Improve Office Productivity With Your To-Do List

When you are working on multiple projects with a lot of moving pieces, staying productive during can be challenging. You’ve must find a way to limit distractions and avoid overlooking important steps that will result in project deadlines being missed. Since there are a finite number of hours that can be spent on work tasks each day, tasks should be managed in a productive way so everything gets done. The secret to productivity? A to-do list! This NYC Professional Office Organizer is sharing the following thoughts…

Why do I need a to-do list?

The most important reason is that it is impossible to remember everything. To-do lists allow you to stay organized and focused. Having every task that needs to be done in one place will enable you to prioritize and plan your day accordingly. Also, a to-do list will save you time as you won’t have to sort through emails and notes to ensure that you have completed all pending tasks. Noting tasks along with their deadlines on your list will prevent the last-minute rush because a deadline slipped your mind.

How do you use a to-do list?

Make it a habit of adding tasks to your to-do list as they cross your desk. Receive a phone call from a client asking for a price quote? Add it to your list. Open an email with a request for additional research for an ongoing project? Add it to your list. If you wait too long, you’ll forget and will lose valuable time playing catch up. Also, prioritize your to-do list each day. Spend 5-10 minutes reviewing your list either at the end of the day or first thing in the morning, and then note the 1-2 tasks you’ll must do first. These will be the tasks with the most immediate deadlines or those that are part of a larger project that need to be completed so the project work keeps moving forward.

What kind of to-do list should you use?

This is highly personal and will be dependent on your preferences. There are many digital apps and tools for creating a working to-do list. These also have mobile versions that sync with both your computer and your phone or tablet, so you can take your list everywhere you go. There are many options out there, both free and paid. Some great apps that you can check out are Todoist, Any.do, and Wunderlist. You can also use a project management system such as Asana or ClickUp where you can collaborate and share tasks with your team. Many people utilize digital calendars with to-do list add-ons, such as Google Calendar.

To-do lists are essential for staying productive in the workplace. For more hands-on strategy and support for improving productivity and organization at work, reach out to your NYC Professional Office Organizer today.