FIVE STEPS FOR MANAGING WORKFLOW

GETTING THINGS DONE

Step 1:Collect the things that demand your attention

The stuff that keeps you up at night The stuff that distracts you during the day

Exercise: Open a word document and take 3-4 minutes to list all the things that demand your attention

Could be: Projects you need to work on or complete Tasks you need to do or follow up on People you need to talk to, etc.

Step 2: Process all that “stuff”

What is each item and what can you do about it? Exercise: Take 3-4 minutes to go through your list

and decided whether or not you can act on each item. ACTIONABLE

Do it Delegate it (make a note of who you’ll delegate it to) Defer it (put a note on your calendar of when to return to it)

NON-ACTIONABLE Delete it Incubate it File it for reference

Step 3: Organize the Results

Exercise: Take 3-4 minutes to go through your list and create three discrete lists: List of Projects (long term projects, both academic and

personal) List of Reminders/To-do list (physical actions that you need to

do next to make your projects progress) List of reminders of things you’re waiting for from others (like

email responses, feedback from professors, etc.)

Step 4: Review your to-do list

These are your options of what to do next

All lists should be reviewed and updated once a week

Step 5: Decide what to do next

In deciding what to DO next, consider:Context (location, tools at hand)Time Available (pick something from the list that

you can complete in the time you have)Energy Available (pick something manageable)Priority (what needs to be done TODAY? What

could wait until tomorrow?)