**Double-check your email for accuracy to ensure you receive the report.Your To-Do List … Make One Or Fail
Hey there, hope you're awesome
First of all, it's official, the doors are back open on my 10K Coaching Program … and the spots are filling up fast… you can learn more about it here
Now secondly, I'm curious as to whether or not you work from "to do" list… it's amazing to find out that most trainers DON'T use "to-do" list … and then they wonder why they never get anything done to drive their business forward
It's basic, but it's soooooooo important…
If you don't fill the time with important things to get you from where you are now to where you want to go, life will fill that time with meaningless little tasks that won't really get you anywhere nor will they help you make more money. Like check out this kid…
You need to fill your schedule with the important 5% "high-lever" tasks that will get you from where you are now to where you want to go… I even have a side to-do list of tasks I'm gonna put my assistant on that day.
Here's what a typical days to-do list will look like for me…
—-
10am Lift Weights and interval training
11:30 - Give this stuff to Del ( My assistant to do)
- Get writers to write 50 more articles for the article directories
- Follow up with people who are supposed to to be ad links to their sites
- Take notes outline the ________ business cd I haven't had a chance to listen to and explain it to me
- Go pick up some protein powder and drop off dvd's at BlockBuster on the way
- Call: Harley Dealership and check on parts, hotel and make reservations for trip, get airline ticket for trip
( on top of this everyday she manages my trainers, posts my Craigslist ads, makes my juice with like 10 kinds of fresh vegetables, feeds the cat, makes me a sales report of all sales for the previous day, manages the training business customer service, makes me a lead outcome report for all personal training leads from the previous day… and a TON of other stuff that I don't have the time or interest in doing… but it needs to get done)
12pm - Work on product launch:
- Call affiliates
- Tweak salespage
1:30pm - Make important calls for the day and follow up on other people I've delegated stuff out to ( like web guy, video editor, etc)
2pm - Write blog post and set broadcast to go out to list
4pm - Tweak Pay-Per-Click Ads
4:30pm - Study ___________ ( Marketing or business book or dvd)
—
Since I block out the time I'm able to schedule in the big things that are important to moving my business forward, and I give the secondary ( still important ) stuff to my assistant and other people who are more suited for those tasks ( like web guy, etc.)
For a fitness trainer who wants to move his business forward, his to-do list for a day could look like this…
—
6am - 9am Train
9am Workout
10:30am - Follow up on leads that came in through website overnight
11:00am - Call five clients and pump them up telling them how proud of them I am
11:30am - Post ad on Craiglist to find a barter client to do Craigslist ads, and another to write SEO optimized articles in exchange for training
11:45am - Work on salesletter for new marketing campaign
1:00pm - Go to mall and approach ten people about becoming human billboards
2:00pm - Read about Pay Per Click Advertising for 30 minutes
2:30pm - Nap
4pm - 8pm Train clients
—
Actually, when I was a trainer that's very similar to-do list to the one I used on most of my days, when a lot of trainers just wasted time between training blocks, I was doing everything I could to move my business forward
I'd love to hear your comments about this post below… especially about whether or not you use "to-do" lists
Comments on Your To-Do List … Make One Or Fail »
Basically just a swift kick in the nuts letting me know I need to get on my grind even more! I'm definitely moving forward but I know there are things that I need to be doing more of.
It's funny that I'm actually knocking to do's of my list right now and its almost 3 a.m……it's because I had to catch up
Thanks for another great post Chris!
Luka
After reading one of your earlier "to-do-lists" blogs, I started using it & have been able to get so much done. It's crazy how a list can keep you in check & allow you to move your business forward! Thanks for the post, Bedros!
haha..I meant Chris** I usually start my morning by reading your material and Bedros' material. Awesome post, Chris!
Great post Chris!
I just started using to-do lists last week, and already can see the difference in my production and my pocket! The key is focus - it's so easy to get sidetracked with meaningless crap…
Keep the awesome tips comin!
I've got a Dell but what I really need is a Del.
Do you have any criteria for the types of people you approach for "human bilboards"
thanks for the post.
Yes, definitely a must do! Love the idea of bartering with someone to post craiglist ads and write articles.
you know me Chris of course i use a to do list… hell you gave me one last week and I am all over it.
I watch these trainers in Australia and I don't know how they stay afloat without following a to do list.
I would as lost as hell and it really shows when sometimes I do get out of the habit and forget to write a to do list.
As of next week I will have two lists going:
1. for my new assistant ( can't wait)
2. one for myself for all the stuff she can't do….
Cheers mate.
Scotty from a bloody cold Canberra ( again)
Hey Chris!
Great stuff on the idea of the To-Do List! I've found that when I do a daily To-Do List my business takes a leap forward. When I seem to be stagnating, it coincides with the times that I stop writing my list. I personally write it for the next day right before I go to bed, an idea I picked up from Pat Rigsby.
The idea that you schedule your list by the clock is one that I'm going to look into. It might make me even more productive. I make a list of things to accomplish throughout the day and prioritize them, or at least place an asterisk next to the top few priorities.
One of the top tips I can give people is to put a lot of little stuff on your list. I wouldn't put 100 tasks on there (it's assumed that you don't need a checklist to get your shoes on in the morning) but by breaking things down to lots of little tasks you have a lot of reasons to "check-off" completed tasks. This can quickly become an addictive behavior, which means that you're becoming addicted to productivity, and there's only so long you can be productive without becoming successful. I don't care if it's that laundry you've been putting off or running your car through the wash. Write that sucker down, nail it, and cross it off.
Great post, Chris.
Isaac
PS One of today's list items was: "Read five business blogs and leave three quality posts". One down.
Great post! I always try to work off to-do lists; a very successful man told me years ago to work off to-do lists, at work and even in your personal life. This guy got more done in a day than most do in a week, I use to think he was on something but he was just that ambitous and had a lot of energy. He would walk around with a yellow note pad all day. It works, that's all I can say. He taught me that if you write it down you're more apt to get it done, rather than sitting around wasting time. I've been slacking on making lists and getting the things on the list done, something I need to get back into the habit of doing, so thanks for the reminder. And thanks for the reminding me to get a couple of barter people to do some things for me. Again, great post, and thanks!
Doug Seamans
PRIDE Conditioning
http://www.prideconditioning.com
Great example Chris on a timed to do list…I am going to time mine out as well that seems to give things more urgency.
I am interested (Like Brady above) What is your criteria of people to approach in the mall and what is your initial opening to them? Is it the one liner like Hochman talks about?
Thanks for what you do man!
-Darrin
Too True! the list helps get you focused so you aren't distracted by the other zillion things that need to get done by aren't your priority at that moment in time!
I am torn right now in using my sticky notes for the daily lists or my outlook. I used to do only outlook calendar, but sometimes it is nice to have it in writing and CROSS it off!
Such tough decisions!
Nikki Layton
wwww.myvolo.com
Having a schedule and sticking to it makes all the difference in the world. If you don't, you're wasting time!
Stephen Boyce
http://www.boycefitness.com
Dan Kennedy smacked me across the face (from behind a book of course) and basically told me I was an idiot for not making to-do lists. It's crazy how much more productive they make you… not to mention all the little things that you would just forget to do if they weren't written down in front of you…
Great post Chris… but I'm not surprised =)
This definitely a wake up call for me and I thank all of you who has posted your energy (comments) on here! Follow through is obviously most important. How else can you perfect a jump shot? I like it and will use the "Little yellow notebook routine" . Energy distributed in small incraments always end with a consistent bang!
Yo Chris, I dont watch much TV or movies nowadays
but whats up with Blockbuster? Thats like using the internet with a phone line (the slowskis) I think Net Flix saves you a trip.
=)
That was a good kick in the butt on a day I was feeling extremely lazy!!
Thanks Chris!
Thanks for all the cool coments
Brady and Darrin - I usually like to set it up from reliable ( hard to tell at first) and outgoing ( easier to spot) people
The bigger circle of influence they have and the more influence they have on that circle the better
Great post!
I have a 3 section pin board. Each 'to do' has a card and is either in the 'to be done' section the 'doing' section or the 'done' section. With of course the goal being to move everything to the done section asap. Some cards head straight back to the 'to do' once they are done depending on what they are.
The top half of the board is for me and the bottom section for my new admin assist. So all I need to do is write up a card for her tasks and pin it on. I don't even need to see her and I can tell what she is up to by where the card is. Notes can also be written on the cards re the stage the task is at.
I am just in the process of getting different coloured cards to prioritise the tasks even further.
Jo
I gonna get right on it. I hate wasting time between clients.