Get Things Finished with the Three Task Method

By Dee Jones

A while back I wrote about SMEMA, a time management technique created by Mark Forster.

The idea of SMEMA was pretty simple.

1. You write down three things you want to do in the order you want to do them in.

2. You work on the first thing on your list for as long as you feel like it, and then cross it off.

3. You work on the second thing on your list for as long as you feel like it, and then cross it off.

4. You add two new items to the list. These can be the things you were working on before, or two entirely different things. You can even add fun things to the list, like spending time on YouTube, or watching your favorite TV show.

5. Repeat steps two through four indefinitely. (Or for as long as you feel like working on the list that day.)

SMEMA (which stands for ““The Simplest and Most Effective Method of All”) is definitely simple. It’s also effective, as I know from personal experience.  Using SMEMA will definitely help you get some work done on a lot of the project and tasks on your to-do list. But SMEMA won’t necessarily help you get things *finished.*

Luckily, Forster created a similar technique where the focus is on completing your projects and tasks. It’s called the Three Task Method.

The Three Task Method (or 3T, for short) is actually pretty similar to SMEMA. In fact, here’s how 3T works in a nutshell.

1. You write down three things you want to do in the order you want to do them in.

2. You work on the first thing on your list for as long as you feel like it, and then cross it off. And then you reenter this first task to the bottom of the list.

3. You work on the second thing on your list for as long as you feel like it, and then cross it off. And then you reenter this second task to the bottom of the list.

4. You work on the third thing on your list for as long as you feel like it, and then cross it off. And then you reenter this third task to the bottom of the list.

5. When you finish a task, cross it off the list without reentering it.

6. When you’ve completed two of the tasks on your list, you add two new tasks to the bottom of the list.

7. Repeat steps two through six indefinitely. (Or for as long as you feel like working on the list that day.)

I admit that 3T isn’t quite as fun as SMEMA. But if you really want to focus on finishing some of the tasks on your to-do list, the Three Task Method might be just what you need.

Your Daily To-Do List: 3 Quick Tips to Make It More Effective

By Dee Jones

Of all the things you can do to manage your time, making a daily to-do list is one of the simplest.

You pull out a sheet of paper (or open a document on your computer). You make a list of the things you need to get done that day. And then…well, that’s about it.

Yep, it’s easy to make a daily to-do list.

It’s also easy to do it wrong.

Or maybe “wrong” isn’t the right word. But the way you go about making your daily to-do list (from when you make it to what you put on it) can affect how much you actually get done.

If you want to make an effective to-do list for the day, here are three things to keep in mind.

Tip #1: Make Your Daily To-Do List the Night Before

When you make your to-do list for the day on that actual day, you’re giving yourself one more thing to worry about.

So first you have to spend precious time making your to-do list. And, as you make your list, you get to think about all of the things you have to do today. And how you’ll never get everything done before bedtime. And how you’d really like to crawl into bed and go back to sleep… 

The day hasn’t even started, and you already feel overwhelmed.

When you make your to-do list the night before, you have some distance. Even if you know you have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow, that’s tomorrow. Somehow, a busy day doesn’t feel as overwhelming when it’s still a day away.

Since you won’t be feeling frantic and frazzled, you’ll have a clearer head as you make your daily list. You’ll be able to focus on what really needs to get done. And you’ll be more realistic about how much you can reasonably expect to do given the other things you know you’ll have on your plate the next day.

Plus there’s just something different about waking up in the morning with your to-do list already made. You don’t have to scramble to figure out what you’ll be doing today because you’ll already know. And, somehow, that will make you feel like you’re ahead of the game instead of struggling to catch up.

Tip #2: Keep Your Daily To-Do List Short

How many tasks are on your to-do list for the day? Ten? Twenty? More?

No wonder you have trouble getting everything on your list done. And a list full of empty checkboxes can be pretty de-motivating.

So try to limit your daily list to 5 tasks or less (not including your daily routines). And you should be reasonably sure that you can get all of those tasks done by the end of the day.

Now you’ll do other things throughout the day. But these are the tasks you’ll truly commit to getting done.

Checking all of those tasks off of your to-do list will feel great. And anything else you get done will be gravy.

So, right now, pick a limit for your daily to-do lists. And if you’ve already made your to-do list for today, start a new one that only has three to five to-dos on it.(Including anything you’ve already gotten done.)

Now, give your new, shorter to-do list a test drive.

Even with a shorter daily list, there will be days when you don’t get everything done. But if this happens more than once every week or too, adjust your daily lists.

There are two ways you can do this:

1. Choose smaller tasks. (Things you can do in an hour, or even just thirty minutes.)
2. Decrease the number of tasks on your list. So if you usually put five tasks on your daily list, see what happens if you go down to three tasks. 

Tip #3: Schedule Some of Your Daily To-Dos

If you’re like many of us, this is how you work your daily to-do list.

1. You look over your list.
2. You pick the task that appeals to you most in that moment.
3. You do that task.
4. Lather, rinse and repeat.

There’s nothing wrong with this method. It works. Sometimes.

However, if there’s a task on your list that you really don’t want to do, there’s a good chance it won’t get done. Instead, you’ll just keep passing it over for less unpleasant tasks. And that dreaded task will keep getting moved from one daily list to the next.

One way to make sure a task on your list gets done is to schedule a specific time to do it.

So, in the morning, look at your to-do list. Are there any tasks you can schedule for a specific time that day? Then do it. And set an alarm to go off at that time.

Once you set a specific time for a task, you can forget about it until it’s actually time to do it. In a strange way, this makes the daily list feel even shorter. You might not have done that task yet, but you know you’ll get to it. You don’t even have to remember to do that task because you set an alarm to remind you.

Since you don’t have to worry about tasks you’ve scheduled, you’ll have more mental energy to focus on the other tasks on your list.


Any daily to-do list is better than no daily to-do list. But if there are things you can do to make your daily list an even more effective time management tool, why not?

And, with these three tips, you can create a to-do list that will help you have a more productive day.


Do you make a daily to-do list? If so, do you have any tips for making a to-do list more effective?

How to Get the Most Out of Time Management Tips

by Dee Jones


I love time management tips. And when I find a list of ten, twenty, or fifty time management tips, I feel like I’m on cloud nine. With all of those tips, there has to be something on there that will help me be even more productive.

But as much as I love those long lists, I also know they have their downsides.

It’s like being at a buffet. Everything looks so good, and you want to try it all. So you get a little of this, and a little of that. Problem is that you have so little of everything that you can’t truly savor any one thing.

And if you try to adopt too many of the time management tips on a long, tempting list, chances are you won’t get the full benefits of any one method.

This is why I put a few guidelines in place for when I come across one of those big lists of tips.

Just One

First, I can only try one tip at a time.

Just one.

So I look over the list and try to pick the tip that I find most interesting. Which tip do I think will help me the most? Which one sends an enthusiastic shiver up my spine? (I believe a time management method has a better chance of working for you if you’re excited about using it.)

Give It Time

Once I pick one tip, I commit to it. And until I get used to utilizing this new method (or I decide it just isn’t for me and abandon it), I don’t add anything new to my time management system.

Like a new skill, a new time management method will take practice to learn. Just because a method doesn’t work all that well for me at first doesn’t mean it never will. So I give myself time to get used to the method. For something simple, that can take just a week or two. For something more complex, it can take a month or more.

Only when I feel I’ve gotten the hang of using one tip do I consider adopting another. 


When you come across a big list of time management tips, it’s natural to want to try several things on the list. But don’t. Instead, pick just one tip to give a test drive.

And save that list. Because once you get the hang of using the first tip, it’ll be time to choose another.


If you wrote an article about your favorite time management tips, which ones would be on your list?

Get More Done with SMEMA

By Dee Jones


Yep, it’s time to talk about Mark Forster again.

I feel like I’ve written a lot about Forster on this blog. But I have good reason. For one, Forster is the author of Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play, which some consider one of the best time management books ever written.

Forster has also created many of other time management systems and techniques, some of which he’s shared on his blog for free.

And one of them is SMEMA.

SMEMA is an acronym that stands for “The Simplest and Most Effective Method of All.” Whether SMEMA is actually the simplest time management method ever created might be up for debate. But it’s definitely one of the simplest I’ve come across. (And, if you read my blog, you know that I’ve come across quite a few.)

So, what is SMEMA all about?

Well, as Forster wrote in a blog post about the method:

The older I get the more I think that I actually know what I should be doing all along, and all the time management systems and prioritising, visioning, and so forth are just ways of avoiding doing the things I know in my heart I should be getting on with.

Forster suggests that you forget about making lists, prioritizing to-dos, setting weekly/monthly/yearly goals, and all of the other things we do to try to better manage our time. Instead, just focus on doing the things you already know you should be doing.

Of course, part of the point of time management is trying to figure out what we should be doing. But Forster believes you already know, on some level, what you need to be doing. But that knowledge can get lost in the “noise” of your busy life...and your mile-long to-do list.

SMEMA helps you quiet the noise, pinpoint the things you need to be doing, and get them done.

How?

Here are the basic SMEMA instructions.

1. Make a list of three tasks you want to get done, in the order you want to do them in.
2. Do the first task on your list, and then cross it out.
3. Do the second task on your list, and then cross it out.
4. Add two new tasks to your list, so you’re back up to three tasks.
5. Keep repeating the cycle, completing two tasks and then adding two new ones.

And that’s it.

If you’ve ever had trouble remembering the steps of a time management method, you’ll love SMEMA. It’s as simple as the name claims.

I think SMEMA is great for those days when you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, and all the things you have to get done by the end of the day. Focusing on just three tasks at a time, and forgetting everything else, will help you feel calm and in control. You’ll stop worrying about everything you have to do, and just get stuff done.

Forster goes into SMEMA in more detail on his blog. He also offers a few tips to help you get the most out of this simple technique.

Original SMEMA Instructions and FAQ

If you want to try something new (or you just want a break from your to-do list) give SMEMA a try. I bet you’ll be surprised by how effective it is.

Have you tried SMEMA? Or have you tried any of Mark Forster's other time management methods? If so, which ones worked best for you?

How to Keep A Time Log

by Dee Jones


Time logs are a great productivity tool. They can help you keep track of time, make you better at estimating how long tasks will take, and even help you see that you actually get more done most days than you might think.

And what's really great about time logs is how easy they are to start and keep.

1. Choose Your Time Log. You can keep your time log in a computer file, in an app on your cell phone, or in a notebook. (I like using steno pads for time logging.)

2. Log Your Times. And I mean log everything. When you start working on projects or tasks. When you start cooking a meal, or playing computer solitaire. When you take a shower, or watch a movie on TV.

3. Evaluate Your Time Log. Looking at your time log, you can see how much time you spend actually doing things you consider productive, like working on work or personal projects. You can also see how much time you spend "goofing off," doing things with little value. You might even see that you spend too much time busy, and need to relax more.


Most suggest you keep a time log for at least a week, to really see how you use your time. But even keeping a time log for just a day can give you valuable information that you can use to give your productivity a boost. In fact, keeping a time log can, itself, make you more productive. After all, no one wants to admit that they spent an hour watching YouTube videos, even if they are only admitting it to a piece of paper that only they will ever see.

If you want to see where your days go, and what you can do to increase your productivity, try keeping a time log. Just grab a sheet of paper, or open a new text file on your computer, and you're ready to go.

Have you ever kept a time log? And, if so, do you think it made you more productive?

A Different Kind of Time Management System

by Dee Jones

Most time management systems, even the ones that claim to be “revolutionary,” have a few things in common.

• They tell you to set and write down your goals.
• They show you how to set up a calendar.
• They give you instruction on how to prioritize your tasks and projects.

Now these similarities aren’t a bad thing. These basics turn up in so many time management systems because they work.

Still, it’s hard not to get that “same old same old” feeling when yet another time management book gives you tips on keeping a to-do list.

It’s like food. You might love chocolate cake. But, if you had to eat it every day, it wouldn’t be long before you started to want something different. Even if it was just another kind of cake.

If you’re craving “something new” when it comes to time management, How to Make Your Dreams Come True might be what you’re looking for.

What Is How To Make Your Dreams Come True?

How to Make Your Dreams Come True? is a book by Mark Forster, author of Do It Tomorrow. And you can get Dreams for free on his website.

Dreams has a unconventional take on time management. For one thing, you’re advised to only do things when you feel like doing them.

If you have to write an essay, don’t force yourself to work on it if you don’t feel like it. You should wait until you’re in the mood to tackle that writing assignment.

The theory is that procrastination often results from you trying to force yourself to do things you aren’t ready to do. But if you only do things when you feel like doing them, you won’t have much reason to procrastinate.

It sounds good, right?

The problem is that we all have projects and tasks that we’ll never just feel like doing. And if we tried to wait until we were “in the mood” to work on them, those projects just wouldn’t get done. .

Luckily, Dreams contains plenty of strategies designed to make you want to do the things you need to get done.

The Basics of How to Make Your Dreams Come True

There are many useful techniques in this time management book. But here are the three major parts of the system.

1. The “What Was Better” List

According to Forster, when we focus on the problems in our lives, problems are all we tend to see.

And a traditional to-do list is just a list of problems that need to be solved.

Looking at each day as a bunch of problems can affect your mood and overall outlook. And that can have a negative impact on your productivity.

But if you focus on the positives in your day, it will improve your general mood and outlook. And that will increase your daily store of energy and motivation.

And an easy way to focus on the positive is to keep a “What Was Better” list.  

At the end of every day, make a list of what was better about today, no matter how big or small. Some things on your list could include:

• Finishing the first draft of your novel.
• Being on time for work for the fourth day in a row.
• Preparing the perfect scrambled egg.

Keeping a What Was Better List is pretty simple. But Forster considers it the most beneficial strategy in the book.

2. Self Coaching Sessions

Imagine a happy and successful future-you, one who is living the life (both personally and professionally) that you want to be living.

Now imagine that future you being able to come back in time and help you get where they are.

That’s what self-coaching sessions are all about.

With self coaching, you spend a few minutes every day “talking” with your future self (in writing) about things like:

• Where you are right now.
• How you’re feeling.
• The things you need to do and why you aren’t doing them. 
• The things you want to do but haven’t started yet.

Dreams is actually written as a series of self-coaching sessions between Forster and his future self. And it’s fascinating to see this technique in action.

Self-coaching can help make decisions, and work out problems. It can also help you figure out why you’re feeling resistance to working on certain projects. And realizing why you’re feeling resistance is sometimes enough to make the resistance fade away.

3. The Future Vision

Remember that successful and happy future-you I mentioned earlier?

The third of the major techniques in Dreams is to write about that version of yourself.

Imagine what your ideal life would be like, both personally and professionally.

Now write down that vision of your ideal life. And use the present tense, as if you are already living that life.

Forster gives an example of his own future vision. In it he describes his future-self’s office, home, successful business, and good health.

According to Forster, when you give yourself a vision to strive for, your subconscious mind will get busy working on ways to reach it. And you'll find yourself instinctively doing things that will take you closer to that vision.

Are you skeptical about whether or not techniques like these can actually help you get things done?

Well, you’re not alone because so was I. But I’ve tried many of the techniques in Dreams. And I've been pleasantly surprised by how well they worked.  

If traditional time management systems don’t work for you, maybe How to Make Your Dreams Come True will.  

Even if you’re happy with your traditional time management methods, one of the techniques in Dreams just might help you be even more productive.

If you want to give How to Make Your Dreams Come True a try, you can get your free copy at Mark Forster’s website. Just follow the link below.

How to Make Your Dreams ComeTrue

How many time management systems have you tried in the last year or two? Have any of them worked for you, or are you still searching for the perfect time management system?

5 Steps to Making Your To-Do List SMARTer

By Dee Jones


You’ve heard it before. You’re more likely to reach a goal if it’s specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.

In other words, SMART.

Many of us set vague goals, like this one:

“I want to write a novel.”

But a SMART goal looks more like this:

“I want to write the first draft of a 150,000 word fantasy novel by June 1st.”

The more concrete a goal is, the more likely you are to reach it.

And this doesn’t apply only to big goals, like writing a novel or losing 50 pounds. Turning the tasks on your to-do list into SMART daily goals makes you more likely to complete those tasks.

Here’s how you can make a daily goal SMARTer.

Step 1. Make the Goal Specific.

If you’re like most of us, your to-do list it littered with vague daily goals like, “Wash dirty clothes.” But what does that mean, really? Will washing one load count? Or do you have to wash every piece of dirty laundry in the house before you can go to bed tonight?

Not knowing when you can stop sometimes makes it harder to start. So give yourself a finish line that will let you know when you’re done with a task.

You can make a goal more specific by adding just a few words. So “Wash dirty clothes,” becomes, “Wash two loads of laundry.”

Now you know that, when you’ve washed two loads of laundry, you can mark the task off of your to-do list.

As you look at each task on your to-do list, ask yourself, “How will I know I’m finished with this task?” If you can’t answer that question, try to make the task more specific.

Step 2. Make the Goal Measurable.

When a goal is measurable, you can track your progress. You can look at how much you’ve done and see exactly how much you still have left to do.

Making a daily task more specific usually makes it more measurable too.

If you turned, “Work on my novel” into the more specific, “Write 2000 words of my novel,” you know that, once you’ve written 1000 words, you’ll be halfway to reaching your goal.

Being able to “watch” yourself get closer to reaching a goal gives you a sense of progress. And a sense of progress is a motivation booster.

You can also break measurable tasks down into smaller chunks.

For example, maybe you find the idea of trying to write 2000 words all in one block a little daunting. So, instead, you decide to write 500 words in the morning, another 500 in the afternoon, and the remaining 1000 after dinner.

As you look at each task on your to-do list, ask yourself, “How will I know when I’m halfway done?” If you can’t answer that question, make the goal more measurable.

Step 3: Make Sure the Goal Attainable.

Making a goal specific and measurable does increase your chance of reaching that goal.

But if the goal isn’t also attainable, you could be setting yourself up for failure.

Say one of the tasks on your to-do list is, “Wash four loads of laundry.”

Sounds good. Even doable in the morning, when all is peaceful and calm.

But, as the day rolls along, things get busy, and you only manage three loads. And instead of celebrating the fact that you washed three whole loads of laundry, you focus on that one load that you didn’t get to. And, you guessed it, you feel like you failed.

Sometimes it’s better to make goals that feel almost too easy. Something you’re pretty sure you can get done (barring unforeseen circumstances) before bedtime. So, instead of setting a goal to wash four loads of laundry, set a goal to wash just two loads. Or maybe even one.

Consider lowering your expectations for each task on your to-do list. Even if, right now, you’re sure you can write 2000 words of your novel before bed, set a goal to write 1000 words instead. Reaching that goal will feel great. And you’ll motivated to write more tomorrow.

Step 4. Make the Goal Relevant.

You’re more likely to feel motivated to do something if you actually care about. If it matters to you.

So, when you add a task to your to-do list, ask yourself why you want to do it. Why does it matter?

Maybe you want to write 1000 words today because you want to finish your novel and realize your dream of being a professional fiction writer. Or you have an idea for a great story, and can’t wait to tell it.

You want to wash a load of laundry because you like having a tidy laundry room. Or you love the way freshly washed linen smells. Or you hate not having clean socks.

Thinking about why you want to do something can make you feel more motivated to do it.

 Step 5. Make the Goal Time-Based

When talking about bigger goals, making them time-based usually means giving them a deadline. “I want to write a novel by June 1st,” for example.

But you know what the deadline on your daily goal is. You want to get it done by the end of the day.

Still, you can make a daily goal time-based by choosing a specific time to get started on it.

If you’re goal is to write 1000 words of your book, commit to starting at 6 pm.

Washing a load of laundry is a series of steps rather than something you can do all at once. But you can set a specific time to start each step. For example:

• Put the clothes in the washer before you leave for work.
• Move the load to the dryer when you get home from work.
• Fold the clean clothes after dinner.

Any task on your to-do list is more likely to get done if you pick a specific time to start.


Turning the tasks on your to-do list into SMART daily goals might sound like a lot of work. But you can make any task on your list SMARTer in just a minute or two.

In fact, why not try it now? Turn one of your to-dos into a goal that’s:

1. Specific
2. Measurable
3. Attainable
4. Relevant
5. Time-Based

See? That didn’t take long, did it?

Now do the same with the rest of the tasks on your to-do list.

You’ll be surprised by how much more you get done when you make your to-do list SMARTer.

Have you tried turning some of your goals into SMART goals? If so, do you think it made those goals easier to reach?

The Pomodoro Technique: What It Is and How to Do It

by Dee Jones

See, there’s this project…

It might be a personal project you’ve been putting off for too long. Or it’s something you have to do for work or school. In any case, you’re determined to make some progress on that project today.

But just as you get started, you get an email notification. Oh, well, spending a minute or two checking your email won’t hurt.

Half an hour later, you get back to the project. And that’s when a friend you haven’t seen in a while calls. Before you know it, you’re chatting about old times.

An hour later, you turn back to your project with renewed determination. But, five minutes in, you realize you’re kind of hungry. And you can’t do your best work on an empty stomach, right?

So you go to fix yourself a snack. And, by the time you finish eating, you don’t feel like working on that project anymore. Maybe tomorrow…

Sound familiar?

If so, then you should check out the Pomodoro Technique.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management method created by Francesco Cirillo. As a university student, Cirillo developed this system to help him develop better study habits. He'd set a timer for a certain amount of time, and not allow himself to stop to do anything else until the timer went off.

The name of the technique was inspired by the kitchen timer he used. It was shaped like a tomato. And the word for tomato in Italian is pomodoro.

You can think of the Pomodoro Technique as timeboxing taken to the next level. You work on a project or task in a series of 25 minute timeboxes, or pomodoros. And after each pomodoro, you take a short break.

The great thing about this method is how accessible it is. No matter where you are, if you have a timer, you can use the Pomodoro Technique to get things done.

Why the Pomodoro Technique Works?

You don’t have to search very hard to find everyone from students, to writers, to CEOs raving about the Pomodoro Technique. But, really, what’s so great about it?

The Pomodoro Technique keeps you from getting derailed by distractions.

Interruptions can be hard to ignore. Think about it. How many times have you dropped what you were working on to answer the phone, fix yourself a snack, or look up something online. Well those interruptions and distractions often end up taking longer than you expect, and can keep you from making real progress on any project.

The Pomodoro Technique helps you ignore those interruptions and focus on the task at hand.

The Pomodoro Technique gives you a finish line.

It’s easier to get started on a challenging or unpleasant task if you know when you can stop. (Like, say, in 25 minutes.) And once you’ve worked on something for one pomodoro, there’s a good chance you’ll realize it wasn’t as hard or unpleasant as you thought it would be. As a result, you just might want to work on it a little longer.

The Pomodoro Technique is easy to use. 

The problem with a lot of productivity methods, even the good ones, is that they’re too complicated or involved. As often as not, the benefits of using those methods won’t seem worth the hassle.

The Pomodoro Technique is easy to use. In fact, the hardest part is choosing a timer.

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique

 All you really need to use the Pomodoro Technique is a timer. However, to track your progress, you should also grab a pen and a piece of paper. Next:

1. Choose the task or project you want to work on.
2. Set the timer for 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task until the timer rings. Don’t stop to grab a snack, or see what’s happening on Twitter. For those 25 minutes, you focus on getting some work done.
4. When the timer rings, put an X or check mark on your piece of paper, to show that you completed a pomodoro.
5. Take a 3 to 5 minute break. Take a few deep breaths. Walk around for a bit. Grab a glass of water.
6. When you’re break is over, start the next pomodoro.
7. After four pomodoros, take a 15 to 30 minute break. You might find you want to get back to work sooner. But give yourself at least 15 minutes to relax and recharge. This will make you more focused and productive when you get back to work.
8. Once your long break is over, start on your next set of Pomodoros.

Oh, one more thing. A pomodoro is indivisible. This means that if you stop working on your project before the timer rings, you don’t get credit for that block of time. No, you can only put that X on your paper when you complete a full Pomodoro.

Now if you stop to answer the phone, and it only takes a minute or two to tell the caller that you’ll get back to them later, you don’t have to cancel the current pomodoro. Just deal with the call (or other interruption) and get back to work.

But if an interruption lasts for longer than a few minutes, then the current Pomodoro is null and void, and you don’t get credit for it.

Often, not wanting to “lose credit” for a pomodoro is enough to keep you focused and working on a task for the full 25 minutes.


Is there a project you’re putting off right now? If so, grab a timer and start your first pomodoro. You might be surprised how much progress you can make in the next 25 minutes. And that progress might just motivate you to keep going.


Have you used the Pomodoro Technique? How did it work for you? Leave a comment below and let us know. 

How to Keep a Done List…and Why You Want To

By Dee Jones

Have you ever ended the day feeling like you didn’t really do anything?

Well, okay, you know you did stuff. You got out of bed, took a shower, made breakfast. But you just don’t feel like you got anything done.

The truth is you probably did more today than you think. Most of us tend to focus on what we didn’t do, what we missed, or what we messed up. Our accomplishments and achievements? Those we forget or overlook.

Going to bed with that “didn’t get anything done today” feeling can be de-motivating. And that lack of motivation can end up carrying over into the next day.

Luckily, there’s a solution.

Start keeping a Done List.

What is a Done List?

A Done List is a bit like a To-Do List. The difference is in how they’re made.

With a To-Do List, you start the day with a list of things you want to do. As you complete those tasks and projects, you check them off the list as “done.”

With a Done List, you don’t start with a list of predetermined tasks. Instead, you start with a blank sheet of paper. And, as the day chugs along, you add the things you do to your Done List.

And you don’t just write down things you’ve finished either.

With a To-Do List, you only get “credit” for things you actually finish and check off.

Say you work on a report for an hour, but you don’t finish it. Since you didn’t finish, you can’t check it off your to-do list. Making progress on a project is always a good thing. But what sometimes happens is you feel so down about the empty check-box next to that to-do that you can’t feel good about the hour of work you got done.

With a Done List, you’d add something like this to your list:

“Worked on report for an hour.”

The fact that you didn’t finish doesn’t matter. Instead, you focus on—and feel good about—the hour of work you did, and the progress you made.

I’m sure you can guess which one of those is more motivating.

Now To-Do Lists aren’t a bad thing. In fact, they’re great when used the right way. But a Done List can help to increase your motivation and, as a result, your productivity.

Here are 3 tips that will help you get the most out of a Done List.

3 Done List Tips and Tricks

Try Going without Your To-Do List

Can’t imagine getting through the day without your To-Do List? Well, there’s no law that says you can’t keep a To-Do List and a Done List at the same time. But trying to keep track of two lists could end up being more trouble than it’s worth.

Many people find that a Done List is all they need to have a productive day. So why not replace your To-Do List with a Done List, at least for a day or two, and see how it works for you?

If you’re worried you’ll forget what you need to do without a To-Do List, just write those tasks on a stickie note or index card. Next, put the list in a place where it will always be visible (like the wall next to your desk).  If you make a point of glancing at the list throughout the day, you won’t forget the things you want to do and work on.

Decide When You’ll Write Down Your “Dones”

There are two ways to go about keeping a Done List.

First is keeping a running Done List. Any time you complete a task or do some work on a project, take a moment to add it to your Done List.

Just the act of adding something new to your list can be extremely motivating. You’ll find yourself wanting to do something else so you can add another “done” to the list.

But, for some, stopping every 15 to 30 minutes to add something new to their Done List starts to feel like a hassle. And what happens when something feels like a hassle? Well, you’re more likely not to do it.

So an alternative is to wait until the end of the day to make your Done List. Just take 5 or 10 minutes to write down everything you did or got done, no matter how big or small.

This is a great option if you don’t want to give up your To-Do List, but still want to enjoy the benefits of keeping a Done List.

Choose a “List” You’re Comfortable With

Some claim that keeping a Done List by hand is the only way to go. And writing things by hand does have its benefits.

Others say you simply must use an app. They’re so much more convenient than paper and pen, aren’t they?

But, when it comes down to it, it’s all about what you’re most comfortable with.

If you want to keep your list by hand, just turn to a blank page in your notebook and get started. Or you can even use a piece of scrap paper that you’ve folded in half and stuck in your pocket.

If you want to go digital, your options are almost limitless. You can keep your Done List in a program like Evernote, in a simple text document on your computer, or in a to-do list app on your phone. All that matters is that it’s something you find easy to use.


Being able to look at a list and see what you’ve done will motivate you to do more. So if you’re looking for ways to be more productive, you should definitely give keeping a Done List a try.

3 Free Time Management Systems That Really Work

by Dee Jones

When's the last time you spent money on a time management book?

Did the system in that book work for you?

If it didn't, I bet you've been kicking yourself for wasting your money. But don’t beat yourself up over it. That time management book probably isn’t bad. In fact, the system might work for a lot of people. It just didn't work for you, something you couldn't know until you tried it for yourself.

You just wish you didn’t have to spend hard-earned cash on what turned out to be a failed experiment.

If only you could give a time management system a test drive without having to buy a book to do it.

Well, it's your lucky day. Here are three free time management systems for you to try. And they won’t cost you a penny.

Weekly/Daily Goals

Weekly/Daily Goals is a system created by Scott Young, a popular productivity blogger. Young’s claim to fame is that he completed MIT's four-year computer science curriculum in just twelve months.

Anyone who can do something like that probably knows a thing or two about managing your time.

The Weekly/Daily Goals system is simple. In fact, the basics are right there in the name.

1. First, make a list of things you want to get done in the next week.
2. Every morning (or the night before), make a list of the tasks and to-dos you want to get done that day.
3. Once all of the tasks and to-dos have been checked off of your daily list, you’re done for the day, and free to do whatever you want.

The concept behind WDG is that you can get plenty of stuff done, and still have time to relax and enjoy life. In fact, those breaks will make you more productive in the long run.    

If you'd like to give this time management system a try, these blog posts describe how Weekly/Daily Goals works in more detail.

• How to Finish Your Work, One Bite at a Time
• Work Less to Get More Done

How to Make Your Dreams Come True

Take a look at almost any time management system, and you’ll usually find some common elements. Most show you how to set achievable goals, make task lists, and schedule your time. The specifics might differ from one system to another. But a few basics seem to pop up again and again.

Now these similarities aren't a bad thing. The basics show up in so many systems because they work.

But maybe you'd like to try something new.

How to Make Your Dreams Come True is definitely a different kind of time management book. Instead of setting goals, you create a vision. There's a list, but it's not a to-do or task list. And the book advises you to do as little scheduling as possible.

Written by Mark Forster (the author of Do It Tomorrow), How to Make Your Dreams Come True started its life in print. And if you wanted to try the system, you had to buy the book. But, after Dreams had been out of print for a while, Forster made it available on his website for free.

So what's the "big idea" behind How to Make Your Dreams Come True?

Don’t try to force yourself to do things. In fact, you should only do things when you feel like doing them.

For example, take washing dishes. If you don't feel like washing the dishes after dinner, don't wash the dishes after dinner.Trying to force yourself to do it will only cause resistance and procrastination.

If you give yourself permission not to wash the dishes, it will actually make you more likely to do it. Eventually you'll get sick of the mess and start cleaning the kitchen. And you’ll do that chore effortlessly, without any feelings of resistance or desire to procrastinate.

If this sounds a little iffy to you, don't worry. The book contains several techniques that will help you feel like doing the things you need to do.

If you'd like to see for yourself what Dreams is all about, you can download a Word file of How to Make Your Dreams Come True on Mark Forster's website, no sign up required. Just follow the link below:

• How to Make Your Dreams Come True

The Action Method

The Action Method first appeared in a book called Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky. But you don't have to buy the book to understand the basics of the system. Belsky himself wrote a series of articles in which he explains what the Action Method is all about.

The big draw of the Action Method is its simplicity. If you have a notebook and a pen, you can start using AM to complete your projects, both big and small.

The Action Method breaks any project down into three simple components.

1. Action Steps are the things you need to do to move the project towards completion.
2. Backburner Items are action steps that either can't be done right now, or can wait until later.
3. References are the project-related materials you need to keep. For example, if you're planning a wedding, one of your References might be a list of local caterers.

The Action Method is great for anyone who wants to keep their projects somewhat organized, but also likes to keep things simple.

If you want to know more about the Action Method, you can read all about it in this three part series: 

• Action Method I: Breaking Projects into Primary Elements
• Action Method II: Keeping Projects Alive
• Action Method III: Make Time for Processing Your Next Steps

And there you have it. Three time management systems you can try without spending a dime. And one of them just might be the perfect fit for you.

Do you know of any other free time management systems? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Don’t Break Down Your Project—Use AutoFocus Instead

by Dee Jones


You should break your projects down into small tasks.

You’ve probably heard this little piece of time management advice dozens of times. The idea is that big tasks, like “write a novel,” are too overwhelming. And things that feel big and overwhelming are exactly the kinds of things we tend to procrastinate on.

But a small task like “write a page” isn’t nearly as daunting, so you’re more likely to actually do it.

If you focus on doing small tasks, one at a time, you can get any project done, even something as overwhelming as writing a novel. After all, they do say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. 

So breaking down your projects into smaller tasks is excellent advice. And it can work on any project, no matter how big or small.

But what if you don’t like breaking down projects? What if you want to just dive in and get to work?

Then you can give AutoFocus a try.

What Is AutoFocus?

A few years back, a time management system called AutoFocus was the talk of the Internet.

Created by Mark Forster, the author of several books on time management, AutoFocus was a breath of fresh air compared to systems like Getting Things Done, and even Forster’s own Do It Tomorrow. Those systems are great, but they aren't for everyone.

On the other hand, people found AutoFocus appealing for many reasons.

• The Low Overhead. In the world of productivity, overhead is how much work a system takes to set up and maintain. With some systems, you have to spend hours a week on maintenance in order to keep things running smoothly. Never mind the hours you spend setting the system up in the first place. But, with AutoFocus, there was almost no setup or maintenance. All you needed was a notebook, a pen, and a list of stuff to do.

• The Fun Factor. Yes, strange as it sounds, using AutoFocus was fun. Some time management systems, no matter how good they are, can feel like a chore to use. But AF was a system you could actually enjoy using. And the more you enjoy using your time management system, the more effective it will be.

• It Worked! People who used AutoFocus found themselves getting more done than they ever had before. Tasks and projects they’d been avoiding for months, possibly years, were suddenly done and checked off of their lists.

It’s no wonder people were praising AutoFocus all over the Internet. And the fact that Forster gave his system away for free on his website made it even better. 

I don’t use AF to manage all of my projects and tasks anymore (even though I have fond memories of doing so). But AF has turned out to be perfect for working on individual tasks and projects. 

When you use AF on individual projects, you don’t have to spend a lot of time on the front end breaking a project down. Instead, you just make a list and get to work.

How AutoFocus Works

To understand how AF can help you complete your projects, you need to know how AF works. There’s more to it than this of course, but these are the basics in a nutshell.

1. You grab a notebook and start writing down everything you need or want to do. And whenever something new occurs to you, you add it to the end of the list. (Which could be on another page of the notebook.)
2. Starting at the top of page one, you read down the list, stopping whenever you come to a task or project that you feel like working on. And this will happen more often than you might expect. I found myself suddenly eager to tackle projects I’d been putting off for ages thanks to AF.
3. After working on a task for “as long you feel like it” (per the instructions) you do one of two things. If you’ve completed the task, you cross it off the list. If you haven’t completed the task, you rewrite it at the end of the list, and then cross it off the page you’re currently working on. 
4. You keep rotating around the first page. When you get to the bottom of the page, you go back to the top and start the process all over again, reading down the page and working on any tasks or projects that appeal to you. 
5. If you ever go from the top to the bottom of a page without doing any of the tasks left on it, you move on to the next page. 
6. Eventually, you work your way through all of the pages of the notebook. At which point you start over from the first active page. 

As task management systems go, you can’t get much simpler than that.

Using AutoFocus for Individual Projects

When using AF on individual projects, your list will be made up only of tasks related to that project.

So, if you’re cleaning out a garage, your list might include tasks like:

• Getting boxes for storage.
• Giving old books, clothes and toys to charity. 
• Finding a better way to organize your tools. 
• Cleaning the oil-stained floor.

You get the idea.

It doesn’t matter that you’ve been meaning to do all of those things for years but could never find the motivation. Once you make a list, and start working it AutoFocus-style, you’ll find those tasks getting done, much to your surprise and delight.

AF might not work on every kind of project. But for projects like cleaning out a messy garage, organizing a book collection, or taming paper clutter, it works like a charm.

If you’d like to try AutoFocus as a project management system, check out the free instructions. AF is so simple, you’ll have no trouble figuring out how to apply the method to individual projects.

Do you have a project you’ve been avoiding? Or have you tried breaking projects down with little success? If so, give AutoFocus a try.

In fact, since it’s so easy to start doing AF, you can give it a try right now. Choose some household project you’ve been putting off, start making your list, and watch those tasks get done!

How to Create a To-Do List That Works

by Dee Jones

Everyone raves about to-do lists, but they just don’t work for you.

Oh, you've tried using them. You might even have one going right now. But you rarely—if ever—manage to complete all of the tasks on your list.

There's something so demotivating about getting to the end of your day, and coming face-to-face with a long list of stuff that you didn't do. And I bet you've thought about giving up on using to-do lists altogether.

Well, don't give up just yet. There’s a reason so many people rave about to-do lists. They work. But a lot depends on how you make them, and how you use them.

Here are some tips that will help you create a to-do list that actually works.

To-Do List Tip #1: Limit the Number of Tasks on Your List

How many tasks are on your to-do list right now? Ten? Twenty? More?

Unless all of the tasks on your list can be done in 10 minutes or less, there’s no way you’ll be able to get those 10 or 20 things done in a single day.

And that’s the “secret” of making a to-do list that works. You only want to include as many tasks as you can reasonably expect to get done in one day. If your to-do list has more than 5 tasks on it, it’s probably too big.

Start thinking of your to-do list as a “To-Do Today List.” That will help you keep it from getting out of control.

Limiting your to-do list to 3 to 5 tasks means there’s a real chance you’ll get everything on the list done before the day is over. Knowing that, you’ll feel more motivated to do the things on your list. And when it comes to getting things done, motivation is key.

To-Do List Tip #2: Limit the Size of the Tasks on Your List

Almost as bad as having too many tasks on your list is having tasks on your list that are too big.

For example, “Clean out the kids’ closets.” This is the kind of task you see on many to-do lists. But can you really complete that task in a single day?

Actually, depending on how many kids you have, and the state of those closets, maybe you can. But you probably won’t get to the other 2 to 4 tasks on your list.

Instead of putting big projects on your to-do list, you want to break your projects down into smaller tasks that you can do in 15 minutes to an hour, and put one of those tasks on your list for the day. So don't put “clean out the kids’ closets” on your to-do list. Instead, write something like “go through the old shoes in one of the kids’ closets.” That's much more doable.

To-Do List Tip #3: Don’t Add to Your To-Do List

There are few things more demotivating than a to-do list that just keeps growing, and growing, and growing. For every task you complete, you add 2 or 3 more. And the longer the list gets, the less you feel like tackling any of the tasks on it.

Or maybe you find yourself doing the small tasks, things that can be done in five or ten minutes. Sure, this helps to shrink your list. But, while your list is getting shorter, the bigger, more important tasks end up getting ignored.

Fortunately there’s an easy solution to the “never-ending to-do list” problem.

Don’t add anything to your to-do list.

Once you have made your to-do list for the day, consider it set in stone. Don’t add anything else to it. Just focus on getting the 3 to 5 tasks already on that list done.

The only exception is if something pops up that you absolutely, positively have to do that day...or else.

For example, say you’re company might lose a client if you don’t fix a report by the end of the workday. Then of course you should drop everything else and work on the report. But how often are the new things that pop up during the day really that urgent?

Honestly, not very often.

Still, you don’t want to forget those new tasks. So put those potential to-dos on a list of things you might do after you finish the tasks on today’s to-do list. And, if you don’t get to those new tasks today, you can put some of them on tomorrow’s to-do list.



To-Do lists really are one of the best tools you can use to manage your time and get things done. The trick is to create a list that's short, sweet, and only includes as much as you can actually get done in one day.

And  when you cross off that last item on your to-do list, knowing that everything you set out to do today got done….Well, it’s a great feeling. So great that you’ll want to experience that feeling again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.


Do you use to-do lists? And, if so, do you have any tips on creating to-do lists that work? Leave a comment below and let us know.