Items to delete from your to-do list once and for all

Are you conscientious enough to keep a to-do list? But - hand on heart - do you really follow it or just ignore it?

There are many practical tips and recommendations on how to create a to-do list so that you actually keep to it all over the Internet. Most often, these recommendations tell us to write a short text to go with each task, to rate individual tasks based on priorities and order them to create a timeline of your day or week.

Today, we're going to look at to-do lists from the opposite perspective. We'll focus on tasks that should never be on your list, and if they are, you should delete them.

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According to Fastcompany.com, your to-do list should not contain the following tasks.

1. Regular and mechanical tasks

These are your everyday activities such as reading e-mail or attending morning meetings. It's useless to write down tasks you'll do irrespective of whether you write them on your list.

2. Tasks you constantly procrastinate

If your to-do list includes a task that you keep on postponing, it's probably a task you'll never do. Delete it and don't stress yourself about it any longer.

3. Tasks you can delegate

You don't have to do everything yourself. Delegation is one of the most effective techniques to be happier and more successful.

4. Five-minute tasks

If you can finish a task in five minutes, do it right away and don't write it down.

5. Long-term projects

Long-term projects usually remain on the very bottom of to-do lists until the moment the deadlines are approaching and you really have to start working on them.

These tasks keep stressing you the whole time. Divide them into smaller parts to schedule.

6. Too many tasks

The length of your to-do list should not discourage you from starting to work on them. Write down only as many tasks you can really do that day or week.

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Article source Fast Company - leading U.S. magazine and website for managers
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