One of the biggest problems most people have when it comes to moving their business ahead is simply staying focused and taking the actions that will truly make a difference.

It's not necessarily because we don't know what to do, it's often more a matter of getting distracted or letting little actions that seem important but don't bring in results consume too much time.

How many times have you turned on the computer and logged onto the Internet to check your email? An hour later, you're still on the Internet -- answering email, solving customer service issues, reading interesting articles...the list goes on and on...

Each day, you have a limited amount of time to spend on your business. Whether it's two hours, eight hours or ten, what you accomplish is directly linked to how you spend your time.

Here's a suggestion and I challenge you to give it a try. Even if it's only for one day, just try it and see if your results at the end of the day are better than the day before.

Today, before you end your work day, take five minutes to write a To Do List for tomorrow. (Yes, there's your four-letter list). Don't put more than five things on the list and be reasonable. Make them things you can reasonably accomplish during the time you have to get them done. And make them action oriented.

For example, your list might look like:

1. Add one page of content to yourdomain.com

2. Finish article about "....."

3. Submit article to at least three article directories.

4. Find one new affiliate product to peomote.

5. Add one new autoresponder message that promotes the new affiliate product.

Five action oriented tasks that can be accomplished in one day.

If your primary goal is to increase your revenue, your To Do list should have five action tasks that will help to increase your revenue. If you want to find more prospects, the tasks should be ones that will help you find more prospects.

If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter how you get there. So it doesn't matter what you do.

Stop!

Your action-oriented To Do list is like a road map. It helps you focus on where you want to go and then tells you exactly what you need to do to get there.

When you get to work tomorrow, read the list and get started. Focus on the tasks on your list and do them...one at a time until you are done or you've run out of worktime.

Cross off each item as you finish it. If something is left at the end of the day, just add it to your list for the next day.

See how simple it is? There's something about writing down what you need to do...

It keeps you focused.

It tells you exactly what you need to do.

And you get a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment each time you finish an item and cross it off your list.

Give it a try. Before you stop for the day, write down up to five action-oriented things you need to do tomorrow.

What have you got to lose? And just think how much you'll gain when those five things are done and you've moved on to the next five.

I challenge you to use this simple four-letter list everyday for one week. See if it makes as big of a difference in your business as it makes in mine.

Cindy Kappler is an Internet entrepreneur and co-author of http://www.WebAdMagic.com and http://www.OnlineMarketingSecretsUncovered.com. She writes from her own Internet marketing experiences and gives practical, easy-to-implement tips and techniques to help you succeed online. Get her free report "Case Studies: A Behind the Scenes Look at How the Internet's Top Marketers Create Profit Producing Advertising Campaigns" at http://www.InternetMarketingScoop.com