Why I think people are using To-Do lists wrong
The leverage of people, technology, and financial assets to produce results without spending additional energy, time, or effort is the way to move forward.
Traditional to-do lists focus on tasks and completion, but they miss the fundamental principle that drives real productivity: leverage.
The Problem with Traditional To-Do Lists
Most people approach productivity by creating endless lists of tasks. They focus on doing more, working harder, and checking off items. But this approach is fundamentally flawed because it treats all tasks as equal and doesn't consider the multiplier effect of certain activities.
Introducing Leverage Lists
Instead of asking "What do I need to do?", we should ask "What can I do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?"
Leverage comes in three forms:
- People leverage: Building systems and teams that work without your direct involvement
- Technology leverage: Using tools and automation to multiply your output
- Financial leverage: Investing resources that generate returns without ongoing effort
Building Your Leverage List
- Identify force multipliers: What activities create disproportionate results?
- Automate repetitive tasks: What can technology handle for you?
- Delegate or eliminate: What tasks can others do better or faster?
- Create systems: What processes can run without your constant input?
Examples of Leverage Thinking
Instead of: Managing tasks manually
Leverage approach: Build automated workflows and templates
Instead of: Doing everything yourself
Leverage approach: Train team members and create standard operating procedures
Instead of: Trading time for money
Leverage approach: Create products, content, or investments that generate passive income
The Leverage Mindset
The shift from task completion to leverage creation is profound. It means:
- Focusing on systems over individual tasks
- Prioritizing activities that scale
- Investing time upfront to save time later
- Building assets rather than just completing work
Practical Implementation
- Weekly leverage review: Ask "What did I do this week that will make next week easier?"
- Automation audit: Identify three manual processes you could automate
- Delegation practice: Find tasks that others can do 80% as well as you
- System creation: Document your best processes so they can be repeated
Conclusion
True productivity isn't about doing more tasks—it's about creating systems that do the work for you. When you shift from a to-do list mentality to a leverage list mentality, you stop being busy and start being effective.
The goal isn't to check off more boxes; it's to create a life where the important boxes check themselves.