To-do lists are a simple process that helps us capture ideas and action steps we need to take but more often than not they become endless, overwhelming reminders of all we haven’t done and it can be hard to know where to start.

Today we'll be talking about how you can better use to-do lists and turn them into Focus Projects to build momentum with your next goal!

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Show Notes:

To-do list items also end up creating more work for us because they give the appearance of an actionable task when many of them are actually either:

a) a project in disguise that is comprised of hundreds of sub-tasks or

b) a task dependency that requires something before it can even be started such as more information, decisions, or an action from another person or team member.

I no longer work from to-do lists and here’s why:

To-do lists are captured lists of your brain processing information, ideas, priorities, and action items but to-do lists don’t give you the structure you need to take action efficiently and effectively.

In many ways to-do lists stall your momentum and keep you from actually getting anything done.

Or they perpetuate work from a scattered and disorganized place where you may find yourself task switching from one thing to the next without knowing what direction you’re going with what or where you’ll end up.

Before you think that I’m saying to NEVER use to-do lists, let me share a perspective shift with you that will show you what to-do lists actually are and how many of us have been using them the wrong way for quite some time.

To-do lists aren’t what you should be working FROM they are what you should be using to CAPTURE.

To-do lists are essentially a form of a brain dump and they are powerful tools but they aren’t what you should be using to take action.

Think of it this way; you’re cooking your famous spaghetti dinner and the pasta is ready, you grab a big bowl and pour in the noodles, add some sauce to keep them from sticking, and then ask all of your guests the question: “who wants to eat from the bowl first?”

Wait….what!?

You’d never serve spaghetti this way. Your guests would likely want their own plates and even if they did agree, how would you decide who goes first, how much everyone can eat, and for how long before they pass the bowl?

This is how it feels to work from to-do lists. You have a giant page of items and you just start taking action without knowing how much time you have, what to work on first, which tasks are the most important, and when you can feel like you’ve made some real progress.

I know some of you may be saying “this actually works FINE for me, I just start working my way down that lists and badaboom badabing, I get things done”

I’m sure you do, but at what cost?

Working this way takes a lot more mental energy and requires more decision-making as you go, taking up valuable brainpower and making it harder to focus.

If you run your business this way, you’ll likely feel totally drained by 2 pm most days and wonder why it’s so hard to keep the momentum with your goals.

How to properly use a to-do list the efficient and effective way

Instead of dumping all your ideas and actions into one big list and them plowing through it immediately. Take time to expand your to-do list with a proper brain dump.

Your to-do list likely already fits the brain dump parameters (unfinished ideas, random thoughts, incomplete decisions, broader project goals) and needs to be fine-tuned anyway.

I talk about more ways to do an effective brain dump here and here but for now, I want you to think of your to-do list as a parking lot and not an action highway.

So what kind of tool should you use to work from?

Allow me to introduce you to Focus Projects!

Focus Projects are targeted work sprints designed to help you map out details and objectives of your next business goal so you can build momentum and take action quickly to get more done in your biz without burning out!

Focus Projects also eliminate endless to-do list fatigue by breaking down your project goals into phases that help you know what, when, where to complete specific target tasks and action steps.

Effective Focus Projects also include scheduled and implemented break times, pauses, and reflections to help you stay focused, energized, and maintain your mental energy as you go.

You can create focus projects for things like content creation, learning, creating a digital product, doing a website audit, creating a course, client work, you name it!

The key is taking a little bit of time to map out your Focus Project before you get started.

I’m all for taking the ball and running with it, experimenting in your business, and seeing what sticks but I can’t tell you how much mental energy, time, and sanity I’ve saved by taking just a little bit of time to set up a focus project before I hit the ground running.

And I know this process can help you out, too!

I’ve created a 45-minute training that walks you through the entire process that you can use over and over again in your business (Notion template included) and you can watch it on-demand right here.

While this sounds mega nerdy and details, I’ve simplified the process so that you don’t have to learn new project management terms or get stuck answering KPI questions that might not matter as much depending on the project you’re running.

Instead, we break down the Focus Project Process into clear and streamlined steps so that you can know what you need to do, what you want to measure, and get clear on the outcomes and objectives of your project without stressing your brain.

Learn more about the training here!

Let’s create your next Focus Project!