Staying on Top of Your To-Do List as a Busy Professional Is Easier than It Seems

Monday, September 12, 2022

Remember the Sorcerer’s Apprentice scene in the movie Fantasia when Mickey Mouse loses control and magical brooms multiply and a deluge of water floods the room? Can you equate this chaos with your daily responsibilities? For many of us this is an occurrence that takes place every day and often becomes exponentially more difficult if an organizational strategy is not implemented.  

Even the smallest or least important tasks can add stress to our lengthy priority lists. It is essential that busy professionals incorporate organizational best practices into their daily routines using the right tools at their fingertips. Calendar planners are the perfect way to start checking things off long to-do lists.  

Making Lists & Checking Them More Than Twice 

Creating lists of tasks or appointments might seem like an obvious solution for staying organized but it never hurts to reinforce that they are critical tools for staying on track with your responsibilities. Apps and other online organization resources can be helpful, but many people find that using more traditional methods are more effective.  

Because our success often is often synonymous with what we can accomplish on any given day, aligning hours, days, weeks, and months with what must be done are the framework for achieving our goals. calendar planners, appointment books, and desk calendars are the organizational trifecta for keeping busy professionals in sight of success.  

They are so much more than a collection of dates on a piece of paper. These tools allow for categorizing lists and setting priorities. Often the sheer volume of what we face every day can be subdivided into manageable segments strategizing with our calendars so that we can check off item by item.  

An Uncluttered Environment 

Daily planners and calendars are only as efficient as the work environment we create. We cannot see what we enter or itemize if our desks are piled with paperwork and junk mail. Just like we create sanctuaries in other areas of our lives- a cozy reading nook or a favorite place to take a walk- our workspace should also reflect a sense of order and clarity. Take some time to clean up your desk and organize paperwork. A clear space will lead to a clear mind that is conducive to tackling any workload.  

Avoid Distractions 

This may seem impossible but at the very least distractions can be reduced. Focusing on the task at hand requires concentration and no one can perform well if our brains are bombarded with too many stimuli. Try assessing noise levels and devices that exist in your workspace and adjust accordingly so that you can focus on your to-do list rather than having your mind drawn in too many directions.  

You Cannot Multitask 

It is time to say multitasking is a myth devised to simulate high productivity. It cannot be done. It may be attempted but multitasking is a feeble attempt at doing too many things at once and failing to do them all well. You will find you will accomplish more by sitting at your uncluttered desk and relying on your calendar planner to guide you to accomplish your goals.  

Removing the idea of multitasking from your perception of a successful workday goes hand in hand with saying no. You want to accomplish tasks and move on to the next item, but in doing so the word no must be part of more conversations. Turn off the guilt and forget about being a people-pleaser. It is perfectly fine to say “No, I can’t take this on right now,” or “That won’t fit into my schedule.” This does not mean you cannot be amenable or flexible. It just means you know your priorities and the timeframe in which to do them.  

Self-Care for Personal and Professional Well-Being 

Immediate thoughts about self-care might conjure images of relaxing bubble baths or an indulgent meal. But self-care is more than just indulging in a few decadent moments. It means that you place your physical and mental health as a priority to be happy, confident, and productive in your personal and professional lives.  

Think about how you can improve aspects of your nutrition, physical activity, relaxation, and socialization. Instead of New Year’s resolution at the start of every year try to be more present in how you make adjustments that benefit your well-being.  

Go back to your daily planner and maybe make a new list just for the things that will positively affect your physical health and reduce stress. Some are easy and some take a little work. But deep down we often know the things we need- drinking more water, taking walks, calling an old friend. On the surface, it may be difficult to see how doing these things affect our daily to-do lists, but they profoundly affect our well-being which thus affects our feelings about professional tasks and goals.   

Take some time to think about your to-do lists. Do you stay on track, or do you often end up in the weeds? Assessing your work environment and staying on task with your calendar planner are great first steps to creating an energizing, productive workspace. Browse our recycled calendar planners and monthly calendars to jumpstart your to-do list.