Ever feel like your day is a whirlwind of other people’s priorities? Your inbox is overflowing, your phone won’t stop ringing, and your to-do list is a mile long, yet somehow, you end the day wondering what you actually achieved. Sound familiar? That’s because, without realising it, you’ve spent your whole day working on someone else’s agenda.

Let’s face it—most of us fall into the trap of focusing on what’s urgent instead of what’s truly important. But what if I told you that the secret to a successful and profitable day lies in a well-constructed to-do list? And not just any to-do list—a money-making one.

Why Your Current To-Do List Isn’t Cutting It

If your to-do list looks like a jumbled mess of random tasks, you’re not alone. The problem is that it doesn’t drive your business forward. It’s full of things you “have” to do, not things that will help you “get” where you want to be. You end up spending your whole day putting out fires, leaving the real moneymaking tasks untouched. And by the time you realise it, the day is gone.

Step 1: Separate the Wheat from the Chaff

The first step in creating a money-making to-do list is to strip out all the noise. We’re talking about pulling apart your current to-do list and shifting the focus to what really matters—your pipeline. Yes, you heard that right. We’re going to break down your existing list, put the unimportant stuff aside, and create a powerful, profit-driven action plan that will sit right on your desk.

Step 2: Prioritise Your Pipeline

Now, let’s talk about your pipeline. Start by listing out everyone who’s in the running—those with offers pending, in second or third interviews, or anyone you’re confident will land a placement. Now, your task is to strengthen that pipeline. A candidate has only one interview? Line up two more for them. A company is interviewing one candidate? Find two more for them. The goal is to get every candidate and every company working with three options. This is a tried-and-tested method to ensure you’re maximising your chances of success.

Step 3: Future-Proof Your Pipeline

With your current pipeline sorted, it’s time to think ahead. List all your A-grade job specs—those golden opportunities that will keep your pipeline healthy in the coming weeks or months. Don’t waste time on briefs that are vague or jobs you know will be tough to fill. Focus only on the roles you know you can nail. Prioritise these specs, decide which ones you’ll tackle first, and start working on them immediately.

Step 4: Set Your Plan in Motion

With everything in place, it’s time to act. For each job spec, make sure you’ve got a robust plan of attack: meet with clients, refine the brief, and push the scope as wide as possible. Write the ads, post them on LinkedIn, send out emails, and start making those calls. The idea is to create a seamless flow from one task to the next, so you’re never left wondering what to do next.

Step 5: Dedicate Time to Your Plan

Finally, find a three-hour block in your day—preferably in the morning—where you can focus solely on executing this plan. No distractions, no interruptions. This is your time to work on generating new opportunities and strengthening your existing ones. After that, you can go back to reacting to emails, phone calls, and everything else that demands your attention. But for those three hours, you work for you.

The Bottom Line

By the end of this exercise, you’ll have a clear, concise plan sitting on your desk. And more importantly, you’ll have a daily routine that guarantees you’re always working on the most profitable activities. So, if you’re serious about making more money and reducing stress, it’s time to ditch the old to-do list and start working on a money-making one.