By popular vote, our September Slack Session topic focused on how to manage your to-do list to rule the day instead of the day ruling you. 

It may seem simple enough, but there’s more to getting stuff done than writing it down on a list or tracking it in an app. We’re bombarded with districations, work fires, and a ton of other things that can get in the way of our most productive work. 

First to-do: post a Gif ✅

We kicked off the conversation by asking everyone to post how they manage their days with a gif. 

And we weren’t disappointed: 

The Chaos is Controlled 

Despite the mountain of work and endless lists of tasks, we heard great insight into managing the many distractions that can derail us every day. 

Some were simple but can have a significant impact, like listening to music so you can focus or tuning out social media by turning off notifications. 

Make Your Tasks Flexible 

And so much of our daily work is about our mentality. So remembering to be flexible and move items that aren’t “must-have” to another date is okay. It helps us focus on what’s important and not work to cross things off a list. 

And if you have a team of folks supporting you, don’t be afraid to delegate and utilize their talents. 

Find Your Productivity Sweet Spot

One of the most important things you can do is find your most productive time of the day. Then, whenever that time is, structure your most crucial tasks during that window of time. Save the items that don’t need as much focus for when you’re not as sharp, like 3:00 PM, and the only thing keeping your head off your desk is a cup of coffee. 

Small Steps Each Day Lead to Big Accomplishments

Managing daily tasks can feel like a constant slog. Like you’re just checking off boxes without actually accomplishing. But that’s not true. We have to avoid the “gap” and celebrate small wins each week. 

Conquering Fears

Everyone is busy, so there’s the ever-present fear that you missed something and that can creep into your life. It’s something we all have to manage and develop a system to prevent. 

Keep Work Manageable 

Planning and working on projects in small steps will help you avoid the stress that comes with a looming deadline. 

Change Starts Today 

We asked our folks what they would do today to manage their workday and to-do list instead of it controlling them. 

You’re in the Right Place

If this conversation has you nodding along and saying, “heck yeah, this is great,” you’re in the right place! If you’re already a SOCO member, you can join us each month for #Slack_Sessions

If you’re not a member but you want to be part of a community that supports you and talks about things that matter to your work, book a tour right here.