Create a Done List to Be More Productive

To be truly productive, it is almost imperative to have a master to-do list where you record everything you need to do and use it to prioritize your actions as you work toward completing tasks that will ultimately help you accomplish your goals.  Though I believe this is true, today I want to introduce a different concept that I think is almost as important to your personal productivity - a done list!  

A done list is just what it sounds like, a list of things you’ve completed.  There are a couple of options on how to create a done list, but before I tell you HOW, let me tell you WHY.  ​

Why a Done List?

1.  Develops Positive Emotions
Sometimes in the midst of all the items left undone on our to do list, it’s easy to forget all that was accomplished in a day.  At the end of the work day, the emotions we feel are directly related to the progress we made (or didn’t make.)

Dr. Teresa Amabile, a Harvard Business School professor and co-author of The Progress Principle found that when people recognized their small accomplishments, they experienced more positive emotions which in turn, encouraged future accomplishment.  In a Harvard Business Review article, she explained a study which analyzed 12,000 employees on a daily basis. ”On days when they made progress, our participants reported more positive emotions. They not only were in a more upbeat mood in general but also expressed more joy, warmth, and pride.” 

2. Creates Momentum
We tend to focus more on our failures than our successes, so keeping track of what we’ve accomplished can remind us of what we are capable of.  Organizational psychologist, Karl Weick says “Once a small win has been accomplished, forces are set in motion that favor another small win. When a solution is put in place, the next solvable problem often becomes more visible.”

Completing a task feels so much better than starting 10 tasks and not quite finishing any of them!  Every time you record something you’ve finished, you get a little hit of dopamine, a type of neurotransmitter in your body’s nervous system that plays a role in feeling pleasure.  It actually helps us focus and improves motivation.  So completing one item literally can increase our chances of completing the next one.

​How to Create a Done List

1.  As you go
This is the method I most prefer.  I have a master task list for EVERYTHING I need to do, but on a daily basis, I choose the one thing I’m going to work on first, and I write the item down on a handwritten list.  When I’m done, I put a line through it and choose the next thing to begin.  I also use this list to record to-do’s that come to mind as I’m working on a task.  This helps me stay focused on what I’m doing and not spend mental energy remembering something for later.  As those items are completed, I mark a line through them.  At the end of the day, if there’s anything left that I didn’t get completed, I add it to my master to-to list. Then I review all the items that were marked off and revel in the sense of accomplishment!

2. After you’re done
When you complete a task, write it down (and put a big check mark by it if that makes you feel good!)  If you prefer paper, I would suggest a small notebook where you can keep these lists so you can look back and see all that you’ve accomplished.  If you use digital solutions, a simple spreadsheet or document can be an easy way to capture your completed tasks.

3. Within Your To Do List
If you don’t want the extra work of creating a separate done list, you could mark completed tasks with the date on your paper to-do list  If you use a digital task management system like Nozbe, completed tasks stay visible for the day they are completed so you can view your progress.  With either method, you have the benefit of being able to review the tasks you’ve completed on a certain day to give you satisfaction and a boost of momentum!

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Sources 
Higgs, Micaela Marini. “How to Accept a Compliment - Even If It's From Yourself.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Dec. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/smarter-living/how-to-accept-a-compliment.html.

Amabile and Steven J. Kramer, Teresa, and Steven J. Kramer. “The Power of Small Wins.” Harvard Business Review, 6 May 2020, hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins.

"Do vs. Done Lists: Jot Down Your Small Wins." Evernote, 12 April 2017, https://evernote.com/blog/do-vs-done-lists-jot-down-your-small-wins
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"What is Dopamine?" WebMD 19 June 2019, .https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-dopamine#1

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash