Favorite Inspirational Quotes

One of the secrets of getting more done is to make a TO DO List every day, keep it visible, and use it as a guide to action as you go through the day.

Alan Lakein

I know people who would disagree with this quote about the To Do List.  There are all kinds of systems available to help organize and prioritize your day.  I can give a couple links if anyone is interested, but Simpleology has one.

For me, I have tried some of the different ones.  Although I continue to modify as I learn and work with different systems, I seem to have settled back to mostly using a To Do List with a few additions.  Some systems get really complicated or are more aimed at a corporate setting.

One thing I do is write down every day what I call my “Highest Priorities in Life”, what you could think of as overall, high order, life goals similar to part of what is taught in Simpleology.  Of course, you may want to only concentrate on one or two major goals per year as taught in Zen To Done simply to help focus your efforts.

I have been, and continue to work on, a morning ritual which incorporates some of my To Do actions every day like exercise, this journaling, and listening to a Think Right Now CD.  I’m working on a before bed ritual too.  This idea came from Eben Pagan’s “Wake Up Productive” program.

One thing I don’t do is prioritize my To Do List with A, B, and C but I do sort of list them in priority on the list.  I am working to do my work in blocks of time, as a couple of systems like Pagan’s use, doing my highest leverage work first once I hit my work time blocks.  Just have to keep working on it as the holidays have given me several non work days the last few weeks and I haven’t created the habit yet.

I think the most important part of this quote, however, is to use whatever system you use as a guide to taking action every day.  That is without doubt the most important part when you take action to get things done and to work towards your goals.  Use whatever system works best for you.  Just don’t get so caught up in the system that you forget to take action on the things your system is organizing.

Tags: Alan Lakein