If you struggle with finishing a work day or week or heck, YEAR feeling like you were SO busy and yet…. what actually got done??

Or you constantly find yourself scrambling to put out fires or stay on top of deadlines…

Or it’s not uncommon for important tasks to fall through the cracks… this episode is about to (hopefully) change your life forever.

One of the methods Evie created for herself to help her naturally NOT organized brain find clarity, productivity, and peace within her work and life: introducing Evie’s 4-List System.
In today’s episode, we give a DETAILED breakdown of the 4-list system, and how to implement it, including practical examples, PLUS a few other recommendations on how to organize and systematize your weeks and to-do lists.

Big picture list

Your big goals have multiple steps or action items under each. This is a great place to list numerical goals too (annual income goals, booking or sales goals, etc). Although Evie always has a goal document that’s separate that she references once a month or once a quarter.

This might look like a “rebrand & new website” that has a LOT of tasks under it such as hiring a designer, compiling or taking new photos, writing web copy, creating a launch plan, etc. These are your big, needle-moving tasks that will often take you weeks or months to complete each and ultimately move you towards your big 1, 3, and 5-year goals.

Typically you ideally only want to be tackling 1-2 of your big “rock” to-dos at a time since they all require a good amount of time and effort. Not that you can’t do more in limited seasons, but we recommend focusing on 1-2 at a time.

Dump list

“Parking lot list”. Every single thought, idea, or to-do should be on this list. Keep adding to it each day. 

A question Evie gets: how often to rewrite/create a new one? Answer: as often as needed for your brain.

This frees up SO much mental load. If you do NONE of these other lists, you NEED to do this one. Do it TODAY. The mental relief you will feel is INSTANT and UNREAL.

 

Weekly Prioritized list

Look at the big picture list and your dump list. Look at your calendar and what your availability is during the week. Triage your list. Your weekly list should typically be your most urgent (time sensitive) and/or impactful tasks that will move the needle in your business. Ideally, this list should contain 3-6 deep work tasks, depending on your capacity for that week and the intensity of those tasks.

 

Daily list

Referencing all 3 above lists, you’ll create your daily to-do list. This should contain 1-2 deep work tasks (big needle moving) and 3-4 shallow tasks (daily, repetitive tasks or smaller things you can do with less time or focus than the big tasks require). If you accomplish your full daily list and have more time and capacity, grab a few things you planned for later that week and knock them out. If your time or mental capacity is up though, you’re DONE for the day!

 

Example of each list:

Photographer:

Big picture:

1. Rebrand & new website
2. Add a print sale sequence to my client experience
3. Begin utilizing Pinterest marketing

Dump list:

1. Respond to Jane (client question about something)
2. Set up an Amazon Affiliate account
3. Edit Sarah & Mark’s Gallery
4. Find a designer for web redesign
5. Look into submitting X wedding for publication
6. Update Instagram highlights
7. Set up Pic-Time print sale sequence

Weekly Prioritized:

1. Research designers and reach out to 2-3
2. Edit Sarah & Mark’s Gallery
3. Do initial research on Pic-Time Print sale sequences
4. Batch Instagram posts for 2 weeks

Daily list:

Monday:

1. Research designers and reach out to 2-3
2. Respond to Jane and all client emails
3. Post to Instagram stories
4. Instagram feed post

Tuesday:

1. Edit Sarah & Mark’s Gallery
2. Respond to all client emails
3. Post to Instagram
4. Send X client gift

Wednesday:

1. Batch Instagram posts for 2 weeks
2. Emails
3. Instagram post
4. Designer consult meetings

 

In order to make this system work well…

1. Weekly planning meeting
2. Routines are HUGE here. If you’re curious about even more productivity or time management things: go listen to episodes 22, 78, 84, 86, 125, 217, 233, 251, 303, and 312. 
3. Read the books: Deep Work by Cal Newport, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Essentialism by Greg Mckeown, and The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber.

 

 

Show notes 

Folio Albums: www.folioalbums.com

Use code HEARTHUSTLE40 for 40% off a studio sample album!

The Heart Shop Apparel: www.theheartuniversity.com/apparel 

 

The Heart Conference: www.theheartuniversity.com/conference

 

Coaching with Evie: https://evelyngrace.com/coaching

Coaching with Lindsey: https://lindseyroman.com/education

 

If you want to connect with us and other listeners in the Heart and Hustle community join our Facebook group here.

 

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