When you work with very limited supervision (as is the case with freelance writing), it’s important that you do your best to stay on track. Earlier this month, I wrote about the value of redundant to-do lists and how these to-do lists can ensure that you stay focused on the task(s) at hand.
You have to take on a certain level of responsibility, but as I mentioned in that article, to-do lists are not for everyone and they’re far from perfect motivators. In fact, depending on your disposition, using to-do lists could be the worst thing you could do for yourself. Allow me to explain why you should avoid to-do lists.
Less Talking, More Doing
This applies more to people who work from home or run their own businesses, but it is also applicable to people who hold regular jobs as well.
When you are working on tasks that take up non-billable hours, like completing invoices and looking for more gigs, you are taking time away from what could be billable hours. You don’t make money (directly) from non-billable tasks. For example, if you work eight hours a day and you spend four of those on administrative tasks, you’re only earning four hours of income. By contrast, if you can shave those admin hours down to just two, then you can effectively spend that “extra” two hours working on something that actually makes money.
With this in mind, to-do lists can prove to a huge time-waster. You could easily spend an inordinate amount of time ensuring that your to-do lists are constantly updated and accurate. This is particularly true if you maintain redundant to-do lists, because each time you complete a task, you have to mark it as completed on multiple lists. Stop wasting time on tasks that don’t make money. Take a break instead.
Doing What I Want to Do?
The best kinds of to-do lists are organized one of two ways. They can either be organized based on priority level or based on due date. In either case, your clients’ projects always reach the top of the heap, because they are usually “more important” and due sooner. Looking at these kinds of to-do lists, you will quickly see that your own personal ventures fall further and further down the list.
Taking the example of a freelance writer who also wants to pen his own book, you’ll find that this person will continue to focus on the paying projects of his customers rather than spending the time that he needs to complete his own book. What about your own ambitions? To-do lists can stunt their growth. Furthermore, to-do lists can be a source of guilt when you want to partake in some leisure activities, like playing Guitar Hero.
A Sense of Futility
Perhaps the single greatest reason why you should avoid making to-do lists is because they can cause a great sense of futility. It’s like fighting an uphill battle that cannot possibly end. Yes, it can be incredibly satisfying to strike something off your to-do list. This could give a great sense of accomplishment. By the same accord, there will never be a point in time where the to-do list is completely completed and, thus, there will never be a point in time where you can say that you are totally finished. You’re always on duty, because there is always something that “must” be done.
Worse yet, if you set out a daily or weekly to-do list, there’s a good chance that you won’t be able to complete all the items on the list within the prescribed timeline. The false sense of urgency can help increase productivity, but it can also cause a lot of mental strain and burnout. It’s futile. No matter how hard you try, the list will never end, because you’re constantly adding new items to it.
If you’re the kind of the person that gets hung up on things like this, maybe to-do lists aren’t such a good idea. Alternatively, you just have to think about to-do lists in a different way. They should serve as a guideline and not as a constant reminder of your utter futility.
You could also divide up your To Do lists into three categories: Urgent, Short-Term and Long-Term. That way, you should be crossing off things from the Urgent list frequently. And, you should also see steady progress on your short-term list. The projects that aren’t urgent or time-sensitive can go on the Long-Term list. If it starts to bother you that you not marking off as many projects from the Long-Term list, stick it in a drawer where you don’t need to constantly look at it!
And, today I also recognize the utter futility in trying to reach the #1 spot for commenters this month. 😉
Nick has been going pretty crazy around here… and no else is even close. Haha.
Yeah, I’m not sure how I got so far ahead, but I guess I won’t complain!
As for the post, I find it amusing how you seem to be writing about both sides of a given issue recently…makes for interesting reading because I never know how you really feel or what you really think.
I tend to see both sides of any issue, so I oftentimes find myself torn between the two sides anyhow. 🙂
I was always great when it came to debating topics on school because at times we would be forced by the teacher to take a side given to us and defend that/attack the other – and I could easily come up with a lot of ways to attack the subject, and would think of the attacks others could use then prepare statements to those. (yes, I am weird)
Regarding the post. I don’t know. I don’t spend 2 hrs each day looking at my to do list adding items or making it fancier, etc. I use it simply to record a thought or a task I need to complete – quick and simple.
I don’t think of it in the ‘GTD’ retrospect, just more of a list of shit that needs to be completed eventually. I never used my agenda in school because I would just write it all on a scrap of paper and glance at it when i got home. Same way I record names/phone numbers, I just write them down since it’s much easier than opening my phone, tapping in a name, email, phone number, etc.
This sounds pretty much like the way I operate…Although, I’m about 50/50 as to whether I add someone to the phone book in my phone or just write down the information on a scrap of paper.
I don’t think I could manage without my daily to do lists.