How to tame your ‘to do’ list

Shannah Kennedy has a tested strategy for getting her clients’ busy lives in order: buy them three diaries and train them to fill them in.

“Every aspect of your life needs to be planned for – work, exercise, nutrition, money, fun and time out,” says Kennedy, the author of Simplify Structure Succeed .

She advises her clients, whether CEOs, business owners or elite athletes, to be rigorous diarists.

First, they need to buy a week-to-a-page diary. “It will allow you to check in with your weekly tasks at a glance and assess how busy you are,” she says.

Next, a monthly planner for perspective. “Allocate 10 minutes weekly to update your monthly planner and transfer tasks into your diary. For a sense of accomplishment, tick off things you have achieved.”

Finally, the admittedly daunting yearly planner. “Start with inputting the ‘fun’ stuff – birthdays, holidays, anniversaries etc – then add your goals.”

All this plotting may sound exhausting but Kennedy says it will help you prune the “drainers” in your life.

“When you have the right structure in place, you have the space to achieve your ambitions and the freedom to be spontaneous and to grab new opportunities,” she says.

“Before reaching for your goals, you need to de-clutter your life and delete the negative conscious thoughts that weigh you down.”

MORE WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME:

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• 5 productivity apps for busy business people
• 4 ways to get more from a business trip

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