📝 Revamp Your To-Do List Today!

Revamp Your To-Do List Today!

I bet that you are juggling an overwhelming array of responsibilities - from patient care and research to teaching and administrative duties to social and family obligations. After a very short while, the demands on your time and attention seem endless. 

If you are like me, you probably have a to-do list. I know some people have these in their heads and others have years of experience writing lists with checkboxes on the back of patient lists. The modern version may be housed in a reminder app or a notes file, but the goal remains… To remember everything you need to get done!

When crafted thoughtfully, a well-structured (and limited) to-do list can be your secret weapon in navigating the challenges of academic medicine, reducing stress, and boosting productivity.

My goal today is to help you reduce that feeling of overwhelm by sharing my top 4 strategies to transform your to-do lists into a more effective tool.

1. Prioritization is Crucial

While I am a big Proponent of a great thought download. I don't think this means that everything you write down needs to be on your to-do list. However, finding a way to prioritize all those items is the first step in creating a great list.The Eisenhower Matrix is an excellent framework for prioritization. Here's how to implement it:

• Divide your tasks into four categories:
•   Urgent and important (do immediately)
•   Important but not urgent (schedule)
•   Urgent but not important (delegate if possible)
•   Neither urgent nor important (eliminate)

• Start each day by identifying 3-5 "Most Important Tasks" 
• Tackle these tasks during your peak energy hours
• If you are not sure when your Peak Energy hours are, pay attention to whether or not you feel like you're at the top of your game in the morning, afternoon, or evening. This is the time when you want to do your work that requires the most brain power.
• It is just as important to identify those tasks that you can delegate or eliminate and remove from your list (although follow up is important if you are delegating)

Tip: Use the "1-3-5 Rule": Aim to complete one big thing, three medium things, and five small things each day.

Tip: It is also critical to recognize that important tasks that can wait till tomorrow should not be on today's list. You don't want them distracting you from the big thing that you can get done today

Tricks:

•  Use a physical 2x2 grid on a whiteboard for visual task sorting.
• Try apps like Eisenhower Matrix or Priority Matrix that are designed for this method.
• Set a daily reminder to review and adjust your matrix.

2. Group Similar Tasks

As I mentioned in last week's blog and podcast. context switching is when you switch between different tasks or topics throughout the day. Numerous studies have found this to reduce productivity, increase error rates, increase mental fatigue, and contribute to physician burnout. In order to reduce this mental fatigue caused by constant context switching,  I recommend that you group similar activities.  There are number ways to do this which can include:

• Creating categories like "Patient Care," "Research," "Teaching," and "Admin"
• Batching similar activities together (e.g., emails, patient calls, FMLA paperwork)
• Using "Task Batching" to allow your brain to stay in a particular "mode" - like finishing clinic notes or running through patient results, or running through and putting all your work and personal events on your calendar

Tip: It may be useful to utilize a digital task management app (like Todoist or Asana) that allows for easy categorization and tagging of tasks. Color-code your tasks based on their category or urgency, limiting your palette to 5-7 colors. This can also be a useful technique for your calendar to plan ahead and group like things together.

Tricks:

• Use labels or tags in your task management app to easily sort and view similar tasks.
• Create "context" lists: tasks you can do only in certain locations (e.g., "At Hospital," "At Office").
• Set up email filters to automatically categorize incoming messages for batch processing.

3. Incorporate the "Two-Minute Rule"

One of the easiest ways to finish small tasks is to do them as soon as you are aware of them so that you do not have to revisit them or think about them again. This can help you avoid procrastination by preventing tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming. As well, it can help you declutter your to-do list and feel a sense of accomplishment

Many time management experts have recommended the Two-Minute Rule. 

• Two-Minute Rule: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately

However this comes with some caveats - 

• You do not want these small tasks to keep you from completing your big daily goals
• Therefore, apply this rule during designated "quick task" times to avoid constant interruptions.
• Keep a list of these quick tasks for when you have small pockets of time set aside.

Tip: An easy way to keep a list of these items may be to use voice memos for quick capture of ideas when you're on the go. You may also find these tasks coming up before bed or when you wake up and having a notepad by your bed or an easy way to voice memo if it doesn't bother anyone else. 

Tricks:

• Use a timer app to strictly adhere to the 2-minute limit.
• Create a "2-Minute Task" folder in your email for quick-response items.
• Teach this rule to your team to improve overall efficiency.

4. Use the "Parking Lot" Method

In combination with the Two-Minute Rule, it is useful to keep a list of items that you cannot address immediately. This is commonly referred to as the Parking Lot Method. 

• The Parking Lot Method: Keep a separate list for ideas or tasks that aren't immediately actionable

This method allows you to quickly capturing thoughts, ideas, or tasks that aren't immediately actionable, gives you a place to acknowledge these items without losing focus on your current task, and provides a designated space to store these ideas for later review and potential action

The Benefits of this method are that it:

• Reduces mental clutter and cognitive load
• Prevents important ideas from being forgotten
• Maintains focus on current priorities
• Facilitates a more organized approach to task and idea management

Tip: Review your parking lot regularly to integrate relevant items into your main task list

Tip: or set up a dedicated email address for sending yourself parking lot items.

Tricks:

• Use apps like Evernote or OneNote with tags for easy sorting of parking lot items.
• Create a "Someday/Maybe" list for long-term ideas or projects.
• Set up an email address specifically for sending yourself parking lot items.

By implementing these strategies, tips, and tricks, you can rev up your to-do list in order to reduce context switching, enhance productivity, and help maintain focus in your demanding role as an academic physician. 

Remember to experiment with these methods and adapt them to your specific workflow and preferences.

If this resonates with you, I would appreciate it if you would share this with a friend or colleague or trainee who might benefit.

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