Have you heard of a short term to-do list?
Would you like to complete tasks quickly and easily at work or in your business?
If you want to get things done at work, then you may want to consider using a short term to-do list in your daily routine.
In this article, you’ll uncover several reasons as to why you should craft a short term to-do list and how to create an effective one.
What’s a To-Do List?
A to-do list is a list of tasks that need to completed within a certain period of time.
Some to-do lists include tasks that must be completed within a day or two.
However, still others may include tasks that cover an entire week, month, or more.
You can prepare to-do lists for almost anything: including work projects, assignments, and errands.
You can create a simple to-do list with pen and paper, jot down a list in a paper planner, or make a list in a note taking program or app.
Unfortunately, to-do lists tend to be either too long, complex, or disorganized.
This in turn can make completing tasks on a to-do list a seemingly superhuman feat!
What’s a Short Term To-Do List?
A short term to-do list is a list of tasks that can be successfully completed within in an hour or two.
Unlike a general to-do list, a short term to-do list is all about completing tasks quickly and efficiently in the present moment.
What’s more, you can still prepare your list for work projects, assignments, errands, and anything else you can think of in your work.
You can also create a short term to-do list in any format you wish, be it handwritten on a piece of paper, in a notebook, or in an app.
What’s the Difference Between a To-Do List and a Short Term To-Do List?
As a productivity coach, I like to make the distinction between to-do lists and short term to-do lists to better emphasize their usage.
A regular to-do list can capture all the tasks you must complete. As such, this can include tasks that can be completed over the course of the next week, month, or year.
Conversely, a short term to-do list can capture a specific number of tasks. Yet unlike a regular to-do list, these tasks must be completed within a certain predetermined duration of time.
For me, short term to-do lists have three basic criteria. They:
- Contain three to five tasks
- Have tasks that are similar in nature
- Can be completed within an hour’s time
What are the Benefits of a Short Term To-Do List?
There are many benefits to using a short term to-do list in your work.
A short term to-do list can help you:
Practice mindfulness
Creating a short term to-do list can help you be more present in the current moment.
When you create your list, you’re not thinking about tomorrow or next week.
You’re only thinking about the present and what you wish to accomplish within the next hour.
Practice task prioritization
A short term to-do list forces you to choose the most relevant tasks, right here, right now.
This habit can translate into improved task prioritization across all aspects of your work in your business and life.
Increase your efficiency
Not all tasks are created equal. Some tasks require more of your time and energy, while others require less.
What’s more, when you perform similar tasks in rapid succession, you may find you are more efficient than if you were to complete those same tasks throughout the day.
Why Should You Make a Short Term To-Do List?
So, why should you even bother making a short term to-do list?
Wouldn’t it be more productive to begin work on a couple of tasks right away?
Taking the time to create a short term to-do list is a productivity exercise in and of itself.
Here are a few key reasons to create your own short-term to-do list.
You’ll clear your thoughts
Have you ever tried to work with many different things on your mind?
You could be thinking of ideas for that new marketing campaign, those upcoming tax filing deadlines, and those networking events you wish to attend.
When you create a short term to-do list, you give your mind some breathing room, and a way for you to clear your thoughts.
First, you free up space in your short term memory. No longer must you devote energy trying to remember all those tasks.
Second, it gives you a chance to view tasks in comparison to one another. You can see what’s required of you to successfully complete each task.
Third, it offers you a way to think critically about your work. You can evaluate which tasks are truly urgent and important at this very moment.
You can focus on your work
Do you want to complete tasks, to-dos, and errands quickly, and efficiently?
Do you wish to review client information, make financial calculations, and focus while on phone call to a vendor?
A short-term to-do list may just be what you need!
The beauty of a short-term to-do list is that you can quickly accomplish tasks in rapid succession with your full focus.
What’s more, you don’t need to spend inordinate amounts of time conducting research, designing layouts, or reviewing items.
You create your list. You select a task. And finally, you get to work.
Your focus is clearly on the task at hand. Nothing more, nothing less.
And when you’re finished with one item on your list, you can quickly move on the next one.
You’ll feel cool, calm, and collected
Do you dislike looking at the entirety of your to-dos, all the time?
Why overwhelm yourself with information if you don’t have to?
Fortunately, it is possible to complete your work without feeling frazzled, anxious, or worried.
Creating a short term to-do list allows you to not only focus on your work, but to do so in a way that’s balanced and grounded.
What would it be like to complete tasks in your business without unnecessary stress and frustration?
It’s as easy as choosing key items from your main to-do list.
And just like that, you’ve got a short term to-do list ready to go!
You’ll feel satisfied
In today’s busy world of work, there aren’t too many day-to-day opportunities for us to successfully complete a task, let alone a project or assignment, in one sitting.
That’s where the beauty of the short term to-do list comes in.
Creating such a list gives you the boundaries you need to not only complete your work…but to help you complete your work in a satisfying way.
You may not have thought about it, but completing a series of brief tasks can be an extremely satisfying daily exercise.
How wonderful would it feel to successfully complete five timely items from your to-do list?
Furthermore, can you imagine how satisfying it would be to cross off to-dos that have been sitting on your to-do list for the past month?
When it comes to sweet and almost instantaneous satisfaction, a short term to-do list can’t be beat.
How to Make a Short Term To-Do List
You now know a bit more about short term to-do lists.
Are you ready to create your very own short term to-do list?
Here’s how to make your own short term to-do list so you can get things done quickly and easily.
The Steps to Make a Short Term To-Do List
Step 1. Think of three to five brief tasks
These are those nagging tasks that are the front and center of your mind.
They’re the ones that you keep telling yourself you need to do, you shouldn’t forget, you didn’t do yesterday, and so on.
In this case, they’re cut-and-dry tasks that can be done right away without deep thought or effort.
Here’s a few examples:
- Email receipt of delivery
- Order more paper and envelopes
- Book appointment with accountant
- Check statement balance online
- Return chairs to storeroom
Which tasks would make an impact in your day, right now? Don’t forget, the tasks should be brief and easy to complete.
Step 2. Write down tasks on a piece of paper
Make a brief list using a scrap of paper and a pencil, a text editor on your smart phone, or other note-taking digital app.
However, this doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You just want to get everything out of your head and give yourself some much-needed space.
Step 3. Set aside time to do your work
Next, you’re going to give yourself the time you need to do the tasks on your list.
Carve out time in your schedule to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
In this case, I suggest setting aside an hour so you have sufficient time.
But you can certainly use a different duration, such as 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, or 45 minutes.
Above all, don’t procrastinate: now’s the time to tackle your short term to-do list.
Step 4. Complete tasks as necessary
Now that you’ve got your short term to-do list in hand, it’s time to get to work!
Make that phone call, check that bank balance, and send that email.
Change that printer cartridge, follow up with that vendor, and send that invoice to the client. You get the idea. 🙂
Step 5. Cross items off your short term to-do list
Finally, celebrate your hard work by crossing off completed items from your to-do list.
You can repeat the above process tomorrow, later in the week, or anytime you simply wish to complete tasks quickly and easily.
Congratulations on completing your short term to-do list!
In case we haven’t yet met virtually, it’s nice to meet you! Hi, I’m Rashelle Isip, The Order Expert®, productivity coach for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals.
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I use a program where I enter all of my tasks: short term, long term, and “someday maybe” ideas. It allows me to filter them according to priority, so I start my day looking at “Do Now.” Once those are done, I move on to “Do Soon.” When those are done (which doesn’t happen to often) or if they’re all going to take more time than I have at the moment, I’ll move on to “Do Next.” Once a week, I review my list and increase or decrease the priority of certain items as needed.
I too keep a list of short term, long term and future maybe ideas. I think it’s much more manageable looking at smaller lists than one giant list. These lists are easier to maintain, plus the “eyes glazed over” factor when it comes to tasks is significantly reduced. Thanks for your comment!
Great ideas Rashelle. I seem to be most effective on the short term list myself. Something about opening up a word document and tossing things in there… printing that list, and tackling the list. I can also add things on it in pencil but the foundation is in nice, clean printed in. I like that. Then, I can transfer things over to a calendar if I have dates or appointments that come up while I am tackling the short term to do list. Again, great post.
John aka OrganizingLA
Thanks John. That really is a clever way of organizing a list, especially as you have the ability to easily transfer over your text notes to a digital calendar or other application. I’m always fascinated at how people construct lists, be it paper, on a computer or phone or a combination of the two. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!