Inspiration and life
Do You Have a Daily Opportunity List?
Throw out that old to-do list!
Are you one of the many people who use a to-do list? Do you know there is a better, more efficient way to use this list? Some minor adjustments can help it become a great productivity aid while removing much of its frustration.
Let’s look at a better way to do what you must do daily.
A better way to organize
How would you like a simple, proven system to help you achieve more in an average day, month, and year? It is an adaptation of an older system that dramatically improves results. Because it uses no software and works without batteries, it is always available. You likely possess everything you need to get started, as it requires nothing more than a pen and some inexpensive 3x5 cards.
The system came about many years ago while working with young professionals. It works with a near 100% success rate for those who adhere to it and provides some surprising benefits besides increasing productivity.
This system is called the “Opportunity List,” and while the name gives it away, there are a few things to know that can help you use it to its fullest potential.
The list
This system is so simple you can begin using it efficiently as soon as you finish this brief article.
You likely already have a to-do list, but if not, no worries. At the beginning of each day (or the evening before), write the tasks you want to finish that day on a 3x5 index card, dating it at the top. If you are like most of us, the card will fill up quickly, and the list will soon become frustrating. This is where an opportunity list differs from a to-do list.
Why use index cards?
If you’re curious about how the use of 3x5 index cards came into the system, it was happenstance. Many of us have used 3x5 cards for years as note cards because they’re inexpensive, fit easily into a pocket, and are reasonably durable.
The cards are also easy to store and sort, which is helpful if you go back through a stack to look for patterns. We found that “low-tech” cards work better than note apps or spreadsheets. But you can increase their effectiveness when using it in conjunction with your calendar.
Back to the list!
Now you have a portable little “Opportunity List” for the day. At the end of the day or the next morning, cross off any completed tasks. You can then carry unfinished tasks over to the card for the next day and add anything else you want to get done. You will often partially complete a task that carries over and can include how much of it was completed or remains.
When we started using this system, it quickly became apparent it needed to be modified. We made the mistake of writing too many things to do on the card each day. Despite our efforts, we were lucky to complete one or two items at most!
If someone finished just one major task in a day, it was cause for celebration. Completing two or three significant tasks was considered a huge victory! Unfortunately, the list grew as we added more items to the daily lists. This became discouraging, and the cards became practically unusable until we changed what we were writing on them.
The solution — the Opportunity List
In hindsight, it is hard to believe we didn’t see what was needed immediately, but we finally hit on the idea of putting only essential things on the cards. This was when our to-do list became our “Opportunity List.”
For an item to make it on the card, we would ask some qualifying questions:
- Is this item one of the top five things I must complete today, in whole or in part?
- Is it truly an opportunity that will improve my future?
- What will the impact of completing this task be a year from now?
- How does this task fit with my vision and purpose in life?
The first and second questions narrowed the list considerably. This step was significant because we were lucky to cross one or two items off the list each day.
The third and fourth questions put the opportunity/task in perspective with the bigger picture. We eliminated minor tasks when we realized they wouldn’t matter in a year or didn’t align with our largest goals.
No longer carrying minor tasks over, we added them to a separate running to-do list. Many people like to write everything down, just in case. Me included!
To be clear, we only put major opportunity tasks we needed to accomplish on the daily card. They were opportunities we did not want to overlook. That meant our cards were no longer comprehensive lists but focused on what we wanted to get done. They, therefore, contained no more than four or five opportunities and often less.
For example, checking email consumes large amounts of time and energy. It’s important to do it regularly, but it’s not a major task that would make the 3x5 card daily list. Attending an important decision-making meeting would be on the 3x5 card, yet attending an informal planning meeting might not.
What about those brief interactions with our coworkers? Relationships with others are a valuable part of our work and lives, but they wouldn’t make it to the list.
Many aspects of life require our time and are important, in addition to the specific tasks or projects we must complete. While we can’t overlook these things, we don’t put them on our Opportunity daily cards.
The cards allow you to focus your attention on meaningful results. You can still maintain a regular to-do list of tasks if you want, but remember most of those won’t affect your yearlong or ultimate goals.
Final thoughts
Let’s look at two surprising benefits of using this opportunity system daily.
First, the list provides you with one or more items you can add to your calendar to schedule uninterrupted time to allow you to focus on the task at hand.
Second, keeping previous cards gives you valuable information about your accomplishments. Imagine using the information on them when an annual review rolls around. Grab your stack of cards and look at the many things you have completed. You no longer need to rely on memory. You now have factual info on what you have accomplished. How many employees can do that?
Give the Opportunity List a try so you can focus on the crucial things that will enhance your future. When you do so, you will undoubtedly see your productivity soar, and your future will be far brighter!
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Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION
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