Have you ever noticed that some tasks on your list just don’t get done.  They linger on…days, weeks, months…and you keep thinking, “I should do that.”  But inevitably, other things crop up, the day gets hectic, and the task lingers for another day.

There are two ways to approach these tasks:

  1. Get ‘er done!  These tasks are ones you really should do.  For example, you know you promised to mentor the new employee, but there never seems to be enough time.  Here, you just need to decide to get it done.  Dedicate a specific time to the task at hand and just do it.  If you keep rationalizing that other things are more important, it will never get done.
  2. Forget about it!  These are tasks that you want to do, but realistically, you only have so much time in the day.  You might really want to take on another side project, but you’re stretched thinner than a pancake already.  In these situations, you have to decide to just take the task off your list.  Don’t feel bad about knowing your limits.  Not all tasks on your list must be done.
I find it useful to review my list every once in a while for these lingering tasks.  It helps contain bloat and reminds me to get to the important ones at the bottom, and ditch the ones that bloat my list.

-Deborah Fike


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