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How to create Actionable Items with Taskwise

Written by: suzanne rodriguez 1,152 views

According to David Allen, author of the productivity classic Getting Things Done, trying to keep a mental list of tasks is the biggest time-management mistake you can make. You’ll accomplish your goals far more effectively by getting the task out of your head and into the system or tool that works best for you (a To Do list, PIM, PDA, Moleskine notebook-whatever).

Once  your task is in the system, break it down into actionable parts. That is, list the steps necessary to accomplish the task. Give yourself no more than 24 hours to begin taking action. For example, let’s say that one of your primary goals this week is to write a report requested by your boss. Your three action steps might be to gather and compile research, break it down into important points, and then tie it all together.

Taskwise is a great tool to utilize when breaking tasks into action items. You’ll be able to cross off each step as you go, and always know exactly what action must be taken next. Here’s how:

1. Enter the primary goal or task.

2. Indent the next line by pressing the Tab key, and enter the first action step.

3. Press Enter. You’ll see that the next line is automatically indented to be on the same level as the first action step. Enter the second action step.

4. Continue until all action steps have been entered.

5. As each step is completed, check it. This enters a line through the item–which means it’s not only out of your head, but never needs to be dealt with again.

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© Suzanne Rodriguez
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