NLP for To Do Lists

How can you use NLP for to do lists? And most importantly, how can NLP make you do what you put on to do lists?

Long to do lists are of course demotivating and overwhelming. Especially those which have more than 10 items.  The longer the list is, the more likely we are to focus on the simple tasks that we can do the most quickly.  Many people like immediate gratification for their efforts. And doing the easiest tasks first shortens the list.  We may want to do more complex tasks later, but most often get sidetracked.  And by the end of the day the list looks just as long as it did at the beginning.  Sounds familiar?  So what’s the NLP cure for to do lists?

The best time to write your to do list is at the end of the day for the list to be ready for tomorrow.  Gather all tasks left from today, add tasks for tomorrow, and plan your schedule.  Putting things on paper will clear your mind and you’ll have the schedule ready in the morning.

These 8 NLP tips will help you manage your to do lists:

1. Put it in the calendar

Instead of keeping one long list write items in your diary or calendar according to when you will do them. Create blocks of time that will support you in doing the tasks.  For example, half an hour a day adds up when you are working on a larger project.  Schedule time to focus on what you want to achieve.

2. Group it

Put tasks into groups (calls, errands) so that you gain momentum and save time by doing similar items at set times.

3. Prioritize it

Label the most important items on the list with the letter a, items of medium importance with the letter b, and items of least importance with the letter c. Or arrange all items in order of their priority and work from the top.

4. Highlight or cross it

You have two options here. Rather than crossing completed items off the list which makes your accomplishments invisible, highlight items with a marker as you complete them.  Seeing what you’ve done creates motivational energy. But if this option confuses you because you are used to crossing done items out, then cross done items out. After all, crossing them out is also highlighting them. It is for you, so it must work for you.

5. 80/20 it

We get 80% of results from 20% of work.  Hence leverage your time and resources by concentrating on the 20% of items that will generate the highest impact.

6. Prune it

Many 80% items can usually be safely ignored or delegated.  Do so, and cross them off the list.

7. Divide it

Keep separate lists: one for work and one for personal matters. Separate tasks that can be done quickly in one day from long term tasks that will take more time to complete. Example: filing can be completed in a day, while restructuring the company can’t.

8. Capture it

Also have a page where you write items, calls, messages, conversations, or things you’ll have to do. This page starts today and anything you capture today will happen tomorrow at the earliest. Let paper remember so that you can forget.

Finally, do it! This article is to help you write to do lists which will motivate you to do the items on them! There’s no point in killing time making your to do lists pretty if they’ll only get longer and you’ll destroy them demotivated at the end. Do the tasks on the lists as quickly as you can. And those that you can’t do quickly because perhaps they are for the longer term, at least do them regularly. Finally, if this inspired you to get more NLP help for doing the tasks on your to do lists, let’s talk about it.