Every day (or sometimes night) I make a to do list. Well, actually, I add to my to do list. I rarely take anything off the to do list – mainly because one thing is dependant on another being done, and then the next thing only needs to be done if the other thing was done and with the next thing on the list I need to make a decision about something before that will go ahead and it takes me a while to make decisions because I like to consider all the possible options before I come to a decision (sigh). So that’s where it gets difficult for me to manage.

I keep the to do list in a blank email in Outlook and save it in the drafts folder. Then if I come across any good ideas on the net I just copy and paste or quickly type in the information into the list. This way it saves me having a gazillion post-it notes around the house. Here’s what it currently looks like:

I carry a notebook with me in my handbag so that if I think of any good ideas on the train or in the cab on the way home from work I just jot them down and then later on transfer them into the to do list on the computer. I used to keep my to do list in my actual notebook but it didn’t really work for me. Then I tried keeping my to do list in the ‘Tasks’ section of my Outlook. It didn’t work for me in the end but what I do like about that method is that there is an option to tick the task off as it is completed. With the current to do list, I simply delete the task once I’ve done it – there’s a certain satisfaction that you get when you actually see the task crossed out. I should start striking through the completed tasks in the Outlook to do list so that I can see that things are eventually getting done.

Running a business is hard work. I used to be organized. These days I wouldn’t know if I was coming or going. BAS statements are due at the end of this month so I’ve got to get all the paperwork and invoices paid together and send them to my accountant. That task alone takes the better part of an afternoon. I would love to have an assistant to help me with errands and day-to-day things so that I can really concentrate on growing my business. There’s always something that interrupts my day – whether it be the fact that the washing up hasn’t been done for 2 days, or the fact that the floor needs hoovering and mopping or that the place needs a general tidy up and the courtyard needs to be swept …