I was recently asked by a business leader some questions about my daily tasks and how I approach them. The idea behind the interview was to help other business owners manage their own tasks. I felt that maybe my answers might help my own audience. Therefore, as you can see below, I share my top tips for approaching your daily tasks and to-do list.
1) How do you approaching making your daily to-do list?
I write my to-do list the night before. This will include all the daily tasks that need approaching. I will go through the list from the day and see what has been missed or what I have added to it. I will then start a fresh page with what I need to do the following day. This will include large jobs and smaller ‘bitty’ jobs as well. Everything that needs to be done will go on the list, including tasks like going to the post office, for example.
2) How do you prioritize your daily tasks?
My list will only have things that need to be done in the next few days on it. It won’t have long term projects on it. When I come to the office, around 7am / 7.30am I will go through my to-do list and set up what is needed. This might include social media images, blog research and so on. Jobs that need doing sooner will go to the top of the list. Once set up for the day I will go for a walk and make a coffee on the way back. I can then return to the desk with ideas for each task and I’m feeling ready to go. During my walk the daily tasks will be fresh in my mind and I will have thought about different ways of approaching them.
3) How do you reflect on your approach to improve it over time?
At lunchtime, I look at how much I have done and what is left to do. I will re-prioritise the tasks and work through them. At the beginning of each month, I work out roughly how much I need to do as a minimum each day to keep on top of my client workload for the month ahead. I then work to beat this minimum – like a competition I have with myself. However, on a day when I don’t feel my best or I can’t get going – I know the minimum that I absolutely have to do.
How do you approach your daily tasks as a business owner? Have my top tips for approaching daily tasks helped you?
