This blog will offer a time-management tip that I picked up many years ago which has transformed my most arduous and foreboding tasks into manageable segments and beacons of accomplishment.

How is it that some people can accomplish mounds of meaningful work when others seem to procrastinate themselves into a depression? As a partner in a video production company, I know that when we embark on complex projects, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the details. This is likely the case for many people reading this blog post as well.

The solution to many time-management problems is to create a proper To-Do List. 

The Power of Writing Things Down

My To-Do lists often begin as simple streams of consciousness that are then put to paper or the computer screen, itemizing things that must get done. These actions may be small and relatively unimportant, or they may be major events to accomplish a larger, specific goal.

By documenting your stream of consciousness in writing, you’ll be able to better visualize your tasks and goals. It’s unrealistic to think that you’ll remember everything you need to do, so keep this list as a working document, and freely add to it when other items or thoughts come to mind.

Your First List

To start out, and to give you a manageable starting point, begin with a list of the items that you hope accomplish within a single day or two.

Once you have this “to-do-list-in-progress” document, you are ready to get into the organizational mode. We’ll be using a numbering and lettering system to help you.

First, review your list to get a “lay of the land,” and acquire an overview of everything that you have annotated. This may inspire a few more line items and help formulate “next steps.”

Next, look over your list and identify the “important-but-easy” tasks that you can accomplish relatively quickly. Assign these important-but-easy tasks with the letter “A.” For any “not-as-important-but-easy“ tasks, assign the letter “B.” Continue down your list until all the easy tasks are assigned a letter.

Optionally, you can choose to further prioritize these simple tasks by assigning a number beside the letter. “A1” would be the most important-but-easy task that you have to do, and so forth.

Finally, identify any “important-and-high-priority” tasks for the day and assign them numbers: #1 is the most important task, #2 is the second most important, etc. These tasks that are given a number may not be easy and they’ll likely take longer than the tasks you assigned a letter.

Reviewing Your List

As you review your list, you may realize that relatively simple tasks have stolen much of your valuable time in the past, which prevented you from working on the really important stuff. This technique should help put an end to that.

As you begin working with this system, you will quickly come to understand how many of these big projects you can realistically tackle in an 8, 9, or 10 hour day. As a rule of thumb, I find that I can realistically accomplish around seven or eight of these high priority tasks in a given 8 hour day.

It can be demoralizing when your daily expectations are set beyond what you can realistically achieve. This does you no good and will often give you a bad attitude which will slow the entire progress of every item on your list.

One other thought: if you find that you have far more “filler tasks” in a given day than you can accommodate, try amassing several “filler tasks” together and make them collectively another higher priority item.

As you become comfortable with the system, you may soon discover that you are actually accomplishing more than you ever thought you could. In reflection, you will come to realize how majoring in the minors has cost you dearly in the past.

As an author of several books, a broadcaster and videographer, I can tell you from experience that orchestrating your days in the manner outlined will allow you to accomplish your dreams, giving them the priority that they deserve.

As a videographer and communications guy, I am always on the lookout for ways to streamline activities and cause the teams with whom I work to function fluidly and effectively.

Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to work with a couple of groups from around the nation and I would like to share some of my observations about unity and teamwork.

24/7 Artisan teamwork (BizVid’s Caz Taylor, Billie Alexander, Josh and Luke LaRoya) in Washington DC

In one instance, I was at an outdoor venue in Washington D.C. where I was working on a 24 hour, non-stop, live worship and praise music gathering. Musicians and artists sometimes are known for pride issues or other idiosyncrasies which can make them hard to work with. I’m happy to report that this recent Washington D.C. experience was the complete opposite.

Even though each of the roughly 70 participants were excellent in their fields of art, music and administration, it took additional components to make the the long days flow smoothly.

California/DC Artisan teamwork at 24/7 David’s Tent in the DC National Mall. Tent founder Jason Hershey (l) receiving Kingdom Kajon as gift from California team (l to r) Michael, Dan, Kerah, Mary and Daniel

When someone needed to fill-in, they did. When a microphone needed to be moved they did. When administration needed to be accommodated, they did. A person’s skill level or status became irrelevant when everybody shared a common goal. It was a remarkable experience of having a single mind vested into by numerous people.

I experienced a similar phenomenon a few days later in San Diego when a beauty-product client named Japonesque brought BizVid Communications in to produce an instructional video series.

From the talent, to the makeup artist, to the production team, to even the clients themselves, everybody was working together for a common goal. What could have otherwise been a very challenging production, became a very pleasant and effective one.

A recent videotaping, showcasing teamwork by BizVid crew with model and makeup artist

The common denominators in both instances were selflessness, a willingness to be in harmony with one another, and high senses of camaraderie and purpose. Add to these the unifying goal of accomplishing a specific task, and you have a winner.

For those of you ramrodding multifaceted, multi-person projects, the best solution will be found around the caliber and selflessness of the people with whom you work. A single negative attitude can abort the entire effort.

Choose teams and join your teams wisely. Allow for and encourage plenty of freedom and interaction amongst teammates. Deferring to and uplifting one another play big parts in all this. You will be surprised at the excellence of your outcome, and how many times each person will look for opportunities to work with you again.

Let’s chat about the hidden promotional opportunities you and your business have as a result of your day to day interactions with clients and others. Many say that word of mouth is your best advertising. If so, perhaps the second best is being able to utilize existing relationships to cross-promote who you are, and what you do.

Allow me to offer two examples using BizVid Communications, the production company which I co-own with partner and ten-time Emmy winner, Bill Gruber.

First example. We have worked with the Small Business Administration in San Diego and Imperial Counties for a number of years. Our recurring video project for SBA is to interview the award-winners and record their insights as the selected winners of the SBA’s various awards (small business owner of the year, veteran-owned business of the year, minority business person of the year and so forth). We then play back those interviews on a giant screen during the annual awards banquet. Of course, we provide very reasonable pricing for our services for this prestigious client.

In return for our “above and beyond the call of duty efforts” the SBA offered us a full page ad in their printed awards program as a “Gold Sponsor.” We accept that offer, of course. As a result, we receive free advertising about our services and benefits in a publication that is distributed to a banquet hall full of attendees comprising the leading businesses and executives throughout the small business community. Not bad for a free cross-promotion.

This is the cross-promotional “Gold Sponsor” ad that the SBA gives us in appreciation for our video production efforts on behalf of their annual “Best of the Year” awards ceremony.

Second example. Because of my interest in broadcasting and my love for Judeo-Christian topics, I volunteer to host a weekly radio show on a prominent Salem Media Group station, KPRZ Radio. The show is called Come Together San Diego. In exchange for my weekly volunteer efforts, the station gives my company and me free advertising time within the weekly broadcast. As the show’s popularity grows, so does our company’s exposure. Again, not bad for a free cross-promotion.

Here it is, in case you are interested: https://youtu.be/E1SG-Qz0nCo

Ask yourself, “what opportunities might there be, hiding just under the surface of your business and personal interactions, where your company can be presented and your success enhanced?” I know that you can come up with some. So, go for it and enjoy the additional business exposure!