Why the to-do list fails and the calendar prevails

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I just finished an interview with Matt Halloran for his Top Advisor Marketing Podcast, and he asked me a question that I get often. “What do I think of the to-do list?” and my answer surprised him, as it often does with most people. I explained that I am an advocate AGAINST the “to-do list” as it is lacking an essential part of effective time management. The answer to the important question of “when” a task should be completed!

Instead of using the vague to-do list, use your calendar. This forces you to plan for a specific time you can dedicate to the task and answers the required “when,” too. In my Time Management Fundamentals course, I teach the three questions required during the processing phase is,” What, Where and When.” If you cannot answer those three questions for an item, then it is still in a gathering point needing to be processed. That is all a to-do list is…another gathering point. That is why it fails to be productive, and why I strongly recommend that everyone switch to using a calendar for scheduling out tasks that need to be completed. You can learn more about this, and other time management tips, at DaveCrenshaw.com/time. You can even sign up for a free 30-day trial!

I highly recommend the Top Advisor Marketing Podcast, especially financial advisors or service professionals. You can check the podcast out at Topadvisormarketing.podbean.com. Remember, use the calendar to schedule your tasks instead of creating a to-do list, and you will find that your productivity will increase quickly. Thanks for watching!


Tired of those 12-hour workdays? What if there was a simple formula to double your productivity by working fewer hours? Find freedom with a free copy of Dave's new book, The Result: A Practical, Proven Formula for Getting What You Want.
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