To Do, or To Done, That Is the Question

Conversations with Thomas

I have a complicated relationship with to-do lists. They are undeniably useful for plotting out my day or week ahead of time, and they can be a great way to hold myself accountable for getting things done.

But they are designed to remind me of all the things I haven’t done.

As soon as I cross off one task, another one or two or 10 await me. The whole exercise can be a dispiriting reminder that no matter hard I work or how much I accomplish, there will always be more work to do.

Because of the discouraging nature of to-do lists, I have a habit of abandoning them: My computer contains countless Word files, tasks, and sticky notes littered with uncompleted assignments and chores.

Have you ever felt that traditional to-do lists don’t work for you?

I’m going to walk you through a host of rumination’s connected to to-do & then chat about what I’m going to refer to as a “done list” or at time a “to-done” list. And as I said earlier this isn’t something I’ve currently implemented, but it’s gaining a lot of traction as I dove into research for this talk.

If you’re running your own business, leading a team, or just trying to get through your day, seeing a bunch of un-done tasks first thing in the morning can make it feel like you’re starting the day already falling behind.

But what if you started each morning by reviewing what you accomplished the previous day?

That’s the idea behind a Done list.