There are all kinds of plans & programmes you can follow to make you more effective. I’ve read a bunch of different books on workflow related stuff and prioritisation, but for mine, the single best thing I’ve done is the simple “To Do” list.

Of course, I’d tried it before. My problem has been keeping the list in front of me. I tried using an app on my phone, but the reality proved to be that I’d never really open the app.  I tried writing a little one page list, but it kept on disappearing. Then late last year I cam across the perfect solution.

I love notebooks. Even though I have horrible handwriting, I enjoy writing things down, and so I’ve been a longtime fan of Moleskine etc. I was looking at an Australian stationery website, when I found Leuchtturm1917. I liked the backstory of the company, I really like their notebooks (they have numbered pages & a couple of “contents” pages at the front, which means I can write down where to find any interesting things that I write. A much smarter way of keeping a notebook), and I particularly like the diaries.

An A5 page on one side, big enough to fit details of my engagements for the week, and a ruled page on the other side for “To Do” lists (and notes on important conversations). It’s been a revelation. Monday morning starts with a list making, and since I carry my notebook everywhere, the diary comes too! The physical act of ticking off a box is also really satisfying, and that simple pleasure keeps me coming back for more.

As it turns out, the 1-2 combo with the notebook has been brilliant too. One diary struggle for me has been “Can you fit everything you want to write down in there?” What if I have lots of notes to take? So now, if I go to a meeting, or have a long conversation that I need to log details of, I can leave a note in my diary pointing to the right page number in my note book & fill everything out there! I’ll rotate both the diary and the notebook at the beginning of each year. Best of all, Leuchtturm1917 comes with little archiving stickers, so I’ll be able to find the appropriate diary in the future without having to pull them all off a shelf. Love!

It’s not rocket science, but when you find a simple process that works, it can be life changing!