Seth Godin cover’s an interesting topic about questioning what your list of things mean to you. I thought it’d be fun to go through this exercise, since I am creating Simplizt, a task management system focused on lists.
Do you make the list you check off, follow and work on every day?
I personally make my list of things to do that I check off on a daily basis. However, I find it extremely helpful when I bounce the priority of my task list off off my wife. Typically when I’m in the weeds I tend to get tunnel vision and don’t see the bigger picture. She helps me by refocusing my efforts on my true main goal. With her help I change the focus from short term gains to the big picture. (It doesn’t help that I get really distracted easily… ooh look, squirrel…)
When does it get made?
I try to make my list every night before I go to sleep and I review it every morning. If I need to prioritize something, delegate something (usually to my wife), I like to do that early on so I can get it off my list. It gives her time to give me feedback on the item during the day. The other time I add things to my list is when new stuff comes in. It’s hugely important for me always have the list running during the day as I go through my Inboxes and reviewing things.
Who approves it?
I approve my own list, but it always makes sense to get another set of eyes to get feedback on your list, especially if you can get it fro someone experienced in doing what you’re doing.
Do you identify tasks or perform them?
I definitely identify my own tasks. I think it’s always better to be the person identifying the tasks than the performers. To identify tasks, you need to understand how everything works and what’s what. Performing tasks always tend to be less creative and primarily just “doing”. You always want to be the one identifying tasks at some level.
If you had a better list, would you do better work?
This I feel is a no-brainer. Of course if you had a better list, you would definitely do better work. If you had a better list, it would be more efficient, removing unnecessary tasks that may be pointless to your end goal. For example, currently I have no idea on how to market my product, so I’m literally trying everything to see if it works. (My list will soon be available on Simplizt). If I knew the finer points to marketing, it would be more efficient. Take this analogy, boxers more or less all have the same physical build (for each weight class), however they’re not equal fighters. The best fighters hone their skills and make their movements more efficient at leveraging their weight and strength better than their opponent.
If you made the list instead of just obeying it, would you be a more valuable member of the team?
Don’t be just a tool, be the craftsman. You need to make a list yourself to get yourself thinking about how the pieces of anything fit together rather than just being the tool.
