The 4 D’s of Your To-Do List (from Urs Koenig’s Radical Humility)

Your to-do list is out of control. You’re feeling like it will never be “To Done”! Try this strategy to help you defer, drop, delegate, or do.

Take your to-do list and assign each item to one of these categories. For every item, ask yourself:

1. Who else can and should do this? (Delegate) The items on my list that I will delegate are…
2. What do I need to stop doing?  (Drop) The items that I will drop from my list are…
3. What can I do later? (Defer) Be sure to put a date on your calendar to remind you to return to this item--it frees up your cognitive energy from worrying and thinking about it. The items I will defer are…
4. What do I need to do? (Do) What items on your list are those that only you can do? The items I will do are … (Now, go do them!!)

Compare your 4D’s in your mentoring partnership and process together. With their experience and insight, your mentor can help you with categorizing the items on your list.