Hey there,
You're not failing at follow-up; your system is.
Every sales leader I know has dropped the ball on something they were waiting to hear back on. You reach out to your colleague with a question. Check it off. Two weeks later, you're scrambling because it never got answered, because you forgot about it. The problem isn't your memory; it's that your task list wasn't built to track what other people owe you.
Here's what we're covering today:
Why checking off tasks you're "waiting on" kills your follow-through
The simple Todoist label that stops balls from dropping
How to see everything you're waiting on in one organized view
Quick bonus video walk-through
3 Steps To Never Drop A Follow-Up Again Even If You're Waiting On Other People
In order to stop losing track of what others owe you, you need a system that keeps those tasks visible without cluttering your daily list.
Here's exactly how to set it up.
Step 1: Create Your "Waiting For" Label
Stop relying on your memory to track who owes you what.
Go to the left-hand sidebar in Todoist
Click on "Filters and Labels," then select "Labels."
Hit the + button and create a new label called "waiting_for" (no spaces, use an underscore).
This becomes your tracking mechanism. Now, anytime you send a request and need a response, you type @ followed by "w" and that label pops up. Tag it.
Remove the due date so it doesn't clog your daily view, but keep the label active.
This keeps the task alive without the anxiety of seeing it every single day.
Now, let’s set up where to find all your “waiting-for” tasks in one place.
Step 2: Save It As A Favorite Filter
Make your waiting list impossible to ignore.
Go back to “Filters & Labels”
Select the “heart” next to the “waiting_for” label
This adds the label to your left navigation bar.
I check mine at the end of every day, it takes 90 seconds, and has saved me from countless dropped balls.
One of my coworkers was shocked when we had extra time on a call, and I pulled up my “waiting_for” list with 3 specific follow-ups. They thought I was being opportunistic. Nope, just systematic.
Step 3: Group By Project For Clarity
Turn chaos into organized action.
Click into your "waiting_for" label on the left navigation bar
Select “Display” in the top right
Under grouping, select “Project”
Now you'll see every outstanding follow-up organized by project instead of one overwhelming list. You can instantly see what you're waiting on from your product team, your SEs, your AMs, all in one view.
No more mental gymnastics trying to remember who you're waiting on for what.
Bonus 60-second Video Walkthrough
Here's what you learned today:
Create a "waiting_for" label to track tasks you've delegated but haven't closed
Save it as a favorite filter for daily accountability checks
Group by project to see all your outstanding follow-ups in organized clarity
Stop trusting your brain to remember everything. Build a system that remembers for you.
Use Todoist and set up your “waiting_for” label today.
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