The Reason for "Simply 5 Things"

So before I get into the more fun stuff, I did want to explain the title of my blog. A while back when I was taking a class to help myself find my dream job I found an organizational tool that really works for me. This tool is going to be the backbone for turning my life around. It is a daily "to-do" list that has five things on it. It is as simple as that.

Now I'm going to clarify some things about my list, thus making it a little more complicated, but also making it incredibly powerful. These rules are not in any specific order.

First rule is your daily list should have five things on it, NO MORE. Starting out I am making sure to have exactly five things, but after I get caught up it will be okay to have fewer items on the list. The reason to have only five items and no more is to prevent you from putting things on your agenda that there is no way you will finish. Also it will help you get those five things done without getting overwhelmed. I find that when I get overwhelmed and sometimes depressed (which I do not like to admit or talk about) I have a hard time getting anything done. If you finish quickly you can always do more, but that is a bonus and you should not expect to get anything more done in a single day.

Second rule is you have to be able to complete all five things in that day. As a rule of thumb I usually make sure that each item could be done in 30 minutes or less. Originally I thought there is no way I would get much done in only two plus hours. However, because I can do this every day without burning out I am able to achieve great things over time. It also allows me to knock out tasks whenever I have few minutes throughout the day instead of wasting large chunks of my "free time."

Third rule is they have to be specific items. Do not put "Clean House" on the list, instead put something like "Dust Shelves." This will help you follow the second rule, but more importantly it will help your plan to get the items done. When it comes time to start your task you will get right to it instead of figuring out where to start. The few minutes it takes to write down a well planned list will save you time when it comes to completing the tasks.

Fourth rule is to break down large tasks into smaller tasks.  There were many times I would look at a large task that I wanted to have done but never had to time or energy to tackle it, only to end up wasting my entire weekend to get it done. With this plan I chip away at the task all week and it is usually finished before I would have time to devote a whole day to it.

Fifth rule is to only put meaningful things on the list. You should not put something like "Go To Work," "Brush Teeth," or  "Wake Up" unless that is something that you would not do unless it is on the list. This list is a way to help you finish tasks quickly and efficiently, not a just to make you feel good for checking something off. I know that going to work can be tiring and can make it difficult to finish five other things in your day, but then maybe just but four things on your list.

Finally (for this post anyway) write the list down and have it with you. Wether your goal is for a single day or ten years if it is written down you are much more likely to achieve it. Having you goals with you makes it even more likely to be achieved. If you put it somewhere that other people can read it that will also help you get it done. When you commit to a goal there is no stopping you, and by letting others read it you will be committed. This is one reason why I started this blog.