When it comes to list making, many of us would consider ourselves a pro. But do you ever add something to the list just to earn yourself an easy tick? While the bigger stuff continues to be ignored?

‘We waste time on menial chores and tasks just to have a sense of accomplishment,’ says Forbes business expert Vanessa Loder. 'Over time, this makes us much less effective at our job.’

‘In my opinion, about 85% of the population is using the To Do list in a completely ineffective manner,’ she adds, noting how the blur between quality and quantity is often the problem.

Though a lengthy to do list can look impressive, it can also become daunting and off-putting, meaning that halfway through the day, many of us start to look for smaller, albeit additional tasks to take on instead.

Vanessa suggests whittling down your daily priorities to just three good quality tasks, and asking yourself of each one, ‘will this make a difference today?’

With a smaller but better list, you’ll find that your productivity increases and less time is wasted.

Three easy ways to carve more time from your stress-filled day, week and life