This goes along with my advice in a previous article to make a to-do list in general. I highly recommend that you create a new to-do list each night. That way, it’s done and fresh for when you wake up each day.
Your morning should be spent working on your most important or most challenging task (eating your frog). You shouldn’t even have to think about it before you just start working.
You lose momentum if you have to stop and create the to-do list. You lose valuable time that could be spent being productive.
Set Yourself Up For Success
For most people, morning is the most valuable work time, and when you have the most energy. Don’t handicap yourself by trying to create your to-do list and gather the things you need during that valuable time.
If you create your to-do list the night before, you’ll be setting yourself up for success. You won’t even have to think about it. You can just get started on your first task.
You may want to create a master to-do list to work from and add to. This list should be full of every task you can think of that you need to do.
Complete the items that will take just a few minutes to do, right away. Delegate the tasks that can be delegated. Constantly eliminate and filter out the items that don’t need to be there.
Create your new daily to-do list at night, or at the end of your workday. I suggest putting between 4 to 6 items on that list (no more) that will take you around an hour each to do. If you need to, break each of those items down into its smaller parts so there’s no hesitation to get started on the next workday.
Make sure you collect any of the tools, resources, or steps you’ll need to successfully complete each action item. Make it as easy as possible for you to follow through with each task in the morning.
Set yourself up for success at night and you will find that it is so much easier to manage your time and be highly productive in the morning. You’ll also cut down dramatically on your procrastination problem at the same time.
Set yourself up for success with Your Best Year Ever http://kmginfo.com/go/bestyear
Read previous articles in this series on how business owners and leaders can manage time most effectively:
1. Why it’s Really Hard to Manage Your Time http://kmgconsulting.com.au/success/why-its-really-hard-to-manage-your-time/
2. Master Your Time Management http://kmgconsulting.com.au/success/master-your-time-management/
3. Why You Procrastinate http://kmgconsulting.com.au/success/why-you-procrastinate/
4. Create a To-Do List That Works http://kmgconsulting.com.au/success/create-a-to-do-list-that-works/
5. Eat That Frog http://kmgconsulting.com.au/success/eat-that-frog/
