1 Question To Eliminate Half Your To-Do List
- Alan Zaia M.Ost
- December 16, 2022
- Productivity
To-do lists are evil
Are you feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list? Are you trying to decide which tasks to tackle first? If so, you’re not alone. Everyone has a long list of things to do and it can be difficult to decide which tasks to prioritise, it can sometimes feel like you’re swimming in a sea of endless tasks.
We’ve had some of our coaching clients admit to us that their to-do lists can make them feel like they’re not living up to their own expectations, which can lead to feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Many of us end up over-committing and then find ourselves feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
But what if you could dramatically reduce the amount of tasks on your to-do list with just one simple question?
Subscribe to The Hustle
The greatest osteopaths in the world never stop learning.
Get the best business and marketing resources for osteopaths in 30 words or less into your inbox every Monday.
By subscribing to The Hustle, you agree to our terms and conditions. We’ll never send spam.
The one question
Here’s a simple question to ask before jumping into “all the work” you have to do. The key to freeing up your to-do list is to take a critical look at each task and ask yourself: “What will happen if I don’t do this?”
By asking this question, you can assess the true importance of each task and determine whether it’s something that needs to be done right away, or if it can wait for another day. This can also help you to prioritise tasks that are more important, as well as remove any unnecessary tasks that can be delegated or deleted altogether.
For example, if you have a task on your to-do list to clean out the garage, ask yourself: what will happen if I don’t do this? Chances are, nothing major will happen. Sure, it might not be ideal to have a cluttered garage, but it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
On the other hand, if you have a task to finish all your patient notes by the end of the day, the answer to “what will happen if I don’t do this?” is likely much different. You may forget a key piece of information about what happened during an appointment or justify your actions to your governing body.
Seeing the bigger picture
This question can also help you to see the bigger picture. By asking yourself the question, you can see how this task fits into the overall scheme of things. If it’s a task that’s part of a larger project, you can ask yourself if it’s absolutely necessary to complete it in order to achieve the end goal. If it’s not, then you can save yourself some time and effort by skipping it.
Summary
So the next time you’re looking at your to-do list and feeling overwhelmed, take a few moments to ask yourself “What will happen if I don’t do this?” By asking yourself this simple, yet incredibly effective question, you can easily reduce your to-do list, prioritise tasks, and save yourself time and energy. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can reduce your list and get back to focusing on the essentials.
Written by Alan Zaia M.Ost
Founder & CEO of Osteohustle. You’ll find Alan coaching osteopaths, travelling in a van or writing our weekly newsletter, The Hustle.
Grow your business today
Work with our coaches to grow your clinic
Get osteopathy business coaching to overcome your biggest barriers in 10-14 weeks. Mix short-term coaching and accountability with long-term strategies. Brainstorm, plan and take action every week with the Osteohustle team so you can break through to the next level of being a clinic owner.
Subscribe to The Hustle
The greatest osteopaths in the world never stop learning.
Get the best business and marketing resources for osteopaths in 30 words or less into your inbox every Monday.
By subscribing to The Hustle, you agree to our terms and conditions. We’ll never send spam.