Simplifying Long To-Do Lists

This small change to my to-do lists has become the biggest productivity hack 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁: Over the last few years, I've tried many ways to organise my work and time. But the only method that has worked is to list the tasks of the day in a physical notebook. Once the tasks are done, strike them off. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: I had, on average, 5–6 tasks on the list. But I could complete only 2–3 each day. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: At the end of the day, I felt as if I'd achieved NOTHING. The feeling was the same unless I completed 100% of the tasks. That feeling frustrated me more than I can put into words. I didn't only LOSE that day. But I'd become so demotivated that I'd keep spiralling downwards for the next few days. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹" 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: the real problem wasn't the system. The real problem was also not the lack of prioritisation. The real problem was that my prioritisation was not based on motivation or happiness. Let me explain... I reviewed my task list for the last 30 days and started seeing a pattern. There were some tasks which, when incomplete, cause an immense amount of frustration. This frustration overpowered the joy of completing the other tasks on the list. That is when I remembered Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, which I admire. It says there are two factors that affect employee satisfaction. 1. 𝗛𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲: these are factors that, if absent, cause dissatisfaction. For example, salary, job security, a good environment. But even if they exist, they don't increase satisfaction!     2. 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: these are factors that, if present, lead to higher satisfaction and happiness. Examples: rewards, promotions, growth opportunities, etc. My old way of creating lists (left) had a problem. I was not classifying my tasks into hygiene and motivators. The solution: Create the same to-do lists, with 5-6 items. But each item must fit into one of 3 categories: 1. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿:if I don't complete them, I will be sad. 😔 2. 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿:if I complete them, I will be happy. 😊 3. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵:if I complete them, I will be extremely happy😄 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: With the new list (right), as long as I complete the tasks in bucket #1, I am not sad or frustrated. I feel like I have accomplished everything for the day. (Again, a hard feeling to put into words!) This feeling leads to more productivity, which brings even more happiness. And the cycle continues every day, every week. Such a small change. But such a huge impact. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗮𝘁: I can tackle the same problem via better prioritisation. Instead of having 5, I could have 2-3 tasks on the list. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for me, especially on days when I have more time at hand. And not adding all the tasks makes me feel I'm missing something. So I prefer to dump all my to-dos on the list. If you use to-do lists, let me know in the comments how successful you are. And what are your productivity secrets?

The Invisible Weight Crushing High Performers Last week, I coached a COO who had all the traits of a top leader—sharp, experienced, highly capable. But he wasn’t leading. He was drowning. His days were consumed by back-to-back meetings, endless emails, and a to-do list that only grew longer. The weight of decision fatigue had drained him. He was so buried in the urgent that he had no space for the important. Why Even the Smartest Leaders Get Stuck Decision fatigue isn’t about intelligence—it’s about bandwidth. When every day is filled with reactive choices—what to answer, what to prioritize, who to delegate to (if you even have time to think about delegation)—even the best leaders start spinning their wheels. That’s exactly where he was. How We Built a Strategy That Put Him Back in Control In our session, we stripped everything down to its core. ✔ Clarified his long-term goals – The real priorities that should drive his decisions. ✔ Categorized his work into four simple buckets: * Long-term goals * Recurring responsibilities * High-impact projects * Daily tasks ✔ Identified what to delegate – Turns out, much of what was overwhelming him wasn’t even his to own. Then, I gave him a challenge: Cull his to-do list. Ruthlessly. Not based on what felt urgent, but on what actually moved the needle. That’s when he admitted something: "I’m not a technology person—I have a notebook." So instead of forcing another app or system on him, we designed a simple framework he could sketch out in his notebook: 📌 Daily tasks on the left. 📌 Three boxes on the right—long-term goals, recurring tasks, and projects. A quick, visual way to organize himself—without the friction of learning new software. This morning, he emailed me with one sentence: "I finally feel back in control. Thanks, coach!" Overwhelmed leaders don’t need to work harder. They need a system to cut through the noise. If you’re buried in the weeds and constantly reacting, let’s talk. We can design a system that works for you. There’s a way to lead without the chaos.

From Chaos to Clarity: Avoid Overwhelm with This Simple Trick! "One should never think about the entire road at once, you understand? You must only think of the next step, the next breath, the next sweep of the broom. And always just the next." This wisdom from Beppo the Street Sweeper in Michael Ende’s Momo offers a powerful strategy to prevent overwhelm: focusing solely on the next, specific step. By doing so, we preserve our joy in the work and avoid feeling lost in the enormity of the task. In a similar way, David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) method embodies this principle by breaking large projects into manageable steps and always defining the next action. GTD ensures we’re not overburdened by endless to-do lists but move forward steadily, with focus and organization. My personal motto on this topic is, “Let’s cross the bridge when we get there.” This encourages us to avoid worrying prematurely about future challenges, to stay present, and to tackle issues as they arise. It fosters a clear, relaxed, and solutions-oriented mindset. Psychological Foundations  Studies confirm the effectiveness of this approach. “Chunking” and the structuring of tasks through GTD reduce feelings of overwhelm and enhance motivation by making small steps and successes visible (Baumeister et al., 1998). Locke and Latham (2002) demonstrated that setting clear, achievable goals can prevent overwhelm and boost motivation. GTD specifically supports this by establishing a clear framework and bringing clarity and focus through the next immediate step. Tips for Preventing Overwhelm: 1️⃣ Break tasks into smaller steps: Focus on the next concrete step and set aside the larger goal for now. 2️⃣ Stay organized: Use GTD techniques to keep to-dos structured, strengthening your sense of control and clarity. 3️⃣ Stay present: Focus on the here and now and trust that you’ll handle challenges as they arise. With these principles, we can maintain a calm, productive approach and tackle large projects successfully—and with joy. How do you stay on top of things? Have you tried the GTD method? #AvoidOverwhelm #GettingThingsDone #mentalhealth #LeadershipSkills

Yesterday I posted about ways to help you work through your task list, but how do you know which order to do your tasks in? The first thing I do is create a to-do list. Start by listing all the tasks you need to complete. Having a clear view of your tasks is the first step in choosing what order to do them in. After creating my list, I then use a great tool called the Eisenhower Matrix that helps me prioritise tasks by how urgent and important they are. If you search online you can see how to draw the matrix, it's a simple diagram that allows you to put tasks into 4 categories: ⚠ Urgent and Important: These are top priority tasks that require immediate attention, like deadlines or emergencies. 💡 Important but Not Urgent: These tasks are significant but don't require immediate action. They are often related to long-term goals, planning, and personal growth. 😵 Urgent but Not Important: These tasks demand immediate attention but may not contribute significantly to your long-term goals. They can include interruptions or distractions. These are some of the worst types of tasks for getting in your way of achieving your goals. 😴 Neither Urgent nor Important: These are tasks that can be put on the back burner or delegated because they have minimal impact on your goals. Each of the quadrants on the diagram is associated with an action: ✔ Urgent and important tasks are labelled as "Do First". Get them put into your diary to do immediately. ✔ Important but not urgent tasks should be labelled as "Schedule" (and don't forget to schedule them!). ✖ Urgent but not important tasks should be labelled as "Delegate", or in some cases you may just want to push back and say "no". If it's not important, does it actually need to be done? ❌ Neither urgent nor important tasks should be tagged as "Don't Do" and take them off your list! See, we're getting rid of tasks already and we haven't even started doing them, whoop whoop! There are a few other things I consider when looking at my tasks: ❓ Consider Deadlines. If you have looming deadlines, they should often take precedence. But don't let a task's urgency overshadow its importance. Sometimes, long-term projects need attention even if there's no immediate deadline. ❓ Evaluate Impact and Consequences. Think about the potential impact each task has on your goals or the business. Consider the consequences of not completing a task and the benefits of completing it. ❓ Time and Energy Management. Take your own energy levels and the time of day into account. If you're most productive in the morning, tackle your most critical tasks then. Save routine or less demanding tasks for when your energy dips. My slump is around 3-4pm so I tend to keep that time for admin or fun tasks that are less pressured. Experiment with different methods and find what works best for you. It's all about aligning your efforts with your goals and making the most of your time and resources. #TaskManagement #Prioritising

You don't need more time. You need these 7 systems: 1) 2-Minute Rule ↳Why: Tiny tasks drain attention ↳How: If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now - approve, reply, file, etc. ↳Example: Instead of flagging a meeting email, you reply instantly: "Tuesday 3pm works" 2) Eat the Frog ↳Why: Morning energy is highest ↳How: Put your hardest task first on your calendar - no email or Slack until it's done ↳Example: Instead of opening your inbox, open the deck at 8:30am and finish it by 10 3) Pomodoro ↳Why: Beats procrastination by working in short sprints ↳How: Use a timer - work 25 minutes, rest 5, and after 4 rounds, take a longer break ↳Example: You resist writing a post, so do 25 minutes on the intro, break, 25 on section one...and now half the draft is done 4) 1-3-5 Rule ↳Why: Stops overloaded to-do lists ↳How: Write tomorrow's list tonight - 1 big, 3 medium, 5 small - and start with the big one ↳Example: ↳1 Big: Finalize budget ↳3 Medium: Prep client call, update CRM, review intern project ↳5 Small: Quick email replies, schedule meeting... 5) 80/20 Rule ↳Why: Prevents spreading energy too thin ↳How: Each week, list tasks, circle the few that drive most results, focus there, and delegate or drop the rest ↳Example: 80% of support tickets come from 2 issues, so you create an FAQ and cut response time in half 6) Time Boxing ↳Why: Stops tasks from ballooning ↳How: Block calendar slots - 90 minutes analysis, 30 admin, 45 exercise - and stop when the box ends ↳Example: You schedule 2-4pm for a report, and then at 4, you stop so it doesn't eat your evening 7) Deep Work ↳Why: Complex work needs focus ↳How: Pick one big problem, silence notifications, and block 2-3 hours - absolutely no multitasking ↳Example: Book 9-12 with yourself, shut the door, and draft the strategy doc - no email, no Slack, no phone Don't try to install all 7 at once. Productivity is about choosing the right tool for the moment, Not stacking every system. Pick one, test it this week, and notice what changes. What's your favorite productivity system? --- ♻️ Share this to help someone that's always short on time. And follow me George Stern for more productivity hacks.

Let's simplify productivity. Many professionals I meet are often overwhelmed dealing with urgent matters all the time, leaving little room to think about strategy, engage in one-to-one conversations, or focus on other important tasks. It's quite common, isn't it? But there's a simple system to help you ensure you focus on what truly matters amidst your to-do list. It's called the Eisenhower Matrix, named after President Dwight Eisenhower. You simply sort tasks by urgency and importance. Here are the options: 1) Urgent and Important ➡ Do this first. 2) Urgent but Not Important ➡ Delegate or pass this on. 3) Not Urgent but Important ➡ Plan time for this later. 4) Not Urgent and Not Important ➡ Cut this out or minimize it. Also, I would add one thing that works for me in this system and how I organize my schedule: it's important to plan a certain amount of time for the urgencies we face on a daily basis, not filling the schedule only with meetings and tasks. Leaving open space in your day to deal with unpredictable things is also a good thing to do. Embracing this system in my mind has changed the way I think and prioritize things nowadays. Since I started using it, it has transformed my productivity. If you're struggling to prioritize your work, start using this method! #SelfDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipJourney

Being busy isn't the same as being effective. Don't be like many who confuse the two. The brutal truth is that doing too much work... ...can keep you from doing your best work. When you try to do it all: ❌ Your impact gets diluted. ❌ Your energy drains faster. ❌ Your focus gets scattered. Great leaders don't just work hard. They work smart. Here's how to reduce the noise and elevate your effort: 1️⃣ Focus on the 20% that achieves 80% of the impact. ↳ Identify your top 3 priorities each week. ↳ Minimize activity that doesn’t align with them. 2️⃣ Lower distractions. ↳ Turn off notifications during important work. ↳ The fewer the interruptions, the faster the progress. 3️⃣ Delegate what you don’t need to do. ↳ Empower your team. Don't bottleneck decisions. ↳ If you're doing everything, you're leading nothing. 4️⃣ Batch similar tasks together. ↳ Stop losing efficiency through "multitasking." ↳ Group emails, admin, and deep work into blocks. 5️⃣ Audit your calendar ruthlessly. ↳ Identify low-value commitments. ↳ Cut what doesn't serve your current priorities. 6️⃣ Say “no” more often. ↳ Every "yes" is a "no" to something else.  ↳ Protect your time by default, not by exception. Work smarter, not longer. Your effectiveness is measured by outcomes, not hours. What’s one way you’ve simplified your workload? ♻️ Repost to remind others that less is often more. For more: 🔔 Follow me, Paul DiCicco. ✉️ Try the Lead Well, Live Well Newsletter👇 https://lnkd.in/ettGDvJZ

On the first day of each workweek, I sit down and make five simple lists. They keep me focused and organized and make tackling whatever the week throws at me easier. Here’s how they work: [ ] Top Priorities: These are the 3–5 things that need my attention this week. Having them written down keeps me clear on where to focus my time and energy. [ ] Waiting On: I keep a running list of things I’m waiting for—emails, approvals, or anything that relies on someone else. It’s a small habit that keeps me on top of follow-ups and helps me stay proactive. [ ] Wins from Last Week: Reflecting on recent wins—big or small—helps me start the week with momentum. It’s easy to forget progress when you’re already onto the next thing, so this reminder feels grounding. [ ] Learning and Growth: I choose 3 blog posts, podcasts, or articles to consume that help me make progress toward my learning goals. [ ] Nice-to-Haves: These are the low-priority tasks I’ll get to if I have the time. Having them on their own list keeps them from cluttering my brain or distracting me from what matters most. These lists don’t take long to make, but they set the tone for my week and make it easier to stay on track. Do you have any go-to strategies or routines that help you stay organized? 

Is your to-do list really long today? I know mine is. But instead of trying to figure out how to be more efficient, what if we asked whether everything on today's list actually deserved to be there? I first glimpsed this years ago when one of my direct reports (the amazing Francesca Lamb,) asked me how I prioritized my time. To answer her, I came up with a system for what to do with your to-do list: the 4 D's. ➡️ DO:  Is it important? Just do it, or take the first step (not counting writing it on the list :). The enemy here is procrastinating perfectionism, which can strike and delay completion of your most important work. ↪️ DELEGATE: In what way are you the best person to do the task? Many leaders I know do more than they ought to. The enemy here is the, "I'm the only one who can ...do it, solve it, fix this" mindset. ↘️ DEFER: Ask yourself, does the task need to be done now? Is it higher priority than what you were planning to do (including personal time and sleep)? The trap here is always working in crisis mode. And sometimes what you defer turns out to be unnecessary, and you're in the 4th category: ⬇️ Dump. Our responsible, capable nature fights back - "Surely it needs to be done!" But it's so freeing to just not do a task that you know won't add value. Today, I share this simple system with my leadership coaching clients. They all want to make an impact, and understanding where to put your effort really matters.  I hope it helps your list be shorter and better today. #scientificleadership #impact #choice