Are you looking for an easy way to increase your productivity with your to-do list?

Do you want to get more done in less time?

It’s as simple as making a to-do list…and then promptly ignoring said list.

“Wait…wait…what? You’re asking me to create a to-do list…and then not read it?”

Yep, that’s 100% correct. To be fair, this isn’t to say you shouldn’t look at your to-do list.

Rather, it’s encouraging you to take a different approach when it comes to interacting with your list.

To-do lists can be extremely helpful in outlining all your professional and personal tasks.

These items, however, shouldn’t hang over your head like the sword of Damocles, distracting you from your work. 

The old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind,” should come to mind…

In this post, you’ll learn why this seemingly counterintuitive approach towards your to-do list just might be what the productivity doctor ordered.

Here are a couple of pointers to help you focus on your to-dos so you can actually get things done.

Create a short to-do list.

First things first: choose no more than five to-dos to complete today and/or tomorrow.

Feel free to mix and match personal and professional to-dos in your list.

The only caveat is that you must have five items in total.

If there are any items on your master to-do list that you’d like to use for this exercise, feel free to include them.

You can write your to-dos on a piece of paper or type them out on a digital device.

Select a single to-do.

Next, you’ll want to select a single to-do. You’ll be focusing on this to-do for the next few moments.

No cheating allowed: just select one to-do.

Set the to-do list aside.

After you’ve selected your to-do, you’ll want to set your list aside.

You don’t have to move the list to some far-off or distant location.

Just make sure the list is out of your direct line of sight.

If you’re using an app to keep track of your to-dos, close out any windows, log out of the application, or turn off the screen.

If you have your to-dos written down in a notebook or on a slip of paper, close the cover, put the notes in a drawer, or flip the piece of paper upside down.

Get to work.

Now it’s time to tuck-in and focus on completing your work.

Once you’ve finished your first to-do, you can cross the item off your list.

The next step should be obvious: it’s time to select another to-do!

Once you do, be sure to tuck your list away. Repeat as necessary, until you’ve completed all your to-dos.

How about you? Will you temporarily ignore your to-do list over the next several days? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!