A habit to master your to-do list

Posted on by Matthew Laker

A habit to master your to-do list 

The problem with our to-do list is they get disorganized. We can look at all that needs to be done and feel overwhelmed. We can lose focus. We can start our week running, but end up doing a task or focusing on a project in the wrong order.  

I was listening to a talk by Zig Ziglar who said 

Each Sunday night, I take time to do two things. 

 First, in 2019, my wife and I started to meet Sunday afternoon or night, and we would review the week coming up. We take a look at what appointments are happening and when one of us is in or out. It allows us to be on the same page and know what to expect. It does not mean things do not change, but it gets us a game plan and gets us on the same page. 

Second, I pull away again just by myself to review my work week. I consider my projects and people I need to meet with that week.  I ask what is leftover from the last week and reorganize the to-do list for the coming week. I even take the time to schedule some of those tasks. For example, I have an office day that some tasks are better to do then. So I schedule them as an appointment.  

The reorganizing allows me to say ok these are my first things to do this week. 

Do you want to master your to-do list?

Take the time to do a weekly review. It does not have to belong. Try it this week. 

1)Schedule a time 

2) At the time set a timer for 15 min.  

3) Review the week and organize the to-do list. 

I have found the weekly review to be of great value in helping master my to-do list. 

Children, our Business and our Bad Habits

Children, our Business and our Bad Habits

Posted on by Matthew Laker

I was reading the book “Boundaries with Kids” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. 

The book is about parenting. Most of us parents pick up these type of books because we want to fix something or prevent something. 

For me, it was more the first and to be a better parent. As a Dad, I feel pulled in many directions and wonder each new season how to do it.  

The book talks about helping your child learn boundaries and how this, in turn, develops them.  

As I read the book, one theme keeps coming up amongst all the pages. This theme was parenting first has more to do with you the parent then the child.  

The catch is if you struggle with boundaries, guess what, so do your kids. 

You want your kids to develop healthy habits and boundaries. It starts with you, the parent. 

This is both encouraging and disappointing as a parent.  

It means you have options. Parenting starts by working on your own heart and habits and building boundaries. 

When we think about those, we are leading and influencing. If we want your children or business to improve, it starts with “I.” How we react, how we live and do. We lead by example. 

Where have your kids become a reflection of your bad habits?

Where has your business become a reflection of your bad habits?

4 Rhythms to Strengthen personal productivity – part 5

4 Rhythms to Strengthen personal productivity – part 5

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Yearly planning is not something that comes naturally to most people.  We all know the challenges that come with setting yearly goals and keeping them.   In my life, I have found the quarterly reviews to help me in keeping track with my goals.  In this post, I will share my yearly review in regards to my personal productivity.

A significant part of my productivity system involves a yearly review.  For me, this includes both a looking forward and a looking back. It helps to look back and understand in order to move forward.  

Here is the framework I work through during this time.


  1. Put it in the calendar.  Plan for a time to pull away for a half or full day (some times more) – You have to put it in the calendar like an appointment and make it happen.  I like to take two days away. It may seem like a lot for some. But I try to incorporate some rest and getting away can help me think. The key is finding a place and time where you can think.  

2. Prepare – About a month out by writing down ideas and thinking about what I would like to accomplish in the year ahead.  If you have a partner or a business partner, it may be wise to get input from them or do to this together.

3. Reflect upon the past year –  during this time away; I spend some time looking back.  Using my goals from last year, I look at what I did, and what did I not do.  I reflect upon my relationships and overall, how do I feel the year went. I take some time to write out things I am thankful for and lessons learned.  Because I have quarterly reviews, I use those notes and my day planner to help look back.

4. Set goals for the new year  – I ask myself the question of what needs to happen and or want do I want to do. I work to narrow it down to 6-10 goals for the year.  These are a mixture of both personal and professional goals. Once I am settled on the goals, I begin to think about steps that are needed to get those goals done.   I have found it helpful to have breaks and do something else then come back with a fresh mind. Sometimes this is why I will take two days away. One could also come back to them in a week to review, which I have also done.  

In setting, goals do not just limit to your work or professional life.  Think with a wholeness mindset, what about your relationship with close friends or family, or your financial goals, or around the house.  

For some, the yearly goals could come out of a life plan that they have put together.  

Here are two resources regarding a life plan can be read here.

How a life plan can help
A first step in developing a life plan

The setting of yearly goals can be a great help in our life.  This is not about accomplishing more in one’s life, that may be a side effect.  However, this is about being intentional with one’s life and finding focus.

If you are ready to get intentional with finding focus or wanting to strengthen your personal productivity system.  I can help you with that.

Having someone who we can talk through where we are at and what needs to happen next can bring great focus in our life.  Are you feeling scattered and all over the place, let me help you gain focus, and develop a system to keep that focus.


Do you do a yearly review in your life?  What have you found helpful?

4 Rhythms to Strengthen personal productivity – part 4

4 Rhythms to Strengthen personal productivity – part 4

Posted on by Matthew Laker

This is part 4 of a series where I share my system for productivity.  I am still on this journey and do not have it all figured out, nor do I do it all perfect.  

I was first introduced to the idea of “The power of 90 days” through Jonathan Milligan


The idea of using the 90-day cycle is something that took root in my life.  It was manageable and was one of the first times I took the managing of energy and time in my life seriously.  It was a way of taking the big picture of the year and breaking it down into smaller steps.


Now each of my systems is interconnected. However, I find this one to be significant in moving to accomplish growth or productivity.  In the next post, I will speak about my yearly system.


There are two components to it

  1. Review and establish
    1. At the end/Beginning of the quarter, I take a moment to pull away.  This can range anywhere from a full to half day. In my full day slots, I add some extra personal/spiritual growth exercises.  
    2. During this time, I review the past quarter.  I ask did I reach the goals I set out to do. If I did not, why did I not and what needs to change.  I look at what can I celebrate, and I hope to get better at sending thank you cards to those who helped me along the way.  
    3. I also look at my task list and try to clean up my to-do list and prioritize it.  I tend to have an ongoing list of task that some times are connected to larger goals or just the routine of my job/life   
  2. Review my yearly goals and set my quarterly goals.  I will pick 1-3 of my annual goals to work on during a particular quarter.  Then I ask what 2-5 goals I need to reach to accomplish those yearly goals are.  

Once I have my 90 days goals.  I take them and write them on the inside of my planner and post on the wall in my office.  For me, this serves as a reminder of what I need to have as the focus.

Allow for Pivot’s

Life has a way of not going how we thought or planned.  Some times there is a need to make a pivot in a yearly goal or direction.  By planning 90 days at a time, one is better positioned to estimate what needs and what can get done.  Some times one needs to make a pivot. This is a great time to do that.

Check out the other post in the Series

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

4 Rhythms to personal productivity – Part 3

4 Rhythms to personal productivity – Part 3

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Weekly routine

“I am only one, but I am one.  I can’t do everything, but I can do something.” – Edward Everett Hale

“Change might not be fast, and it isn’t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.”
― Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

This is the third post in a series sharing my productivity rhythms.  

Check out part one or part two.  

My weekly routine is something that has come later in my journey.  It is something that has had its ups and downs in my life. I struggle to do all the parts but do find it helpful. Some weeks I get it done swiftly, and other weeks it takes a little longer.  

At the time of writing this post, I take time aside late Sunday night or Monday after my workout.   This time allows me to see what I did this week and organize the coming week. There are four components to this rhythm.  

1)Big wins from the last week, things thankful for, lessons learned.

I take a few minutes to look back over the week and ask what my wins were.  This is hard for me. It is essential for me, especially I did not meet my goals or complete the task.  It allows me to find something to be thankful for and not get cynical. The lesson learned is not always filled in, but I think it is an excellent question to ask.


2)Setting Big three and did I reach last weeks – what do I do now?

I first started this in my daily rhythm but started asking the question at the beginning of the week. By the end of the week, what are the three big things that need to be done?  

Then it helps establish what is essential in my daily rhythm also where I set my big three for the day.  My weekly big three end up driving my regular big three.


3)Review the task list and setting up

I find I have tasks that have to happen each week and task that come up due to current projects.  This is a moment to review what was done over the week and what is a priority task for the up and coming week.   At times, I will even assign the task to certain days. This may be scheduling time in the calendar or just adding it to my day task section.  For the most part, however, I am just trying to figure out the top tasks that need to get done.


4)Review calendar coming week.

I take a look at my calendar and what is coming and where I need to be.  This is a big picture time to help me know what my week looks like.

I am learning in this rhythm that it helps me know what is a priority this week.  

In this process, I find it also helps to create an ideal week.  The ideas is to look at your week and how would you organize all aspects of it.  What would I do when? What is resulting as I work on this is that certain days I do certain things.  This is important because other people are dependant on me to get things done so that they can do their job.  There are challenges however to give margin in our weeks and not get to worry when a curveball comes. We have to keep it flexible.

What do you find helpful to stay focused in your week?

Check out the other post in the Series

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3