Lists are an important way to help you see at a glance how much work you have on your plate each day. In addition, they can help you to block out time in your calendar to ensure you meet your deadlines. When you become more confident, you can even start to review the dependencies between tasks and prioritise more effectively.

And yet we know that list-making can often become another way to procrastinate. So we have compiled a list(!) of ways to ensure that you keep on track in managing your time while also ensuring that you remain productive, however many lists you may need to get ahead.

Critical list types for an office job

We all have different ways to organise our schedules and tasks, but clever list-makers all know that having more than one list is essential for office success. Here are some essential lists for an office job, to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

1. To-do lists: We find writing out a to-do list for daily tasks is the best way to help you see what needs urgent attention.
2. Project task lists: If you are managing multiple projects, you may wish to list their individual tasks separately. We recommend using digital collaborative boards like Monday or Trello, to ensure that everyone is up to speed with deadlines and milestones.
3. Agendas and lists of action: Meetings can sometimes be the best way to ensure the team is moving toward a common goal, but they can also bog down a project if they have no structure. Ensure you prepare agendas for upcoming meetings to outline topics, goals, and prep work. Once the meeting is over, list the tasks that need to be addressed, and be prepared to discuss how you moved forward at the next meeting.
4. Training and development plan: The modern workplace requires lifelong learners. Create a list of skills you want to improve or training programs that might help your professional development.
5. Ideas and brainstorming: Ever feel like you have a great idea but don’t know where to put it or what to do with it? A list of ideas should go into a notebook for safekeeping. This can become a great resource when you come to brainstorm future projects.

Top principles for list-making in the workplace

While different lists serve specific purposes, they do share core principles. We recommend you:

1. Keep your lists clear and specific: You should be able to remember how you have referred to each task and item.
2. Prioritise: Your lists should move and change depending on deadlines, the emergence of new tasks, and dependencies. Periodically review and update your lists to reflect changes in priorities.
3. Stay realistic: It can be tempting to overestimate what you can manage. We recommend setting realistic expectations with the number of tasks you can accomplish to avoid burnout.
4. Assign responsibility: Delegate a team member for each task and disclose this with the team, so that people can quickly identify who can help them.
5. Apply visual aids: Many digital list-making tools will help you to create charts as an overview for new team members on how complete a task is and what needs work.

Making digital versus physical lists

Many people find managing lists electronically less hassle than with pen and paper. With cloud tools, you can keep hold of your lists across devices, and you can drag and drop tasks into collaborative task management apps to ensure everyone is up to date.

However, paper lists can be beneficial to people who prefer to write on paper. Many consider writing on paper a better way to commit tasks to memory—and who doesn’t like to cross items off a list with a red pen! Having a physical list with you also reduces screen time, which can be a real benefit if you already spend too much time on digital devices.

Ultimately, it is important that you choose the format that works best for you and your team. We suggest you experiment with both and see which one feels the most like you.

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