What defines your day? Are you “task” oriented? Most people are. Perhaps you have a list for the day… or from the previous day… how will you handle the co-worker, customer, call (or email) from nowhere asking for something that isn’t a planned part of your day… nor on your list?
While interruptions are a part of life… it is critical to have (and maintain) a list to manage your day or your projects. Having a list is how you keep track of what needs to be done, and how (as a manager) you can rally your team to achieve success by getting things done.
Whether you want to admit it or not, regardless of your role at your company, it is probably expected that you be a task oriented person. You and your company will be evaluated on how effectively you handle and accomplish your assigned tasks.
So how do you keep track of these tasks you are expected to accomplish? By making lists! Daily “to-do” lists, “honey-do” lists, punch lists, priority lists, grocery lists, you get the idea. A good list will make sure you have a purpose for your efforts. A good list will ensure you know (and can communicate to others) what is to be done, when it is to be done, who is to do it, and possibly where it is to be done.
And best of all, a good list will give you good piece of mind (and help us avoid those darn “Senior Moments” we all have when we go completely blank).