Cut your to-do list in half in 5 steps

Nathan Vecchio offers five ways you can save yourself valuable time

Cut your to-do list in half in 5 steps
Director of Hunter Galloway, Nathan Vecchio, started broking in 2015 and using the techniques from Joshua's Top Broker Handbook, is writing big numbers, leading to Vow Financial naming him Broker Partner of the Year Rising Star in 2016.

We’ve gotten through the End of Financial year, but for some reason at this time of year things to seem to stay busy. As a broker, it can feel like you’re always chasing your tail trying to keep up with what’s going on. Feeling overcome with things to do and having a never ending to do list can sometimes demotivate you and make you feel inundated with tasks.

So today we’re looking at five ways to cut your to do list in half and make the most of your day.

I’ve also got a few tools here that will kick start where you are like the 90-day planner and daily planner, which are implementable ways to stay on track and on top of your day.

Use a time tracker
In order to keep track of my time, I make sure that I document how long each task takes me to complete. This is so that I get a clear idea of how I am using my time and if I’ve wasted any portions of my day.

For Mac users, the App TimeTag lets you categorise tasks and you press START and STOP to keep track. Then at the end of each week, I take a look at my time tracker and see how I’ve utilised my time. Some other time tracking tools are Due Time Tracking, Tick, RescueTime and Toggl.

Always start with your most critical task
Each day I write a long list of whatever needs to be done, to get it off my chest. I then take out the top three most important and beneficial tasks for the day, which if I don’t, I do won’t be able to call the day a success. This helps to break down everything that’s on my mind and ensure that I get whatever my priority for the day is, completed.

Keep your mind clear
Making time for yourself and your state of mental health is so important. The first step is by keeping your attitude in check and taking the time to reflect and even realise the funny side of stressful situations, which will really help change your perspective. Each morning, try to do something that calms you like meditating or exercising, to keep your mind clear and start your day right.

Focus on the solution
When you do come across a problem, shift your perspective to focusing on the solution rather than the problem.

Issues with valuations?
Finance deals due to the lenders SLAs?
Look at the ways you can sort it out rather than stressing over what you can’t control – and what’s already happened.

Minimise your decision-making process
Mark Zuckerberg wears the same thing to work each day so that he doesn’t have to waste his brainpower on deciding what to wear.

It’s called preventing decision fatigue, where willpower is used in decision-making is like a muscle.

We only have a limited amount of decision-making willpower per day, so use it wisely. Think about how you can streamline your decision-making process. Breakfast options, what you wear, how you get to work. And if you’re prone to getting bored, alternate between three to four options on rotation each week. I do this through meal prepping and having set work attire so that I don’t have to waste time thinking about what I’m going to eat that day or what I’ll wear to work.

When business gets busy, it can be hard to keep a hold on things, as we’re always wearing multiple hats as a broker. So think about these options and how you can increase your productivity to minimise your to do list so that you get the most out of your time, every day.


PS: I’m going to be taking over here at Top Broker for a little bit while Joshua focuses on a few big and exciting projects we are looking forward to bring you in the next few weeks. A quick background, I started broking in 2015 and using the techniques Joshua has given in the Top Broker Handbook I have grown my business in a very short time to writing some big numbers, and was fortunate enough to be awarded Broker Partner of the Year Rising Star in 2016.