The One Minute To-Do List: Quickly Get Your Chaos Completely Under Control

by Michael Linenberger

Readers overwhelmed by their work and life will find relief in this updated second edition of Michael Linenberger's successful title. We've all created to-do lists before, and we've all found them lacking--things just sit on them for weeks, months, even years. This book presents a simple and foolproof way to solve that problem and to create the perfect to-do list. You'll be focused on the right things, and you'll get them done.

Genres: Productivity, Self Help, Business, Nonfiction, Personal Growth, Ebooks, Personal Development

116 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2011

About the author

Michael Linenberger is the reigning expert on managing e-mail and tasks using Outlook or other software (and even paper-based tools). The author of five best-selling productivity books, his newest Outlook book is Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook 4th Ed--that series has been the #1 best-selling book on Microsoft Outlook for six years running. It reveals how to apply best practices of time, task, and e-mail management to Outlook to get ahead of an out-of-control e-mail in-box and workday.

Michael's introductory book called the One Minute To-Do List helps anyone who wants to quickly learn how to create a to-do that really works.

Michael's time management and goal-setting book is Master Your Workday Now! a book that teaches anyone how to obtain Workday Mastery: the experience of chaos-free work, inspiring and attainable goals, and a career that is connected to who you really are. Techniques in this book can be used on paper or with varous software.

Michael has been called “The Efficiency Guru” by the Detroit News, and has been written up in the business magazines Fast Company and Investor's Business Daily for his unique common-sense approach to e-mail control. He leads workshops and consults on task and e-mail management, and on workplace productivity. He has been a management consultant and technology professional for more than 20 years, and was a Vice President at Accenture, the large management consultancy. As a management and technology consultant with Accenture, he advised and managed programs and projects for clients such as eBay, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Applied Materials, UPS, Adecco, and others. Before Accenture, Michael led the technology department at U.S. Peace Corps. Michael also consults on program and project management best practices. Michael also led the creation of the Project Management Center of Excellence for AAA. Tens of thousands of people around the world turn to Michael's books and trainings to help get control of their chaotic worklife. You can too.

Reviews

[Skylar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a GTD devotee for many years now, and I've somehow managed to not abandon my to do lists. However, this makes SO MUCH SENSE. But now to figure out how to go back and re-do my lists that have over 1,900 tasks...

I was happily surprised that he supports and writes his methods using ToodleDo, which I happened to switch to just a few weeks ago. It's a really fabulous platform with all the power you could ever need and the ability to hide all those options if you don't want them.

My only beef with this system: what do you do with repeating tasks that you're using to build a habit? For example, flossing your teeth or exercising. i DO want to get them done today (that's the entire goal of habit building after all), but then you're critical list gets too big. But it's not really Opportunity Now either...

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a quick introduction to David Allen's Getting Things Done (even the book covers are the same!), with a few significant differences. This is a nice simple system that doesn't overwhelm. I don't agree with the concept that high priority always means urgency (there are always things that are more important than putting out fires) but it is a good start. He really sells ToodleDo and I can't disagree with that.

[Hao · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick read, basically finished the whole book in one evening. It is not as comprehensive as some of the other task management productivity books. But I guess that’s part of its charm, you could read the first chapter and then leave it there. The book doesn’t force you to continue reading either.

I carried on reading after the first chapter and found some interesting ideas in the book. One of which is use start date instead of due dates when adding todos into my list. I’ve always found myself getting demotivated seeing tasks not “meeting” their due date. I’m definitely going to adopt this idea going forward.

This book is a nice side read for anyone who’s familiar with task management. But for new beginners it might be a bit confusing. I gave this book 4 stars because it is structured to make it beginner friendly but the content doesn’t match it.

[Annemargaret Olsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading the “One Minute To-Do List” and I’m not quite sure what I think of his method. In theory, it makes sense - the system provides structure to allow you to just focus on the to-dos that you need to do today, but...it seems to me that something is missing. I think I like to have a little more structure in place - to be able to see certain to-do’s linked together - in a folder or a project. Some to-dos are linked to others and there needs to be a way to see all of them in one place. The book gives excellent advice and structure to anyone using Microsoft Outlook Tasks tool or the Toodledo task tool on the web. That may be where he is getting his popularity.

[Gene Wines · Rating 5 out of 5]

By free videos from his website, Michael Linenberger not only explains his methodologies for setting up a simple, yet powerful, to-do list system, but also shows you how to set it up and implement it. Implementation is partially shown in Microsoft Outlook and, more thoroughly, in a cross-platform task manager called Toodledo.

I am currently trying out this method of task management for my personal (non-work) tasks in Toodledo, and I plan to further explore one of his other books, "Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook" for use for work tasks.

[George Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exceptional value for money, especially as it’s free. It both explains and follows the author’s time management philosophy by allowing the reader to identify for themselves what other aspects of the author’s work they need to get into. However, there is enough guidance in this small book to get anyone started with managing their to-do list and getting to inbox-zero. Linenberger even takes the time at the beginning to point out which chapters even of this small book can be skipped. I could say more but I don’t want to waste your time.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's mostly a sales brochure for Toodledo, and the process itself is a modification of the GTD process.

Some good things I will still implement:

- creating an Current Now list and limiting it to 5
- reviewing the lists according to the suggested schedule (1h, 1d, 1w)
- sending emails to my todo list
- keeping no more than 20 in my Opportunity now list

[Debi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it would help me in my everyday organizational skills. I am not currently working so it wasn’t geared as much to me as it might to others. I did like and will use some things from chapters 1-3. The later chapters were geared more for business. .

[Richard Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best guides to making a useful, easy to use To-Do list. Relies on online Toodledo site and its app for the iPhone. Well done.

[Alexandria Blaelock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This to-do list is based on priority with a limitation on numbers. It will work for some, but probably not those who work for themselves.

[Mylene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick recap of the most important points :)

Useful for me!!!!

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The system it proposes to keep a to-do list is good; however, the information presented needs to be updated.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful guide on task list prioritization

[Suresh Vijendran · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of breaking the tasks into 3 categories is good. After that, the book is mostly about using Outlook and Toodledo.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book in my research for books on business organization. I had been utilizing my Google Calendar for years for tasks, and while it worked, it was also very crowded. Michael talks about prioritizing your tasks in a way that the most important always get done first and not lost in the shuffle. He demonstrates using Toodledo and/or Outlook and shows you how to use his system within each.
The book includes links to his website where you can watch free videos on how to do this also.

I highly recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The One Minute To-Do List claims to be the easiest to-do list to succeed with because it takes one minute to manage. Emphasizing urgency, Linenberger reccommends splitting one's list into 3 parts: Critical Now (due today or tomorrow), Opportunity Now (due in less than 10 days), and Over-the-Horizon (due is more than 10 days). By putting a cap on how many items can be in Critical Now or Opportunity Now, one is more likely to accomplish the truly important (or urgent in his case). He includes a few real life examples and provides lots of information on his to-do list method and office software.
I would suggest this book to anyone looking for a time management book. It is quick, simple, and straight-forward. There are many varying schools of thought on to-do lists and ultimately, it is simply finding what is right for each one of us.

[Holger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without giving too much away: If you like GTD, and have trouble adapting it to the year 2015 where all your contexts are merging into @phone,this book has some answers for you.

I actually recommend reading GTD before. A flaw in the book is that the author has read GTD (and praises it briefly for the "next action" concept), but doesn't go into details. Yet GTD helps you Kickstart his method. So, give GTD the long needed overhaul and learn how an consulting partner is managing his time (and what partners actually do with these black notebooks).

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started using the 1MTD system several months ago after doing an online search for organizing to-do lists. I needed a system that would help to keep me on track with due dates and help me track what needed to be done ASAP. It works so well! I finally decided to find the book at the library and read it. I am so glad I did! I will be using this system for a long, long time. Worth the read if you want to get organized!

[Tobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, easy read, and an easy system to implement - but don't mistake simplicity for weakness. This system is powerful - mostly so because it's the first system that I actually used. A system is worthless if you can't fit it into your real life. But I've been using 1MTD with Toodledo for over a year now, and it's renewed my relationship with my to-do list.

[Josh Tatum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book (a free download on the author's website) had so many great tips for my daily to-do list that I finished it in one sitting and immediately picked up his more in-depth book, Master Your Now with Outlook 2010 and implemented almost every tip in that book, which I consumed with similar dispatch.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me get out from underwater in managing my work as an academic. The structure is extremely simple, making it easy to get started, and it's an effective strategy for managing the tyranny of the urgent in my opinion. I haven't been using it as a long-term system, but it definitely helped relieve acute overload.

[Chris Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very easy read, and proved well worth the time. For anyone following the GTD methodology, this book supplements GTD by offering a simple way to prioritize and review your next actions list.

[Enoch Chhabra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting simple system that seems to be a streamlined 'getting things done' approach. I'm going to adopt this for a few weeks and see how it pans out.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this short, but very useful book. I have the Toodledoo app but was only using about 20% of its potential - so glad to have happened upon this book!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, specific tips. Bring on the work, I'm ready!

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read with simple, but very effective, recommendations on how to add some organization to managing daily tasks.

[K Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent starter book for time management. Great introduction to Lineberger's following books using Microsoft Outlook.

[TSomKes · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pamphlet of decent ideas, condensed into a 100-page advertisement for the author's other offerings.

[Chris Armer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book presents a very simple task management system. The system would not work well for power users. The book gave me some ideas about how to use Outlook for task management.

[Jakub Kolčář · Rating 1 out of 5]

good system!