Quick one — the week of the 6th of October, I’ll be in the US working with a few clients. I’m opening up a few spots for in-person sessions. If you’re interested, just message me and I’ll send you more information.
Did you know that over 40% of the tasks sitting in our to-do lists are never actually completed? Forty percent. They just sit there, staring at us for weeks, nagging away in the background.
Recently, I came across a term that perfectly describes this: task debt. Much like financial debt, task debt is when you know you “owe” yourself some action—but you keep putting it off, leaving it hanging over you.
And here’s the thing… task debt doesn’t just clutter your to-do list, it clutters your mind.
In this video, I want to share a few simple tips to manage your task list much more efficiently.
I was working with a group of leaders recently, and we discussed how they manage everything they need to do. I’m always fascinated by the variety of answers—different tools, different systems, different processes.
But there’s one common thread: no one seems truly satisfied with their system.
And I think I know why. Most people treat their to-do list as the end of the process. They write things down, and then, when a bit of time frees up, they scan their list and ask:
“What should I do now?”
“What can I squeeze into this 30 minutes?”
This approach feels logical, but it’s a trap.
Instead, here’s what I suggest.
1. Schedule Triage Time
Your to-do list should never be the end game. You need a dedicated time in your calendar to review and organise your list—what I call triage.
Whether it’s once a day or once a week, block out half an hour to sort through your list. This is where you make the real decisions—not in the middle of a busy day when you’re already juggling a million things.
2. Prioritise Ruthlessly (and Learn to Say No)
When you’re reviewing your list, be bold. Ask yourself:
- “Do I really need to do this?”
- “What impact will it have?”
And here’s the kicker: you need the courage to say no. A lot of tasks on your list don’t deserve your time—and triage is the perfect moment to cut them loose.
3. Organise What’s Left Into 3 Buckets
Once you’ve said no to the unnecessary, you’re left with three possibilities:
- Quick Wins (Do It Now): If it takes less than 4–5 minutes (replying to an email, sending a message, jotting something down), just do it on the spot.
- Time-Consuming Tasks (Schedule It): Don’t let these float endlessly. Book time in your calendar—treat it like a meeting with yourself.
- Small but Non-Urgent Tasks (Systemise Them): Use a tool (for me, it’s Outlook Tasks) where you can allocate little jobs to specific days. That way, they don’t vanish, but they also don’t crowd your mental space.
When you separate the time to triage from the time to do, you instantly feel more in control. You stop reacting to your to-do list, and instead, you’re leading it.
You’re no longer just hoping you’ll have time—you’re making deliberate choices, scheduling what matters, and saying no to the rest.
So, my question to you is: How are you handling your to-do list right now? Are you just dipping in reactively whenever you get a chance, or do you have a set time to triage, prioritise, and then act?
This is this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip.
Hope you have a lovely day!
A bientôt,
Cyril
