Keeping track of all the things you need to do is a valuable but often neglected skill. When we ignore this aspect of our work, we miss deadlines, work on the wrong thing at the wrong time and feel anxious and overloaded.

I don’t know many people who excel at managing their tasks. Few of us learn this skill in a classroom. Even those folks blessed with a mind for organizing things often admit that their system falls apart when they need it the most—during hectic, busy times.

While I have yet to find a task management system that will run itself or do your work for you, taking the time to find a system that works for you can significantly enhance your work and enrich your life.

Most people keep track of their work using one (but often several!) of the following techniques:

• You keep track of tasks in your head
• You keep track of things on paper or electronic lists
• You flag emails that require follow up or you mark them as unread to remind you to go back to them later
• You write things down on Post-It notes and stick them your computer monitor or desk
• You carry around a notebook everywhere you go
• You use the paper, files and folders on your desks as reminders of what you need to do
• You use a tickler file, i.e. a hanging file folders labeled 1 through 31 and January through December, and file tasks according to when you’ll work on them

More bad news: there is no single perfect system that works for everyone. However, I’ve found certain features indispensable. Kick the tires of your current system by seeing if it offers all these benefits:

1. You only have to look in one place to know what you need to do.

For many busy professionals, tasks are lurking in so many places (i.e. lists, Post-It notes, piles of paper, email in-box) causing tremendous anxiety and inefficiency monitoring all of these sources to figure out what to do next. We want to get all of our various tasks into one place so that we can prioritize our work and focus on one thing at a time.

2. You can clear off your desk without fear of forgetting to do something.

Many of my clients and students initially describe themselves as “visual” people—unless their work is out in piles, they may forget to do it. This fear of “out of sight, out of mind” is more often a sign of not having a system that they trust, and when we put a task management system in place that works, they are astounded by how much more effectively they can focus by giving themselves a clear desktop.

3. You are confident that you’re always working on your top priority, and it is easy to re-prioritize your work quickly and efficiently throughout the day as new things come in.

If prioritizing your tasks is not part of your task management routine, there’s a good chance that you’re not working on the right thing at the right time. Some systems aren’t even designed to allow you to prioritize; for example, in the Outlook task manager, you can assign tasks to a specific day, but you can’t arrange your tasks within that day in order.

Your system hopefully allows you reprioritize your tasks as often as you need to—several times a day depending on your job. Long lists that need to be re-written every time a new task comes in just won’t cut it.

4. Your system is as simple as possible to get the job done.

The system you choose has to be easy to use, or you won’t use it. Inconveniences, including carrying a book that is too bulky for your lifestyle, opening a program that you rarely use, keeping track of things in two places, or using a device that is or not with you at the right time are indications that the system is not simple enough.

Resist the urge with any system to make it more complicated that it needs to be.

5. You can to focus on one thing at a time and don’t get tempted by low-value tasks instead of working on your top priority.

The real disadvantage of a list—either electronic or on paper—is that you can see so many tasks at once and are tempted to complete the quick tasks just to make the list shorter or the easy ones because you’re not in the mood to tackle the tasks that will make the biggest impact. I call these “empty calorie tasks” since they really don’t offer anything of value but they’re hard to resist.

A solid task management system provides the foundation to working effectively and efficiently. But remember…no matter what system you choose, it won’t work unless you use it!

Curious about which system I use? My clients already know that the tickler system works best for me. It allows me to have one place to capture all of my tasks, clear my desk, prioritize my work and focus on one task at a time—and it’s simple to use. If you don’t have a system in place at the moment, it’s a great place to start.

Want to use this article in your e-newsletter or website? You can use this material in whole or in part, as long as you include this complete attribution and live link: Productivity consultant and trainer Cristin Lind of Clearwater Productivity helps busy professionals enhance their work and enrich their lives. If you’re ready to get more done with less effort, visit www.clearwaterproductivity.com.