SIMPLE SYMBOLS FOR STREAMLINED LISTS

Using your Focus Planner should be an evolution. I can certainly attest that over the last two years and eight Focus Planners, I have changed the way I organise and annotate dramatically. One thing I am proud of is that my lists are getting done every single day. And I attribute this to an efficient way of understanding what needs to be done and then dealing with these lists.

The biggest motivator for this was just to have a sense of fulfillment and achievement at the end of the day, instead of being annoyed because things didn’t get done.

In a later post, I will share how I make sure I am being most effective, but here I want to show you how I am using my daily lists.

Firstly, my Daily List of things to do comes from my Weekly List of things to do (on the weekly spread). And my Weekly List of things to do comes from my Monthly Log, which I wrote about here.

But once this list is on the daily spread (and checked against my calendar to see if it can actually get done) – I use a method I borrowed from the Bullet Journal by Ryder Carrol.

Here are the main annotations I use. Be warned. They are not just useful, they are also addictive… I know that sounds strange, but once you master them they are like comforting friends who help with those lists.

The DOT

Each item gets a bullet point next to it. For me, this is just a small dot, like so. This is where all lists need to start. At the beginning of the day, just start writing your list of things to do on your daily spread.

• Get washing done
• Write proposal for ABC
• Return all calls from yesterday
• Spend 1 hour on reporting project

The CROSS

This is the second most basic annotation for the list and as you can imagine, it signals when something is done. Simply cross right through the DOT.

X   Get washing done

• Return all calls from yesterday
• Write proposal for ABC
• Spend 1 hour on reporting project

The Cross is easily the most satisfying of the bullet notations.

The FORWARD ARROW

This simple arrow means that I have postponed this item for the future – maybe tomorrow, or maybe next week – but for some reason I have decided that it doesn’t need to get done today.  Just draw each arm of the arrow so it converges on the original DOT.

Use this sparingly, if you are postponing too many items then chances are that you are making bad lists…. Remember, you should get your list completed more days than not during the week!

X   Get washing done

>   Return all calls from yesterday

• Write proposal for ABC
• Spend 1 hour on reporting project

The BACK ARROW

Again, use this sparingly. But this means that I have put the task back into the Future Log that you read about here. Which means it will be done at a later stage this month or in a future month. Again, just draw each arm of the arrow so it converges on the original DOT.

X   Get washing done

>   Return all calls from yesterday

<   Write proposal for ABC

• Spend 1 hour on reporting project

Note: if you’re using the back arrow a lot, then have a bit of a reality check when you update your Monthly Log. If you’re moving unfinished items from one month to the next, then maybe think long and hard about if they really need to be done.

The SLASH

The slash represents delegation. If you have something that either needs to be passed on to someone else, or you are waiting for someone to complete something, then go ahead and give it a slash. Literally slash right through the middle of the DOT.

X   Get washing done

>   Return all calls from yesterday

<   Write proposal for ABC

/   Spend 1 hour on reporting project

Just remember to write the task somewhere else as a reminder to follow up if you haven’t got the completed item from the other person by the end of the day.

All the Annotations are Agile

The beautiful thing about the annotations is that they can all be easily turned into CROSSES. If the delegated work comes back, just slash the other way to complete the CROSS. If you decide to do the postponed tasks today after all, then just extend each arm of the arrow to make a cross (the point of the arrow will become the centre of the cross) – this one is especially useful for the Monthly Log.

Your Final Daily Look

When you peruse your list at the end of the day, you should find that there are not DOT’s left at all. Things should either be done, scheduled for later or delegated. Looking down your list to see everything taken care of is a wonderful feeling.

But don’t lull yourself into a false sense of security with arrows. Again, if you’re not getting to the things that need to get done, you’re either biting off more than you can chew, or you’re getting distracted by low-priority tasks (or just distractions) throughout the day.