The 1st Step in Effective Task Management

Work is, at its core, a series of tasks. Keeping track of, prioritizing, accomplishing, and reporting on those tasks is a central challenge of our work.

Because we are largely self-directed in our work, and can go lengthy periods of time between needing to report on the status of our tasks, having a dependable system that works on our behalf is necessary to become effective.

Step #1 – Write Everything Down

This is the first step in David Allen’s Getting Things Done, the classic text on "stress free productivity". The key thing here is that you use your brain for generating new ideas, not storing them. There is no genius in this world who has a sharper or more reliable memory than that what a pad of paper and a pencil (or a Monday.com or Trello board or Evernote file) will get you.

Kept awake at night by nagging thoughts of tasks undone?

Write a list.

Afraid you’re constantly missing something important?

Write a list.

Feeling cloudy and uncertain as to your next step?

Write a list.

The writing of lists helps you see the situation more clearly.

It makes decision making more objective.

It makes tracking and reporting on progress possible.

Write it down.