What’s (after) next? Streamlining your day without lists

Yes, yes, the number of things you want to get done each day is legendary. And possibly growing. Work stuff, home stuff, family stuff.

OK, for the first, you probably want a formal list and app and oversight, and so on. Making sure everything's done to a deadline. but for the others, home and family? Sometimes a list is just a little over the top. Plus you have to keep it up to date and that can be a hassle.

So I have a compromise that I swear by. And it's very, very simple. A way to be more efficient without getting distracted in getting through your chores and tasks is to focus one step ahead.

Here's how it works. While doing a specific job, you have the next one in mind too. And when you get round to that one, you have the one after that in mind. And so on.

What this achieves is:

1. You don't get distracted while doing the first task since you're aware of 'what's next' (yes, another West Wing reference!)
2. Hopefully the next task has some commonality with the current one, for example in the same location or with the same tools or equipment. So you can move swiftly on without resetting back to 'base' in between.

Maybe a real world example would help here. 

Say you're doing some home chores. First up is to put all the rubbish bags and recycling out for collection. Next up is hanging out the laundry from your washing machine, so that's in your mind as you pass through the kitchen door. So you finish the rubbish task and move swiftly to emptying the machine and starting to hang out the laundry while you're already in the kitchen/garden area.

Then, while hanging out the clothes, you're aware that another upcoming task is to feed the rabbits and guinea pigs. And heck, you hear them squeaking anyway. So you're straight onto that, and so on.

In practice, the reduction in distractions (e.g. not stopping on the sofa to 'check Twitter') and the lack of gaps between tasks add up to a significant time saving through the day. Just a few blocks of 'what's next' tasks.

Sorry if all this sounds obvious, but in practice I feel - and hopefully am - more productive, making the most of each hour and minute.

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