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Genuine Curiosity

Author Dwayne Melancon is always on the lookout for new things to learn. An ecclectic collection of postings on personal productivity, travel, good books, gadgets, leadership & management, and many other things.

 

Great advice on The Master Task List

Over on "Working Smart," Michael Hyatt has a great article on The Master Task List that really hit home for me. This is another area where I've seen some positive overlap between the various time and priority management systems.

With the Franklin Planner, I began using a Master Task List back in the late 80's. In hindsight, I don't think I used it very well. I revisited it in a different form with Covey's system - again, no luck.

The Master Task List (under a different name with a slightly different set of mechanics) showed its face again in Getting Things Done, and finally started to click. I've even been sticking with it.

And then, bam! I read Michael's article and saw a nuance that kicked it up a notch. It seems I've been using my master list as a place to house the projects I want to get to so they don't get lost. I now realize I've been missing a critical piece - I haven't been treating the "good hygiene" aspects of my life the same way.

Michael shares a sample of his Master Task List on the site, and says you need to turn them into actions. Yes, the things on his list are things you do, but they are more like the things I'd do if I did the things I should do.

In other words, starting and maintaining a Master Task List will probably be the first thing on my new Master Task List. Thanks Michael.

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