Fri, May 29, 2009 - 8:15:38

Two Lists to Start Now

image courtesy of workitmom.com

While trying to navigate our busy lives as business women, mothers, wives, and best-selling authors, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with our schedules.  That’s why we’ve become such proponents of the checklist, which we’ve discovered is the easiest way to shrink our days down into accomplishable tasks.  But, a recent post we came across on Peter Bregman’s blog, How We Work, opened our eyes to two new kinds of lists that exemplify another amazing way to put THE POWER OF SMALL to work for you.

In his post, “Two Lists You Should Look At Every Morning,” Bregman recounts a recent run-in with the CEO of his company.  One morning, on his way to work, Bregman stood in the office elevator, entranced by the screen of his Blackberry.  Being so distracted by his daily informational overload, he failed to notice the other person on the elevator and therefore inadvertently gave his CEO the cold shoulder.  The embarrassing event was a wake-up call for Bregman, who realized that his attempts at achievement were actually hindering his performance.  Although he was becoming more informed on world news and current trends by obsessively reading the latest articles, Bregman was missing out on the things that were happening right in front of his nose. 

In the long run, giving in to too many distractions can not only lessen your productivity, it can derail your journey to the top. So, Bregman advises that everyone devise two lists, “The Focus List” and “The Ignore List”, and then to use them as a roadmap for attaining your ultimate goals.  Keeping them on your desk as a reminder, Bregman explains, will help you to “pause, prioritize, and focus.”
In your Focus List, write down all of the things that are important to you and that you know are deserving of your time.  Then, in your Ignore List, write down all of the distractions that impede you from achieving your goals.  Remember, they do not all have to do with your work and there are no right or wrong answers.  Most importantly, be honest with yourself.  After all, it’s your list!

When we are young, we often think about our future aspirations, but as we make our ways through life, we tend become distracted by all the clutter that comes with it.  These distractions, in turn, keep us from doing all the little things that really matter to us, and ultimately prevent us from reaching our BIG goals.  But, each of us has the small power within to make real changes in our own lives. That’s what made Bregman’s post so inspiring.  The simple act of writing these lists could, in fact become a revolutionary event in your life.  By digging deep and really thinking about all the things that matter, you can learn more about yourself, your life, and what you truly want out of it. 

It’s up to you to make it happen.

Posted by Linda and Robin