raditionally, to-do lists embody the Theodore Roosevelt quotation "Do what you can, with what you have where you are, most of us write down our tasks in no particular order, with no way of prioritizing them. To really supercharge your to-do list, however, we need to add “contexts" to our action items. Contexts are the meta-data for our to-do lists. Not all tasks are created equal. As our workdays become increasingly complicated, we need efficient ways to focus on the things that matter. This starts by adding deeper meaning to the items on our to-do lists. Here are some ideas of contexts that go beyond the norm to get you started:
1. Energy-based Context
An energy-based context works incredibly well because how we are feeling energy-wise is something we can recognize no matter where we are. Using this context allows you to move things forward even when you're not feeling up to certain items on your to-do list.
I assign high energy to anything that is going to take a lot of my mental energy, low energy to anything that is fairly easy to complete, and normal energy to anything that falls in between. Using an energy-based context requires honesty. If you're feeling great, then do the things that require higher levels of energy --- don't cheat yourself by doing something lightweight instead.
One of the greatest benefits of using an energy-based context is that if you're not feeling all that well (or even have called in sick), you can still make some progress with low energy tasks. Even the smallest steps forward are at least steps that are moving you in the right direction and a few low energy tasks can sometimes give you momentum to tackle the bigger fish.
2. Time-based Context
If you're trying to manage your time and tasks for different parts of the day, then using a time-based context to enhance your to-do list is a smart move. These contexts are especially useful if you're trying to work on building a business outside of your day job, which often requires work outside of "normal" office hours.