When you you have a task to sort later, where do you note the reminder?
When you come up with a new idea, where do you jot it down?
When a customer asks you to call them back, how do you record the request?
Starting a to-do list is easy, maintaining it is another matter.
Here, you have two choices.
Go technology
Go paper
On the technology side, you have your phone. And there are two ways you can use it to quickly maintain your to-do list.
You can manually type and maintain a list in the notes section - quick and easy to do.
The only downside is you have to remember to go back in regularly to check what it is you've recorded.
Another option is to record and save a voice memo. This cuts out the need to type notes when you' are pressed for time at that moment. The drawback is that at some point you will need to sit down and transcribe what you have recorded.
You also have the computer. If your business means you are out and about then this might not be practical for recording notes. But if you're working at a desk, then you can use inbuilt tools such as One Note and To Do. These are both easy to use and manage.
There's also applications you can find created specifically to support task lists.
At Business Buddies, we've tried Todoist, and are now sampling Monday. Both have their merits, both make it easy to record and update information, but both require you to be in front of your computer.
It's at this point I'll let you into a little secret ...
As well as these systems, I also use good ol' pad and pen.
I find that when I write things down they tend to stick in my mind better. And because I carry my notepad around wherever I go, my to-do list is always in front of me.
I also get satisfaction from striking through items on the list.
The drawback being that if your writing is less than neat, it can be tricky to read what you've written.
There will be something out there suited to the way you work, and so today's small business tip is: find a method that works for you, then stick at it.
Keep going until the process of making notes and maintaining a to-do list in your chosen way, becomes habit.
Habits are tough to break.
If you have a different approach that works well for you, I'd be interested to hear it is.
Send me an email detailing your method for recording notes and maintaining a to-do list and I'll feature it in my next blog.
Best, Sarah