My simple to-do strategy

Getting things done-

I have read a million different ways that effective people prioritize and get things done. From Franklin day planners, to palm pilots, to smart phones and smarter apps, to a simple pad and paper, the ideas are endless and there are as many ways to get and stay organized as there are people. I would like to add my simple idea of how I get things done and what works for me.

I take a piece of 81/2”x11” piece of blank computer white paper and I fold it two times so that when it is unfolded it has four equal squares. I write the date at the top of each page. Each square has a different priority and function. The four sections are divided up in Critical Tasks, Important Tasks, Secondary Tasks, and Delegate

Critical Tasks (top left square)
I write down the critical tasks of the day in this section. If it doesn’t have to get done today, I don’t put it into this box. This is the place where I put the top 3 tasks that Brian Tracy refers to in “Eat that Frog”. They are sometimes prioritized, but seldom do I go home without making progress on these tasks.
Also, in “Lead the Field” by Earl Nightengale, he refers to the idea that a business consultant gave to a business owner that later paid him $20,000 because that is how much the idea was worth. The idea was simply this: Write down the 6 most important tasks that you have to do that day and then prioritize them in the order of importance. The next day start on the highest priority task and then go down the list.
This Critical task quadrant is for these tasks.

Important (Top right)
This is usually a longer list of items that need to get done, but aren’t critical yet. This is usually where I pull the Critical tasks from because timing has made them more urgent. This list has many of the commitments I made but not ones I promised a quick response. As soon as I have made progress or completed each of my critical tasks, I move on to this list and start working my way down.

Secondary (bottom left)
This 3rd quadrant are all the items that I need to get to someday, but that have little or no consequence if I put off for a little longer. Put off long enough, they either fall off the paper, or are moved up to the important and critical quadrants.

Delegate and Follow up
In this quadrant I write down all the tasks that I am responsible to follow up on and that I have to wait on other people before a project or something is completed. Every time something is assigned to another person, the task is written down and then crossed off when completed.

On the back side of this blank sheet I take the notes for the day. Any meeting notes, phone call notes, important numbers, dates, etc.- I write down on this piece of paper. I file it away in a 3 ring binder and refer to the notes when I haven’t transferred them. Each day I write down the uncompleted tasks from the day before and it helps me not forget my critical tasks.

The Beginning of MBA Hack

What is MBAhack.org

I was thinking one night of all the reasons that I wanted to get an MBA and how it would help me in my life.  I began to list all the reasons that getting an MBA would be beneficial to my life and career I started writing down the reasons- develop better leadership and communication skills, broaden my network of business relationships,  learn better communication skills, learn how to identify and solve business problems, develop strategic thinking…..brag about having an MBA etc. The list was long.

I started to weigh the cost vs. the education received and how it would benefit my life and it was difficult to decide if pursuing an MBA was right for me. With all these thoughts going through my mind, I decided that I was going to use all the resources available to me to get the desired education and the results that I wanted from an MBA. I researched and found that the local library and internet resources provided most of the education that was needed to develop the skills that an accredited MBA program would provide, and so the idea of MBAhack was born.

MBA hack is the curriculum and outline needed to get the higher education of an MBA, without the cost nor an official accreditation.