To-do lists don't work - use this instead

To-do lists just don't work.

Because although they might help you feel productive, they're stopping you from actually being productive with getting what you want done.

Here are 5 reasons why they don't work - and what to do instead, so you can get more done in less time.

1. They’re too vague

Often the language is focused on the activity, e.g. “write proposal”, “email client”, “do accounts”. Here, your brain will interpret ANY vagueness as the task being too hard, too big or too complicated - all reasons to you brain not to start at all.

You can probably think of a few things that have been on your to-do list for weeks that you keep putting off. This might be one reason why.

2. You’ll spend longer than is needed to get things done

Not setting a start time or time limit to “Do accounts” makes it easier for your brain to delay starting and makes it way harder to plan or know when you'll do those other tasks this week. Work expands to fill time, so the accounts will take as long as you decide to give them. 

3. Your brain will always do the easy thing first

When you're uncommitted to doing a specific task at a specific time you're not instructing your brain what to do. And when left without instructions, your brain loves to do whatever is easy to conserve its energy.

But because you also want to feel productive and busy, you'll tick off quick wins - usually the easy admin tasks, which feels satisfying and like you are getting things done. And you are getting 'things' done. It's just that's the easy things - and not what's important.

4. They waste mental energy

Whenever you scan your to-do list, you’re constantly asking “what should I be doing now?” Not only is this exhausting (decisions use up sooo much mental energy which could be better served elsewhere), but your decision-making in the moment about what to do will be poor. Because in the moment, your brain will always want to do the easy thing. 

5. Information scattering

Flagged emails in your inbox? Some lists in your head, others in your notebook? Actions for a project on your computer? To-dos in your phone notes? This just makes it harder to keep track of everything and to know you’re focusing on the most important things, using up your mental energy and your time.

So what can you do instead? 

Throw away your to-do list and use your calendar.

Because your calendar is wasted when it's only used for meetings. It's the perfect place for carving out time to get things done.

Try this:

1. Decide ahead of time what you’re getting done and when this coming week, based on your priorities

2. Break down every task as much as possible and keep it focused on results, not actions

3. Put everything on your calendar

When you do this, everything has a time frame assigned to it and it’s all in one place.

Which means you won’t need scattered to-do lists anymore. 

You’ll have so much mental freedom in each moment because you’ll know exactly what you're focusing on and you're getting what's important done.

Because it's already been decided head of time and it's in your calendar.

So you can get on and do it, rather than thinking about, and letting your brain decide in the moment what to do.

With coaching, you’ll learn a process for exactly how to do this - and make space for unexpected things that crop up.

It's called Hour One. 

Imagine starting your week knowing exactly what you’re focusing on. 

And then finishing each week knowing you got everything important done and still had time for everything else, without rushing or stress. 

You'll actually get to enjoy your Sunday, instead of getting to 3pm and worrying about what's coming up and how you'll manage. 

It’s the best feeling.

Decide now you're going to set your 2023 up like this.

Once you learn these skills, that's it for life. The time and energy you save will compound.

Your life is worth more than ticking things off a to-do list.

And how you spend your time is how you spend your life.