According to a manager at a larger company, “My to-do list is
built fresh every morning as the first item I do each day. I prioritize
the list based on due date, effort required, and criticality. I
assign my time so that I ensure larger tasks get worked on every
day and I don’t get caught up in all the little stuff.”
Executives and managers have several reasons for keeping lists:
• Predetermining the day. Lists help determine just how much you
have to do in a given day, so they help you determine when that
workday might end.
• Keeping track. People cannot handle and remember too many
topics at any one time, so lists do that for them.
• Insurance. If it’s on the list, it’s not likely to be forgotten, even
if not dealt with at a given time.
Though lists are essential for most, tough management requires
that managers not get obsessive about those lists. Too much
emphasis on the list can improve tactical effectiveness but cause a
manager to lose flexibility for dealing with unforeseen issues that
may, in fact, be more strategic in terms of the organization’s goals
than what is being addressed on the list at any given moment. To
remain flexible, managers have to vary from using lists on occasion
and constantly recalibrate what truly matters. Managers then keep
synchronizing their lists with what matters most at the moment, in
line with long-term objectives.
Rules for Effective Lists
• Keep it short. When too many items are on a list, many tasks
wind up near the bottom, with little chance of ever getting
accomplished.
• Sort lists into two: one for short-term tactics and the other
for more significant objectives. The latter should be short.
• Keep it focused.