Start Your Day Productively With A Focus List And An Ignore List

We all have to-do lists, but if you’re looking to start your day productively, starting it by reading your to-do list will just get you overwhelmed and stressed out. Instead, distill your to-do list into a “focus list” that has your top priorities on them, along with a few things you can do first thing to work towards them.

Also, create an “Ignore List” or a version of the To-Don’t list we’ve mentioned before to keep distractions and repetitive tasks at bay so you can work.

A focus and ignore list are great ways to help you sit down every morning and get in touch with what’s really important about your work, instead of just diving into whatever you’ve been given. Build a “focus list”, or as Zen Inspiration describes it, a list of things you actually want to accomplish, your goals for the short and long term, and what makes you happy. Review the list every morning. At the same time, create an “ignore list”, or a list of distractions you want to keep away while you work, the pitfalls you don’t want to fall into and the things that make you unhappy. This is your list of things to avoid, whether it’s the annoying coworker who makes everything a competition or your own tendency to waste time during the day.

Both of these lists are living documents and should help you start each day with an understanding of what’s really important to you. They may sound like two more lists to manage, but you only need to update them as your priorities (and annoyances) change. In the end, you may even find them more helpful than a to-do list at keeping you in touch with what’s important to you. What do you think? Do you have an ignore or “to don’t” list? What’s on it? Let us know in the comments.

Two Lists You Should Look At Every Day [Zen Inspiration]