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Now that we’ve made it to 2014, chances are you will want to start strong by becoming more productive and achieving more this year. Like all good intentions, we start off well, but as time progresses, we tend to lose the run of things before reverting back to the normal routine.
To prevent this from happening, it helps if you have a plan in place and have things organised first for when you’re returning to work, college or your normal day-to-day life.
While most of it will be determined by how focused you are, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure things go smoothly.
Some ground rules
While it’s tempting to just write out a list and expect yourself to complete everything on it, it’s a bad idea to do this unless you have some kind of plan. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Start off small and build it up slowly. Developing a habit takes time so it’s better to start off with one or two short-term objectives and complete them first. The more productive you become, the more you can gradually add onto the list.
- Whatever your aim is, never write down vague or general aims as usually they require multiple actions to be done and can put you off. Keep them simple and concise since writing down “Run for 25 minutes” is a clearer goal than “Get fit.”
- Tying in to the last point, while it’s fine to have goals that will take a serious amount of time and commitment to complete (getting fit, learning a new skill, etc.), it’s better if you break them down into days instead of weeks or months, especially when you’re starting off. The reason for this is that it’s very easy to be discouraged if a task appears to be too big or drags on for too long.
- Whatever format you use to place your to-do list, use one that you will check regularly. Are you always on Gmail? Use Google Calendar. Are you always checking your smartphone or tablet? Download one of the apps listed below. Find apps too complicated? Use a pen and notepad.
- This will depend on the type of person you are, but if you’re the kind of person who finds it difficult to complete a to-do list, start off with the easiest task first and work from there. This will give you momentum which will help you deal with the more difficult or time-consuming tasks.
- If you fail to compete a task (eg: you miss a gym session, forgot to practice a new skill, etc.), forget about it and continue on as normal. Unless it’s absolutely important to do, adding it to your list will only bog you down and make it harder to complete other tasks.
Recommended apps
The amount of apps out there that focus solely on to-do lists and tasks is quite vast, meaning that there are different apps to suit different needs. Here are a few you should consider downloading.
Wunderlist
For: Desktop (Windows, Mac) and mobile (iOS, Android)
Cost: Free
Wunderlist is one of the most comprehensive task managers out there, spanning both desktop and mobile. Not only is the range of tasks you put down vast, but its ability to sync across all devices means you can plan on your computer and mark them off on your phone when they’re completed.
(Video: Wunderlist/YouTube)
Any.Do
For: Desktop (Chrome) and Mobile (iOS, Android)
Cost: Free
One of the nicer apps out there, Any.Do keeps your to-do list in check with four main categories: today, tomorrow, upcoming and someday so you’re not tied down to a specific time frame.
If you want more, it also has an accompanying app called Cal, which is a great alternative to the traditional calendar apps found on iOS and Android.
(Video: Any.Do/Vimeo)
Shifu
For: Android
Cost: Free
One of the smarter to-do apps out there, Shifu alerts you to tasks when you have free time or when you arrive at a certain location instead of ordering you to do something.
One of the handier features is if you find yourself with some free time, fire up the app and tell it how much time you’ve got. Shifu will then list out a number of tasks you can complete within that time frame. Perfect for those who work on a unpredictable schedule.
(Video: Signals/Vimeo)
Clear
For: Mac & iOS
Cost: €8.99 for Mac (free trial), €4.49 for iOS
If you’re looking for a concise and easy to understand to-do list, Clear is worth considering. Swipe gestures means it’s simple to use and its colourful display means that you’re not distracted by the small details, all it cares about is whether you’ve completed a task or not.
You can download a free trial for your Mac if you want to get a feel for it first.
(Video: Realmac Software/Vimeo)
Effectual
For: Desktop (Windows 8) and Mobile (Windows Phone)
Cost: Free
One of the best to-do apps for Windows Phone, Effectual makes it easy to create task. Give each one a value and urgency rating and Effectual will determine which tasks you should prioritise first.
A handy feature is it appears on both live tiles and your lock screen ensuring that you’re always up to date.
(Image: Effectual/Windows Phone)
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They get a nice pension for that little stint. New passengers for the gravy train all aboard.
Sean
You bring envy to a new pitch completely. Government is made up of parts in much the same way as large organisations such as businesses. Is it so completely unacceptable that a Management team would assist in the running of a State and that we democratically elect those who will ultimately be appointed to that Team.
This mirrors the behaviour of every other democratic State as far as I understand and the people don’t behave like contributors to the Journal with a whinge or a moan or a piece of negativity at every hands turn.
Sean would you for Gods sake……grow up …..you’re as a bad as a country singer moanfest!
‘grow up’ is a common bit of advice on here….
Yes Will
Followed – or preceded – by ‘for gods sake’
More meaningless drivel
There is no need for many of these junior ministers. It really is a gravy train that keeps backbenchers happy and plays to constituency voters and party members. Rather than making personal attacks you could explain what contributions most of these appointments make to governance and progress. They are overheads that contribute little.
Rodgers as usual spouting tripe.
Richard ( Dick)
I am all too grown up that is why I can see the wood from the trees. These junior ministries were introduced under the Haughey era to give disappointed TDs a “job” who did not make it into cabinet. They certainly were not another level of management to assist cabinet . Far from being envious of these politicans . It is just plain anger that I feel for having to pay for their office out of my taxes.
Paul
I run a very substantial business with many hundreds of employees and contractors. I fully recognise that it would be impossible to do that without an appropriate Management Team across every level of the Organisation. We don’t have an Army Council or a Dear Leader as you would understand it. That wouldn’t function Paul in modern times. Of course in your Party which behaves so much like the politics of Cuba or North Korea where your friends impose their management style with imprisonment torture and execution you probably see that as acceptable!
Your one line nastiness is highly intelligent and reflective of your Sinn Fein allegiance.
Richard, you’re confusing a decent structure with decent incumbents. A high powered business such as yourself should know the difference.
John Perry will have to do out another SFS for the banks ..
John was in the right place at the right time
I wonder are any of these JUNIORS on job bridge!!!!!!!
any of these JUNIORS on job bridge…..no…all on the gravy train
If you put Coffey out for the rob, you’d get no takers. Worse than useless.
Good to bring in some new faces. Simon Harris has done well in the PAC hearings.
Taking Hayes’s job was the reward for running in the euro elections.
(And doing better than expected in them).
After seeing him snearing and sniding his way through the euro debates I dislike him even more
Harris is impressive, and I hope he can bring some fresh thinking to the Department. I fear, however, that he’s going to end up as a fireman when the truth about the banks emerges.
He may be good on paper, but he comes across as too much of a teacher’s pet for the Irish electorate to warm to him significantly.
He lacks the ‘man’s man’ macho charm and charisma of O’Snodaigh, Toibin and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.
What are his credential other than being young? Does he have a background in finance? Does he have a university degree? Has he ever held a job in the private sector? Finance?!?
Most of these Junior / Juvenile clowns will be redundant after next Election . Money wasting political farce.
Simon Harris is a young Mr Burns
I can hardly wait to see Enda’s new team!
I’d be ashamed if I was only getting promoted to try halt the rise of sinn rein, that is until I see the payment I’ll receive for playing my part in the charade that is democracy in Ireland!!
Happy to see Simon Harris was elevated. He seems to actually be bright, unlike most junior ministerial hopefuls — ex-PD opportunist Mary Mitchell-O’Connor, for example.
Bright. Like a lighthouse in a bog. Bright but useless!
What happened Fergus O’Dowd?
He’s been dropped apparently. Right decision – he’s not an effective Minister at all in my view.
Anybody know why we have a reshuffle at same time as they do at Westminster?
One a side issue what do the lads here think of Esther mcvey the Tory minister promoted today? My god she is a stunner we could do with a replacement for Mary Harvey ;)
Ding Dong
Because we had local elections at the same time as the UK too.
She’s ok looking, but exactly a MILF by anyone’s standards
*not exactly
Check her pics out online I tell u she is a god :)
Sorry to see Ciaran Cannon dropped from Education.
He was a real advocate for IT in education; such forward-thinking is regrettably rare within this government.
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