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Are you content with your time management skills? 7 Reasons Why You Must Have a To-Do List

by DeAnna Spencer

As an entrepreneur with ADHD, I often struggle with staying on task. One way I combat this is by making lists. This strategy can help people without ADHD stay on top of things as well. This article lists 7 things to remember about to-do lists. I know you’ve heard time and time again that you need to make lists. Here’s why it’s important to have a to do list.

1. It will help you to remember what you have to do today.

Small Business owners often wear a lot of hats. You usually find yourself with a kazillion and one projects going on at once.
When you have a to-do list, you won’t have that, "Now I know I was supposed to be somewhere." thing happen to you as often.

2. A to do list keeps you on task.

Sometimes you get distracted by things such as forums, games, or shopping when you’re supposed to be finishing a project.
One surefire way to combat that is to keep that to do list in front of you to serve as a gentle reminder before you go to that non business related forum
and spend hours reading the posts.

3. When you complete the items on your to do list you feel a sense of accomplishment.

I don’t know about you, but I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I can scratch items off of the to-do list.
Even when I have completed a "small" task it makes me feel good to know that there’s one less thing that I have to do.

4. A to do list should be recorded somewhere. It doesn’t count if the list exists in your head. You are guaranteed to forget something.

Write it down, put it on your pda, use outlook, do whatever you have to do to get your to do list recorded.
I use Plaxo and my pda to stay organized. Basically plaxo is an online version of outlook.
It has a section that is a calendar and there’s a place for your tasks for the day.
The great thing about using plaxo is that it’s on the web so even if your computer crashes, you still have access to your calendar.

5. A to do list is never set in stone.

It’s just a guide for the day, week, month or year.
You should always allow room for the unexpected to happen.
You could get sick or there could be a dire emergency with one of your clients.
You may have to work overtime on your job.
You could get stuck in traffic.
Always allow a cushion for these sort of things.

6. Your to do list should be realistic.

If you work a full time job and are running a business, don’t put too many things on your daily to do list or you’ll feel discouraged
when you don’t get all of the things accomplished on your list.

7. Make sure to include some time for fun in your to-do list.

You should always schedule at least one hour of "me time" on your to do list.
This could be your time to exercise, read, write in your journal, or stare at your bellybutton.
It’s important to have down time so you don’t get stressed out.

These are just a few ways to manage your time better.
For more ideas, please read my article, 31 Ways to Get an Extra Hour Out of Each Day,
located at http://ezinearticles.com/?31-Ways-to-Get-An-Extra-Hour-Out-of-Each-Day&id=3191
You should also pick up a copy of the book, Getting Things Done, by David Allen. This book has a lot of
useful tips on time management.

When you manage your time well, you can focus more on marketing yourself.

DeAnna Spencer publishes the website, Learn Small Business, to help small business owners grow their business.  Visit this small business resource today for more tips on running a business.

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