Is Your “To Do” List Helping or Hurting Your Growth?

I would assume all of us at one time or another procrastinate about something. There are things that we
know we “have” to get done, there are those tasks that we would like to get done and then there are
those items that seem to be on our to do lists for years!

Does that make you or I a procrastinator? Or do we just need to resolve that we should be compiling a
better “to do” list? Or do you even have a list? For me, my to do list is important. It is how I get through
the day. It helps me to prioritize what needs to get done. Or does it?

Does To Do List Include Non-Essential Tasks
There are things on my list that I move around every day. Why? Because they never get done. So, are
they really that important to the success of my business or maybe even my life?
Probably not. We all have grand plans that may take many steps to make them happen. However, are
those things not getting done because they seem overwhelming?
There is a saying from Desmond Tuto, “there is only one way to eat an elephant; a bite at a time.”

One Bite at a Time
During the pandemic most of my fellow business owners and friends commented about feeling
overwhelmed. I know I was and am. My days are not as secure as they once were. My weeks used to be
filled with client meetings, generating ideas with the team and networking events that resulted in my
business success.

Now, I am at my desk most days. And while I still do much of what I used to do pre-COVID, it is not the
same. Because there is still so much uncertainty as to how and when many of my client programs will
resume. So, I am working longer hours to fill the void of customers that are no longer spending.

And every day, I make my list for the next day and I found I was continually moving tasks to the next day
or week. Until I realized, my to do list was too long, too overwhelming. It was this all encompassing list.
It was not a list of those top important items that needed to get done today, it was EVERYTHING that
needed to get done. It wasn’t just a big elephant in the room, it was a herd of elephants that just kept
breeding.

Time Blocking Shows How Time is Spent
I have mentioned before that I time block my days. And one thing that time blocking has shown me is
that I have very ambitious ideas about how much I can get done in one day. Or to say it another way, I
am unrealistic in my daily task goals. No wonder I work long hours trying to complete my daily list! How
does your list look today? Focused? Reasonable?
I am always open to looking for better ways to do things, get more done. I read a lot of books, blogs and
listen to podcasts. And one thing that I have realized from all of them is, I just have too much on my list
that do not align with my current goals.

1. Grow existing client spending by 20%
2. Expand business diversity by securing new clients in 3-5 different industries
3. Hire at least one new sales account manager

Obviously, everyone’s goals are different, but for me, growth within my existing clients and diversifying
my business are paramount to my continued success. All industries were hit hard by the pandemic.
Some more than others, but I did learn that while my clients are diverse, they definitely are not diverse
enough!

I have also realized that I kept in touch with many of my clients while attending networking events. We
would say hello, catch up and many times they would remember an upcoming project as a result. Now,
that type of networking is not happening. We may “see” each other at a zoom event, but the interaction
is limited. So, I must reach out to them in a much more targeted, disciplined way.

Focused on Long Term May Be Better
As a result, my daily to do list is simpler now. It is centered on the tasks needed to achieve my goals.
Each day I make sure my tasks are focused on helping me to achieve my long-term goals, one bite at a
time.