A DONE FOR THE DAY LIST

A “DONE FOR THE DAY LIST”

When I heard of the concept of a done for the day list it was referring to a list of things that once completed would signify that you were “done for the day”. Anything else that might get done after those things were completed could just be considered a bonus. I have also seen a “Done for the Day list” identified as a list of tasks or activities that you have completed by the end of the day. In this way, it is more about keeping track of what you did after the fact to acknowledge what you have done once you have completed it. More of an afterthought, not really a plan for the day.

Today I am talking about the first type of done for the day list. The one where you create a list of your biggest priorities for the day prior to the day starting. Once you have completed the list you can feel confident that you have made good use of your time and have a sense of accomplishment about your day.

DETERMINE WHAT DONE LOOKS LIKE

In order to create a done for the day list you must first think about what done looks like. Done does not have to mean you have completed a project unless it is something that truly must be completed today. Done could look like completing the first step of a project. If you are going to paint a room, maybe today you will make a final decision on the color. Or go pick up the paint.

If you have several phone calls that you have been putting off, maybe done looks like getting one of those calls checked off of your list. By determining what done looks like you can help create a list that once complete you can feel good about being done for the day. If done looks like something that you cannot possibly complete today then you need to rethink it. It’s important that done for the day looks like something that you can actually achieve.

BREAK DOWN YOUR GOALS OR TO-DOS

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the number of things you want to achieve in a day it can be helpful to break down your goals into smaller tasks. If you have an enormous to-do list consider assigning one important task that can be reasonably accomplished to your done list for each day. Breaking things down allows you to complete small parts and keep making progress. When we don’t break things down into manageable tasks we often get a lot less done. You might think well I can’t do just a piece of this project, I really need to get this completed sooner. But when a project or a to-do list is too big to reasonably do in the time you allow yourself it can cause you to feel overwhelmed and actually end up getting less done.

STRESS RELIEF

Having a list of completed tasks can provide a sense of accomplishment and relieve stress. It allows you to acknowledge and give yourself credit for what you have achieved. Sometimes when a busy day is over it may all be a blur and you might not even remember all that you have done. By seeing that you have at least completed your most important priorities for the day you can give yourself a feeling of accomplishment.

TIME MANAGEMENT

A “Done for the Day” list helps you manage your time effectively by breaking down larger projects or page-long to-do lists into smaller tasks that can be reasonably achieved within a day’s time. In order to make a list that is realistically achievable it is important to consider how much time you have available on a given day and how much time each task will take. You don’t want to set yourself up to feel like you didn’t achieve your priorities for the day because the list of priorities you set for yourself was unrealistic to achieve.

Keeping the list minimal is important, including only 2 to 3 items. The point of this list is not to maximize every moment of your day. Other things will get in the way most days taking up at least some of your time. So, it is important to allow time for those other things while still being able to accomplish the priorities that you have identified

FOCUS AND MOTIVATION

By taking time to really think about your top priorities and having a plan to accomplish them you can stay focus and maintain motivation more easily. When you have too many choices of tasks you could potentially be working on it can be hard to decide what to do next. By creating a priority list in advance you can prepare yourself about what you will be working on and how best to get it done. This helps keep you focused on your important tasks. Maintaining focus is key to completing your tasks in the least amount of time.

REDUCE ANXIETY

A well-thought-out list can help reduce anxiety about what you have to do. It provides a sense of direction, which allows you to focus on the tasks that you identified as your priorities for the day. It also helps you focus on what you have accomplished rather than the never-ending list of what still needs to be done.

START SMALL

If making a list of things that you are telling yourself must get done today feels like too much of a commitment, then maybe consider identifying one priority for the day. If you get one priority done each day, even just on the weekdays, that’s 5 priorities completed for the week. Remember that creating a done-for-the-day list is intended to help you have more balance in your life. You want to limit yourself to what really needs to be done and allow time for other things in life. So, don’t make unachievable done-for-the-day lists.

You want to achieve some priorities for the day while still having time for rest. This is not something you have to commit to on a daily basis in order for it to be helpful. Maybe this might be useful to use during a very busy time of life, or maybe during the holidays when there is a lot to do in a relatively short period of time. Give it a try and see if it is helpful to you!

Thanks so much for checking in! If you would like to hear the podcast version of this topic check out Lola’s Frugal Life Podcast! Also, be sure to check out my other blog posts on this site!

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