Kathi,

I can’t seem to keep track of my “to do” list. It keeps growing and I feel like I never know which task to tackle first. How can I organize my lists to help manage my priorities?

Tanya, Encinitas

Tanya,

For starters, record all tasks and related notes in your day planner or electronic organizer. Keep this planner/organizer handy to add tasks quickly. Forget about sticky notes.

Keeping all to-do items in the same place makes retrieving the information easy and quick. No task will get lost and more will get done.

When writing notes, keep a space cleared on the left for priority numbering. Organize your tasks by writing numbers to the left of each item in the order of priority. These numbers will keep you focused on what you wish to accomplish first. After completing the task, draw a slash through the number and move on to the next priority.

To accomplish more each day, never do errands on impulse. Plan your routes carefully, handling as many errands as possible each time. Hopefully with these tips you’ll find yourself making more slashes to your list than additions.

Kathi is a professional organizer, image consultant and event planner based in San Diego California.

Please submit your questions to: [email protected]. San Diego Professional Organizer