Overwhelmed With Your To-Do List? Try Trello

By Leave a Comment

Stressed woman holding a long to-do list

Overwhelmed with To-Do’s?

One of the most powerful tools you have in dealing with an overwhelming to-do list is your goal list. Post your goals where you can see them as you work; when you have too many tasks to accomplish in too little time, look at your goals, and prioritize the tasks that move you closer to attaining a goal.

But, ah, you say, my list of goals is almost as overwhelming as my task list! Read on for some solutions to your dilemma.

Aarg! My Goal List is Overwhelming

Here are some tips to solve that problem:

  1. Don’t confuse a goal with a task. A task is something that moves you towards a goal. Calendar a task, or write it on a separate “to-do” list.
  2. Trello is a wonderful (free!) tool to keep track of tasks and projects. I made a 5 minute video to get you started with Trello. It’s so easy to use, that may be all you need. Watch the video.
  3. Limit your goal list to 3-5 goals. It’s great to brainstorm a long list of goals, but that’s only your starting point. Your next step is to highlight those goals which are most important to you, then try and combine similar ideas into one goal.
  4. Sometimes it makes sense to work on one goal before taking on another; in that case, put the only the first goal on your short list (the one that you see daily). Keep the brainstormed list in a file; when you attain a goal, revisit the long list and add a new goal to your short list.
  5. Make your goals measurable.

Filed Under: Apps to Help Run Your Biz, book, Getting Stuff Done Tagged With:

Make a Difference

By 2 Comments

Make a difference; give back to your communityIf you had to pick one quote that best reflected who you are, or what you represent, what would it be?

This was my challenge last week. I’ve been honored with an award*, and was asked to provide a bio and short quote for a poster the organization is preparing for the ceremony.

I recommend that everyone have a pre-written bio [see why in my blog post Four Ways to Use Your Qualifying Conversation], but it never occurred to me to have a quote ready.

It’s a handy exercise. In the end it came down to four choices.

This one gives me great solace and hope:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
-Margaret Mead

This is the one that tells you the most about me:

The mountains are calling and I must go.
-John Muir

I like this one for its pragmatism:

You can have it all, just not all at the same time.
―Betty Friedan

Because it needed to be short, and I wanted something more hopeful than the previous quote, this is the one I chose:

There is more to life than increasing its speed.
-Mahatma Gandhi

I like it because it helps reinforce my message that one of the benefits of managing your time is having time for yourself, your family, friends, and hobbies.

Do you have a favorite quote? Share it below in a comment. What do you think it says about you?

Filed Under: book, KEEP, time management Tagged With: , ,

What Are You Letting Go To Waste?

By 2 Comments

SperrmüllYou know the old slogan ‘When it rains, it pours‘? That’s what it has felt like the past year as I moved my mother (and her possessions) 3 times, and also cleared out her home to put it on the market. And then, for the past 3 weekends, I have been helping my husband as he clears his father’s house. All of which has brought me face-to-face with one of my pet peeves: WASTE.

My father-in-law was a child of the Depression, and I don’t think he ever threw anything out. Add perfectionism to that trait, and you have a recipe for disaster. Case in point: when my mother-in-law became ill and was no longer able to drive, her car sat in the driveway for several years. It was a fairly recent model, in good condition, with low mileage. It was offered to various grandchildren, but was declined. No one drove it; it sat in one place, and the paint started to fade.

At the time, there was a fabulous non-profit in the area called Many Motors. They provided donated cars directly to those in need of transportation, including women making the transition out of domestic violence, veterans, homeless people seeking to get back into the work force, and youths emancipated from the foster care system. I suggested the car be donated to Many Motors. My father-in-law was willing, but insisted he needed to tune it and replace a belt first : i.e. make it ‘perfect’. Even after being assured that Many Motors would have a mechanic make any needed repairs before it was given to its new owner, my father-in-law still wanted the car to be perfect before he donated it.

So what happened? Nothing. My father-in-law was caring for a sick spouse, and had many other demands on his time, and making the car ‘perfect’ just fell to the bottom of his list. For 10 years. Until all the tires went flat, and the car ceased to work altogether. We actually had to pay to have it towed to a junkyard.

Which was a terrific WASTE. For many people, a lack of transportation is what keeps them jobless. That car could have been a lifesaver to a woman making the transition out of domestic violence, a veteran, a homeless person seeking to get back into the work force, or a youth emancipated from the foster care system. Instead it sat and deteriorated, unused, for over 10 years.

Does this happen in your business? What projects and opportunities are on hold until they are perfect, and therefore going to WASTE? Take a good look (and ask your employees to look also and report back to you). If  perfectionism is playing a role, ask yourself ‘Is good enough, good enough?’ Or is it time to allow someone else the chance to make good use what you are not?  It just may allow creative space for a new project or opportunity.

Would love your comments on this post below.

Filed Under: book, personal organization Tagged With: