A masterlist is typically a list that contains all of the items that you are responsible for and need to complete. This can include anything from cell phone bills and doctor appointments, to job interviews and exercise routines.
This list once created and maintained is the essential element to living an organized and productive life because at any time you can reference this list and have an idea of what you need to do at any given time.
1.1 Start with Pen and Paper
When creating a masterlist for the first time, most people make the mistake of sitting down in front of a computer and trying to enter all of the information into a spreadsheet or some app.
While this may be suitable for those with very few items, we highly recommend you sit down with a pen and paper and begin to write your tasks as the process of creating a masterlist is very contemplative, and as such may require lots of corrections.
“Paper is to write things down that we need to remember. Our brains are used to think.”
Albert Einstein
1.2 Consider Every Area
When creating your masterlist, it is essential to consider every facet of each item that you are responsible for or want to accomplish. A good masterlist is one which contemplates every area, even some that may seem trivial because they are activities that we do without taking much thought.
If you are going to purchase a vehicle, then it is not simply a matter of
1) Task - Purchase Vehicle
There are probably multiple steps that you want to consider before and after making that vehicle purchase that should be included in your masterlist.
1) Research Used Vehicles Under 5K
2) Schedule appointments to Test Drive Vehicles
3) Arrange for Mechanic to Inspect Vehicle
4) Check Insurance Quotes for Current Model
You might soon begin to realize that your tasks have tasks (we will use the word sub-tasks). It is important when creating your masterlist to identify all of the sub-tasks associated with a particular task.
1) Task - Purchase Vehicle
1.1) Research Used Vehicles Under 5K
1.2) Schedule appointments to Test Drive Vehicles
1.3) Arrange for Mechanic to Inspect Vehicle
1.4) Check Insurance Quotes for Current Model
1.3 Categorize Your Tasks
A well defined masterlist will be categorized. The creation of categories for each task is essential to understanding just how many hats we are wearing as an individual. It is our suggestion that you create as "few" categories as possible in order to be focused. We recommend starting with a category called "Personal" and then expanding from there to "Work", "Business", "School", etc.
For most individuals 2 Categories are enough. Some may have 3. But if you have more than 3 Categories then you are probably not categorizing your masterlist correctly which may make staying organized more of a chore.
Category - Personal
task - update life insurance
Category - School
task - purchase course materials
Category - Work
task - clean uniform
1.4 Prioritize Your Tasks
Once you have your thoughts arranged by category, it is easier to prioritize your tasks by arranging them in a sequential order. Your top priority tasks should appear at the top of the list with your lower priority tasks at the bottom.
As you go forward you will find that prioritizing tasks is an essential key to being productive as it helps you to insure that you do the most important tasks first.
Category - Personal
task - book doctor appointment
task - file tax return
sub-task - collect old receipts
1.5 Enter Into ClarityPark
Once you have your masterlist organized, the next step is to take time to enter that list with all of the specific details.
One of the most peaceful thoughts is knowing that you are organized and taking control of your life.
True Fact: Most first year college students fail their semester, not because of an inability to understand the course material, but because they lacked the organizational skills required for post-secondary education.
