_

An attorney’s to-do list seems to never end. Once you finish one task there always seems to be ten more you simply can’t get to today. But the problem with some attorney to-do lists is that they’re not nearly as effective as they need to be. That’s why every attorney should take the time to create a to-do list that really helps them get things done.

1. Do a mind dump.  Sometimes it’s the thought of doing a task that takes up the most time. You may ruminate on what must be done and how you don’t have nearly enough time. That’s why you need to clear your mind. Every week you should begin by doing a mind dump of every task you think you need to do—this can include everything from working on a particular case to sending out invoices. Once you’ve got that down you will have the mind space needed to be productive.
2. Always prioritize tasks.  Once you’ve got your master mind dump done, you should pick out the items that are absolutely important to your job as an attorney. These priority tasks should be grouped into two categories—urgent and important. Urgent tasks are things that are time-sensitive, and most be done by a certain date. Important tasks are things that may not be time sensitive (they also could be) but that are critical to the success of your work as an attorney. Tasks that are both important and urgent should be tackled first. Tasks that are urgent but not important should be delegated to someone else as long as it doesn’t require the expertise of an attorney. And tasks that are important should be give priority some time during your week.
3. Give yourself breathing room.  One of the biggest mistakes attorneys make when creating a to-do list is that they attempt to place too many items on their list. The key to creating a to-do list that really helps you get things done is being realistic about what you can handle. That’s why you should choose no more than three major tasks per day to tackle. These major tasks can be in addition to the routine tasks you must do every day. But if you can, outsource those routine tasks to a secretary or a junior attorney. You really want to focus on giving your important tasks a high level of focus and energy, and you can’t do that if you’re too focused on the mundane tasks of the day.
4. Start the night before.  Don’t try to start your day by creating a to-do list in the morning. This will only waste time. You will find that you’ve wasted hours just trying to figure out what you’re supposed to do. Instead, spend the night before creating a to-do list as well as scheduling your calendar. This will help you start the day with an agenda in mind. The less time you spend in the morning fiddling with your to-do list, the more you’ll get done.

Don’t let your to-do list get the better of you, create a list that not only helps you get more done but that makes your life a little less stressful.

***

Jeannie Borich is the Marketing Manager at Smokeball, a software company for small law firms. At Smokeball, she assists with event management, content creation, social media, and development of marketing campaigns. She is passionate about technology, digital media, marketing strategy, and helping small firms thrive.