My father recently gave me a lovely desk diary for 2007 – it has a week on each two pages. Though I use Microsoft Outlook for all my planning and my diary management, I now use this “old fashioned” diary to write down the 5 things I will do without fail that day.

Do you struggle with a long to do list every day?

Rather than a “To Do” list have a “Will Do”, list – choose the 3 or 5 things you must do that day. Then write these down in a diary and mark them off as you do them.

I find it really helps to have a short succinct list, handwritten in front of you as you work through your day. As you tick them, it is also a great boost to your productivity.

At the end of the year, in your desk diary for the year, you will have a record of consistently completing 5 key things every day – and that is a lot of things to have completed.

Go one step further and ask yourself – do you now even need a “To-do” list anymore? Use a “Will do” list – and discard everything else.

Also, I find subconsciously you are bringing a different energy to a “Will Do” list – you are literally using your “will power” to get things done. Whereas when you think of the phrase “to do”, it implies something yet to be done and often you can start dreading starting.

So get yourself a desk diary today, start your short “Will Do” list and watch your productivity increase significantly.

What will be on your “Will Do” list?!