Practical Steps to Makeover Your Day - Lists

This week, I'm skipping the esoteric mumbo jumbo! Hooray! I want to tackle something a little more practical for a daily makeover. This week, I'm going to dive into some planning tactics that I've learned to make a change for the best in your life. 

In my very first blog, I mentioned making a six most important list everyday. For a constant daily makeover it can't be beat! Of course, I admit it, I'm a list-maker. I like to make lists of lists! I'm pretty old-fashioned when it comes to lists, too, so I write mine out or print it out every single day. There is something so satisfying in highlighting or crossing out a to-do! 

The first thing I do is create a master compass for the week. It's a task brain dump. Anything that I have to do this week goes on this master list. Whether it's an appointment, an errand, a phone call, a bill to pay, a note to write or a social event, I write it in my master compass. This page in my planner is the place to write my weekly deadlines, grocery list and even ideas for dinner!

The next thing I do is create my six most important list. I feel like my day is a success if I can mark off any of my six most important tasks. If I can mark off all six, I give myself an extra cookie after dinner! Seriously! I will say that if you want to start a new habit or make a change in your life, you must include that change in your six most important list! If you want to start working out, if you want to read a chapter in a book a day, if you want to call five new contacts on your sales list add it to your SMI list. In fact, I would add it as the NUMBER ONE item on your list! If you want to make an important change you have to make that change important. 

The next thing I do is create an agenda for the day. Sometimes I plug it into my Outlook or Google calendar. Other times, I have to write it out on paper. I fill the day with appointments first, my six most important tasks next and finally the miscellaneous to-do's that inevitably crop up during the day! It guarantees that I will do the things that are most important to a well-rounded life.

HERE is an example!

Tomorrow, I'll dive into more details and show you the importance of an IDEAL WEEKLY PLAN!