Ok, so I am a “to-do list” geek, and am always looking for better ways to streamline my to-do lists, and actually get stuff done amidst the chaos of family life. I have recently become a total convert to “The Six List”.
The what?
Around 100 years ago a young man by the name of Ivy Lee approached the director of a large steel company, and said he could improve the company’s efficiency. Charles Schwab, the director, asked Lee how much he would charge for his services. Lee told him it would cost him nothing, but that after 90 days Schwab could pay him what he thought the advice was worth. 3 months later, Schwab wrote Lee a cheque for $25 000. The average wage of the time was $2/day.
What was the advice?
- At the end of each day, write yourself a list of the 6 most important things that you need to get done the following day.
- Number the tasks 1-6 in priority order.
- Work through the list from the top, and refer to the list every 15 minutes to check what item you should currently be working on (I assume reading your emails or checking facebook probably aren’t on your list!).
- Transfer any items that you don’t complete to the top of your list for the following day.
That’s it. Simple but genius I tell you.
It’s so true. Making a to do list each night is the best way to be productive in your daily life.
I love lists, but hadn’t thought of doing this at the end of the day. Guess it’s a good way to get a nights rest – knowing you’ve got tomorrow sorted