Today’s topic is Pareto’s principle and your to-do list.
Now, if you’re like me, your to-do list is a mile long. There’s all kinds of apps these days: web applications with different tips and tricks on how to manage it a to-do list. You know, people are always adding to it. It could be your spouse, another loved one, family member, friends, co-workers.
The list goes on, and no matter how much you chip away at that to-do list, it always seems to keep growing. Well, I want to talk about a technique that I utilize. It helps me be really efficient and get a lot more done as well as spend more time doing the things that I like to do.
Now, the Pareto’s principle also called the Pareto method or the 80/20 rule, is very commonly known as really states that about eighty percent of your results comes from twenty percent of the causes. So what this really is saying is that twenty percent of the actions that you perform really result in eighty percent of the outcomes that you’re looking for.
Now, of course, you always want to start with the outcome in mind, of what you’re actually trying to achieve. But apply it to a to-do list, what you can do is go ahead and print out your to-do list, write it out, or just pull it out wherever you keep it. Look at your phone I don’t care. Either way, what I want you to do is look at that to-do list, look and find those twenty percent of those to-dos that are going to produce eighty percent of the results that you’re desiring. Now, once you’ve highlighted, starred, or mark this twenty percent, you’re going to be able to free up a lot more time because, obviously, what this means is eighty percent of those items on your to-do list give you a marginal twenty percent of the results you’re looking for.
I’m not saying that that twenty percent isn’t significant, but let’s be realistic, you really want to start with that top twenty percent that you’re looking to achieve that’s going to give you those eighty percent of results, so you can free up your time. And what I found, and I think you will too, is as you focus on those twenty percent of those really high achievable items, you’re going to notice
that that other eighty percent just disappears. It goes away, because you’ll actually achieve the outcome you’re desiring. Often times, we make a to-do list with things we think need to be done, but for thinking of the outcome first, and I’m working on that top twenty percent of my list. And I achieve my outcome, I can wipe out the rest of it because I got what I wanted. I think you’ll experience the same thing.
Give this a shot today and let me know how it goes for you. I’d love to hear your feedback. Also, remember to go to authorofyourownstory.com where you can get daily tips, tricks, as well as deeper dives into other material that we talked about. And join our community.
I look forward to seeing you there and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
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