It’s one thing to create a to-do list and another to look at it often.  One of my friends writes to-do lists on her hand because she says that she looks at her hand often.  (I’m going to let that one go.) There are a few ways to make a to-do list work for you.

• Decide whether you want to use a paper-based list (within a daily planner), a computerized list or a list on your handheld.  The list needs to be readily available. A simple spiral notebook works well too.

• A long list of tasks and calls can be overwhelming.  Break your list down into “calls” and “tasks.”If you want to combine your personal and business to-do lists (not a bad idea), use the headings “personal calls,” “personal to-do’s,” “business calls” and “business to-do’s.” When you break tasks down into smaller lists, they’re easier to manage.

• At the end of the day, look at your list and if it’s messy from writing notes or scratching off tasks (that’s the goal, after all), rewrite your list so you’re ready to get started on the next day’s tasks.

• If you don’t want to rewrite a daily list, create a weekly list on one page. Put a star or a dot next to the tasks that need your immediate attention.

Realize that you can’t do everything and at the end of the day, if you’ve accomplished even five or six items on your list, give yourself a pat on the back.  Sometimes quality matters more than quantity.