \u00a0In today’s connected world it is nice to have confidence your team is on the same page. \u00a0Many to do lists let you work together. \u00a0This increases productivity. You are not in this alone!
\nDoes your to do list play well with others? \u00a0Not only the people on your team but does your to do list make it easy to connect with the technologies, tools and systems that make up out connected society? \u00a0This may be more important to you if you are well connected. \u00a0It will matter for sure when you have many people working with different tools and technologies.<\/p>\n

Grab Back Your Life! Get the Productive To Do List Tool for You!<\/h2>\n

Are you productive?<\/strong> \u00a0Can you\u00a0improve? I’m always looking for ways to work smarter. Are you? \u00a0The 6 key elements of personal productivity are now ready to be put to the test.
\nTest 1 – Are these really the keys to productivity for you? Please Comment. Let me know what else needs to be considered.
\nTest 2 – Is there a favorite Productive \u00a0To Do List<\/span> tool you want to see put to the test? \u00a0So far I have suggestions to run tests on \u00a0ToodleDo, Wunderlist, Remember the Milk and Nozbe.\u00a0 Add your comments…What is your favorite productive to do list tool?<\/strong>
\nI look forward to your comments.
\n\"Teach<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Productive To do lists are everywhere! \u00a0I heard about another “must have” to do list app just yesterday. Do these to do list apps help or hinder your productivity? \u00a0Are there actual features that will make you and I productive? \u00a0 Which features will give me confidence that nothing important will be over\u00a0looked? \u00a0How can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2875"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2875"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2875\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.teachjim.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}