How can you complete daily tasks efficiently?

Answer 1

I have found that the best way to "complete daily tasks efficiently," is this method: Step 1: Make a complete (on your computer) list of everything that you have to do. This list is your MAIN LIST and it should include everything - from a washing the car to buying a gift, from calling a certain customer to finishing a management report. Step 2: On the Main List, Circle everything that ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY must be done today. Step 3: Each day, take out a new sheet of paper and write down all the things from the big list, that you (need) to do for that day. This is called your DAY SHEET. Step 4 (optional): from the Main List, use different colored highlighters to indicate each item, for example, Pink = needs to be done this week, Yellow=Needs to be done this month, Green=needs to be done this quarter, and Blude= needs to be done this year or not for a long while. Pink and Yellow (or Orange) catch the most attention and so they naturally indicate priority, while Green and Blue are cooler colors and indicate less urgency. Cirlce the things you need to do each day and then cross them off the list as you complete them. Step 5 (optional): Keep a spiral binder and use the highlighter method. The spiral binder allows you to keep a running log of things that you need to do. Don't scribble things out entirely, just draw a line through them; this allows you to see what has been completed. Also, consider writing the date the item was completed, for reference. Step 6: (Not Optional - Mandatory): Stick to it! Once you start a new system, it will be an uphill battle for the first three weeks or so until you get used to, or form a habit of it. It will not come easy at first. The greatest problem to organizing and planning is that people have no effective habitual method - they keep making changes and never become efficient. A great way to complete daily tasks efficiently is to create daily goals. You need to base these goals around tasks that you "have" to do each day and those tasks that you "wish" you could do that day. * Start out with simple goals. You don't want to create goals that will set you up to fail. Instead of "I will make all A's in school this year," create a goal of "I will study each afternoon," or "I will do all of my homework this month." * Break large, overwhelming tasks into smaller tasks that you complete over a longer time span. Instead of having a goal that you want to get all the laundry done, create a goal that you will do all the light colored laundry, or fold and put away one load. * Create goals where you can measure the results. This will help you to determine if the goal is attainable or too difficult to complete based on your time schedule. You can also take this information and recreate a better goal. Instead of "I will study for my tests," make a goal of "I will study for one hour each day," and you can measure how much or how little you do study, so that you can increase or decrease the time you need for the goal. * Write your goals down on a piece of paper and have it in plain view. Place it on your desk or even on the kitchen refrigerator. Then you can physically check your goals off after you complete them. A check list or graph is a great way to keep track of progress, and to motivate yourself. There's a good reason charities use these things to get people to donate - they work. * Reward yourself for a job well done. It always helps to work towards something, and some kind of reward is always more helpful than a punishment if you don't succeed. If you are trying to organize your schoolwork, then good grades will be one reward, but you can always think of something else - put some money into a jar for every good grade you get, and use the money to buy something you really want, or get your parents to reward your grades by taking you to the movies or the amusement park. If you are trying to organize some other part of your life, the same sorts of rewards will work just as well!

Answer 2

• 1. In order to prioritize your tasks you need to write them down. Use your day planner and write your tasks down in the "To List Area". If you don't have one, make an area for this list to be updated daily.

• 2. Next, any task, big or small, needs to be written down. For example, you have tasks that need to be done today, tomorrow, in a week, in a month, maybe even quarterly evaluations. Whenever the task is done write it down.

• 3. Here is where the high lighters come in. Color code your tasks. For example I use blue for tasks due today or tomorrow, yellow for tasks due in a week, and pink for tasks due in a month or more. It is up to you how you color code them, but you need to understand the code. (see tips below)

• 4. As my day goes I get my blue tasks completed and mark them off as quickly as possible. This usually leaves me extra time and I use this time to start on my yellow or pink tasks (knowing I will most likely not complete them that day, but I just got a step closer for completing it at the end of the week or month).

• 5. At the end of the day it is critical to review your "To Do List" and transfer the uncompleted items over to tomorrow's list. If the color coding needs to change because you are closer to the deadline than do this now. It is also important to take a moment and reflect on all the work you did complete that day. Remind yourself that you are doing a great job and mastering components of your time management will only make you a better employee and bring you one step closer to your careergoals.

• 6. The next day you have already started your "To Do List" from your nightly review, but it is important to make sure no new tasks/deadlines came in that need to take priority. Review your list one more time before you start your day and enjoy your success!