Time is a most unusual concept. It travels at a constant speed but sometimes it appears to drag and other times it appears to be gone in a flash. If your football team has a slender advantage, those three minutes of injury time can seem like an eternity. Yet at Christmas time people often comment on how quickly a year has passed

One thing is certain; there is only a set amount of time in the working day. Sometimes we need to effectively slow down the passage of time in order to get our daily tasks done. Of course this is impossible to do but a similar effect can be obtained if the time available is managed to achieve maximum efficiency. One effective way of managing your time is to compile a to do list.

To do lists come in many guises. Top of the league are sophisticated computerised organisers, in which tasks can be arranged and rearranged with a few mouse clicks. Behind these come the manual systems, from smart organisers to the sticky notes that adorn computer monitors across the land. The less organised among us don't even reach those heady heights. It takes all of their organisational might to jot down tasks on scraps of paper (which then disappear). But the to do list that props up the rest of the table, the 'I can't even find a scrap of paper' improvisation, is the ballpoint pen on the back of the hand.

You may be surprised to learn, therefore, that among all of these scraps of paper and sticky notes, someone's to do list was sold at auction for £4,200 in February last year. I shall reveal what this was at the end of the article, although I have left a few hints on the way with these five tips on how to compile an effective to do list.

A Day in the Life

Most people arrange their to do lists by prioritising their workload. This is common sense but an important task is not always an urgent one. You may have a huge job on that needs to be completed by the end of the week, but if you needn't do any work on that job today, don't include it in your list solely because of its importance. Only put down on your list those tasks that need your attention today.

Yesterday

Before you compile today's list, check yesterday's to make sure there are no tasks that weren't completed. If there are any unfinished tasks then incorporate them into your current list. The last thing you want is to be making steady progress with one task only to be reminded that you have another from yesterday that needs your attention.

I Feel Fine

While jotting your to do list on a scrap of paper hints at a disorganised worker, it might just be the system that works best for you. If this is the case then go ahead. We are all different and while some people will prefer the ease of use of a computerised to do list, you should go with what you feel most comfortable with. I would add though that the opisthenar system is not recommended under any circumstances (the opisthenar is the area of the back of the hand where some people scribble their to do lists).

From Me to You

It may be called a to do list, but do you actually have to do everything on it? Go through each task and consider the possibility of delegating it to someone else. Doing this will not be seen as taking the easy option, but as a demonstration of good time management skills.

Now I shall reveal more about that £4,200 to do list. It was a hand-written set list, scribbled by John Lennon on The Beatles' 1964 World Tour. Some of the 'tasks' on the list included All My Loving, She Loves You and From Me To You. For those of you too young to remember, the sub-headings above are all titles of Beatles songs.

Managing your time effectively each day can be a major boost to your productivity. An up-to-date and well maintained to do list will help streamline your day for maximum efficiency