

A well-organized to-do list helps you recognize what is important compared to what is urgent or a distraction. The difference between the two is learning how to prioritize tasks. Your to-do list can be either a mountain that is so high you cannot see the summit, or it can be a step ladder that helps you easily reach a new level of productivity. A very practical way to implement this principle is to use it to transform your to-do list into a productivity secret weapon. Learning to see the difference is a skill that everyone can learn to maximize their productivity. Some tasks are more important than others and represent a better use of your time. Most people have a “never-ending” to-do list.

You might think, how does clarity and focus help me finish everything on my never-ending to-do list? The question reveals the problem. If you start the day with clarity and focus, then you can end the day feeling successful and productive. How you start has a lot to do with how you finish. What if it did not have to be that way? What if there was a way to finish your to-do list every single day? You open your task manager and there is an immediate sense of overwhelm because it is more than anyone could do in one day. There is a sense of accomplishment when you finish the task, meet the deadline, or achieve the goal. Checking an item off your to-do list is very rewarding. Productive people are motivated to get things done.
