Lists

Sandy Paluzzi
The Bead Peddler

You've probably all made a list at one time or another - a shopping list, a holiday gift card list, party lists, etc., etc., etc.  But I would not be nearly as productive as I am if I did not work from lists.

Every day I make a to-do list.  This list has everything on it that I need to accomplish.  The everyday tasks like answering emails, packing and shipping are there.  So are the one time shots - like phone calls to specific people, bills to pay, emails or letters to write, errands to run, etc.  Every single thing I want to accomplish is put on my list.  Then the tasks are organized.  Some things, like packing and shipping are deadline driven and go in the same time slot every day.  The other things I prioritize according to my energy levels.  I am at my freshest in the morning so if I have something that requires a lot of thought or something that I dread doing, I put it first on my list.  I am operating at full capacity then and will be better prepared to deal with difficult issues.  Besides which, I then have gotten the hard or onerous task out of the way and have a feeling of accomplishment.  Everything else is easy for the rest of the day.  My routine tasks, such as adding items to my website are done at the end of my day.  These tasks don't require a lot of thought and can easily be done when I'm past my peak.  I have found that my list not only keeps me focused, it also allows me to accomplish more in a shorter time period.  For example, by making a list, I can tell at a glance what errands need to be run and map them out geographically.  Without a list, I might make two trips to accomplish what I could easily do in one.

I prioritize the items on my list.  I mark the must-do tasks with an A, the next highest priorities with a B, down to the unimportant C tasks.  I  The high priority tasks are done first.  For me, packing and shipping are definite A list items.  They just simply are done every day starting at 9 am - no exceptions.    Priority A items are never rescheduled.

My list changes throughout the day when things pop up or the completion of one task leads to the creation of another.  The list  is fluid and sometimes a task gets shifted from today's list to tomorrow's.  But I NEVER put off a task two days in a row.  When I make a future commitment, I immediately put it on that date's to do list.  I personally use a Franklin Covey time management system to organize my lists, but you could use any calendar system.  Indeed, you could even make up your own calendar system on any word processor.

I also use lists to manage my long range plans.  First of all, I establish a goal.  Right now, one of my goals is to market my beads to interior designers.  I break that goal down into definable tasks, such as plan campaign, design sales materials, distribute materials, follow up.  Each of these tasks is further broken down.  Currently I am ready to design sales materials.  I have to locate, contact and interview graphic designers,  contract one, meet with him/her and do the copy writing.  Monday is always a busy day for me, so calling graphics designers will go on Tuesday's to-do list.  By breaking down my long range goals into easily managed tasks, I feel confident I will get the task down.  If I were to just set a goal of marketing to interior designers, I may get overwhelmed by the project and procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate. 

With my lists, I find that I am productive.  And by the way, down time and physical exercise is scheduled into every day's to do list.  Time with family, friends and just chilling is as important as shipping and packing.  For me, it's all about balance.

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