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Teaching to the TOP

006. How to ACTUALLY Finish Your To-Do List

Teaching to the TOP

Teaching on the Double

Parenting, Education, Self-improvement, Kids & Family

4.8667 Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2020

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We’ve all experienced the Neverending To-Do List. The list that makes you feel as though you can’t breathe and your heart is falling to the pit of your stomach. We have also experienced the satisfaction of marking items off of our to-do list and feeling the accomplishment that follows.  A To-Do list is an incredibly useful tool. It helps to keep our focus, provides us with things to accomplish when our brains are not functioning properly. A good to-do list also frees up space within your brain. Our brains, the majority of the time, cannot remember every to-do that you have thought of within any specific time frame. This is what causes the dreaded feeling of what was I getting?  at the grocery store.  When we take the time to really think about all the tasks that we need to accomplish and we write them down, you also become more present at the moment and dare I say, sleep better.  So we know that a good to-do list is valuable. We know that we can feel less stressed when we have one, but how do you ACTUALLY get those items checked off?  [3:50] Steps to ACTUALLY finishing your To-Do list [4:05] Step #1: Get it Down In this step, the focus is on how to get your to-do’s down. Writing them on random pieces of sticky notes and leaving them around the classroom, may not be as productive as you’d think.  [13:20] Step #2: Sort It Once you have your to-dos created and in one location, it is time to sort your lists. This step will help you to get rid of distraction and focus on accomplishing the to-dos that need your attention the most.  [13:55] The method that we use and that we find to be quite useful is The Eisenhower Method for Taking Action.  [16:05] If that method seems to overwhelm you a bit, start smaller by creating three categories: needs to be done today, needs to be done this week, and needs to be done this month.  [20:05] Step #3: Schedule It When are you going to do it? Yes, you have your list and you have them sorted into the most important tasks, you still need to determine when you are going to do it.  [22:35] Step #4: Get It Done Now, it’s the hardest part! Getting the list done. You have the tools, you know the strategies, but now it’s up to you to get it all done! Again, be like Nike and just do it! Keep in mind that with these to-do’s you do not want to have tasks that are recurring. These to-dos should be built into your schedule already. These are tasks that come up time and time again and not only do they have a place in your schedule but they also have their own checklist. Adding every time that you can think of will only overwhelm you.  We will be sharing more about the projects or recurring to-dos later on in another episode! We hope that you feel inspired and equipped to tackle your to-do’s and take control of your time!  Click HERE to download your FREE Finishing Your To-Do List Cheat Sheet! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Transcript

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0:00.0

Well, hello there, top teachers. We are your host, Michelle Farray.

0:04.3

And Bridget Speckman, and we are here to make your life easier by helping you master your time, organization, and productivity as a teacher.

0:12.6

We have such a good episode for you all today. We are going to be revealing our secret for actually finishing your to-do list.

0:20.5

Not just like writing it down, but actually doing that to-do list. Not just like writing it down, but actually doing that

0:23.3

to-do list. Checking off those boxes and getting it done. Girl, I am really excited about this one.

0:28.7

So before we jump in, Bridget, I really want to know what has been your time-sucking hurdle this week?

0:33.7

What has been that one thing that has kept you from being productive? I have to say it's

0:39.0

been assessments and not just any assessments, they're ELA assessments. I'm talking SRI, DRA, and writing

0:46.2

assessments. And not only does it take forever to do in class, but it also takes forever to grade and then to

0:52.8

analyze it on top of that. I just got anxiety listening

0:55.7

to you say all of that. I know. I trust me. I feel you. I have been teaching ELA for the first time this

1:01.6

year, at least with Upper Elementary, and I know how daunting all of those assessments are. So I feel for you.

1:07.1

Thank you, girl. I appreciate it. Well, if any of you all listening also got anxiety from

1:11.7

hearing Bridget talk about all of those assessments, I think today's episode is going to make you feel

1:16.2

so much better because, again, we are talking about how to actually check off every item on your

1:22.9

to-do list. I can't wait for it. I have always personally added items to my to-do list that I had already done

1:29.6

just so that I could cross them off, including make a to-do list. Like that would be the first item.

1:35.0

That is seriously really cute. And I'm sure that we have over half of our listeners that are totally

1:39.6

raising their hands up like, yeah, girl, I feel you. Yes. And I think it's because I feel so much

1:45.3

satisfaction when I check off those boxes. And y'all, I have to let you in on this. I was talking

1:50.7

with Bridget and I started singing that song. I can't get no satisfaction. And she looked at me like

1:55.5

I was crazy. She didn't know the song. I still don't know the song. So with every episode,

...

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