Shorten the to-do list = higher chance of success

My tweet this morning: Make a list of three things you plan to accomplish today. Now do them.

Short, sweet, and to the point.

This afternoon I read a blog by Leo Babauta (you can read it here: ​Zen Habits) on precisely the same topic.

​Babauta writes about the reason we often fail at our to-do lists. It’s because we often underestimate the time it’s going to take to do them and not taking into consideration the time it takes to do all the other things in our lives. He goes on to say that we only really have 3–4 hours a day to do what it is we want to accomplish for that day.

I completely agree, and I’m also completely guilty of trying to put too many things on my list. I’m slowly but surely making changes though. You see, when I don’t get everything done on my list then whatever is left gets added to the next day and I have to write it down again. I don’t like writing it down again.

Therefore, I’m trying hard to contain my list to three top items for the day. Then I add a list below of things that would be nice to get done but aren’t absolutely necessary.

When I think of items I want to add to my list, I first think of when they actually need to be done. Then I turn to that page in my planner and write them down on that date. When I get to three items, then I’m done for that day. The rest go to the “nice to get done” list.

Doing that makes my day a lot less overwhelming and there is a better chance that those items are going to be completed. Plus, I don’t have to transfer nearly as much to the next day anymore and that’s a great feeling as well.

My tweet this evening was this: Did you do the three things on your list today? Reflect on why you were successful or how you can do better.

The reflection piece at the end of the day allows us the opportunity to think about what went well and sets us up for a better tomorrow.