Usually 3 days Peter Bregman, or How to cope with a task list for 3 days

Often do list for the day turns into a list of reasons to blame themselves or "to-do list, to which I will never reach the hands." Registry that we want to do but do not. And it is growing every day, grows and grows ...

Peter Bregman, blogger and expert in personal effectiveness, found the best way to deal with the rubble, and not to turn the list into an endless string of unrealistic points.

Start with a standard filling diary: select that you can fit in a limited time, challenges leave in the morning, the requests and needs of people - set aside for a later time.

Take a look at the list - if it is an impressive volume and overcome the day it will be able to unless Superman - it's time "rule of three days," Peter Bregman (not to be confused with the "rule of three nails!"). With proper use this rule ensures that no one thing will not stay in the to-do-list for more than three days and, therefore, will not oppress.

So here's what to do, Peter advises, after planned the day:

Look, do not fit into the plan for the day. If tasks are added in the last two days - see if you can put them into the schedule for tomorrow. Tasks "hang" for more than three days?

It is time to act. Moreover, decisive steps are only four options, select easy:

1. Take immediately

the problem is often that spent many days in the list, you end up with a few minutes to perform. For example, responses to emails or phone calls.

2. Plan

If the problem can not be done immediately - take the time for it. Even after six months. Then the task can always move when you browse the page for that number. But if it is important to do - it is necessary to plan. If something does not want to plan (for example, an interesting, but not a priority appointment) - such a thing is "let go."

3. release

This word is nicer than "delete". Recognize that you will not do things that do not want to do right now or schedule a specific date and time. If you delete some tasks did not raise his hand - they are transferred to the list of "someday / maybe".

4. Add to the list "someday / maybe"

This idea was also voiced by David Allen, author of the bestseller "How to get my affairs in order." Tasks in this list are rarely fulfilled and checked only once a month. Theoretically, it is possible not to maintain such a list, but as Bregman said, "I sleep a little better if I I know I can make him do when I feel guilty and I do not have the determination to just about them forget. " And who knows? Maybe someday you'll do something from this list.

And Peter is "waiting list". It works like this: if you send someone a letter or just waiting for a response on a topic - Pushes it to the list. So you do not lose sight of what the wait will not be because of this fuss and will be able to repeat the request, if necessary. Simply keep this list in electronic form, and set up reminders on the dates of the days.

Never leave items on the to-do list for more than three days. Otherwise, they will prevent you to be engaged in a major.

Based on the book "18 Minutes"