THREAD: One of the things that helps me get more done throughout the year (and trust me, I do a lot) is how I manage all the tasks that are part of my job or thrown at me by others. Your mileage may vary, but here are some quick tips. /1

First, you need to CAPTURE every task that pops up. Whether you dreamed it up yourself or someone else assigned/requested it (email, phone, in-person, etc), you need to make “capturing” those tasks as natural as breathing. Otherwise they slip away. /2

You can do this by having a notebook in your pocket or at your desk, or by using a todo app on your phone/tablet. There are tons of options in both camps, but the key is this: it needs to be dead simple to enter a new task before you forget it. /3

Second, you need a good awareness of what sort of LOAD your day can take. Don’t pick the same due date for everything, or else that day will be too tall of a mountain to climb. You need to spread those tasks out and set attainable goals for your days to stay encouraged. /4

I try to think of when that task is due, and then subtract how long it should take me to do it. Make a conservative guess, and schedule that task for whatever day fits its roadmap. Then you can forget about it until you read that day’s list in the future. /5

Third, don’t forget NON-TASKS, like scheduled meetings. If it needs to happen and it takes up time, then it’s a task. I add all my meetings (with time) to my todo list. They’re easy tasks to check off when finished, and it prevents me from over-booking myself. /6

If you use a todo app on your device, you can also include relevant info for those meetings. Zoom link, phone number, location—all those things are helpful. Some todo apps even allow those links/numbers to be “active”, letting me tap a number to dial into a call. So easy! /7

Fourth, don’t forget to occasionally REVIEW your list. Are there repeating tasks that are no longer necessary? Are some days too full, while others are nearly empty? Massage the list to create more achievable days. /8

And finally, just DO IT. You aren’t writing things down just to write them down. You’re making a commitment to do them, and if you do them on-time, your future self will thank you. If you’re lazy, those tasks will pile up and bury you under a mountain of anxiety and stress. /9