Danielle Hestand

Summary

The author finds traditional to-do lists counterproductive and prefers to record daily achievements for a sense of accomplishment.

Abstract

While to-do lists are commonly recommended for productivity, the author has found that they often lead to overestimating what can be done in a day. Instead, the author suggests that writing down what has been achieved each day is more beneficial for recognizing true productivity. This method emphasizes the value of acknowledging the multitude of tasks completed that might not typically be listed on a to-do list, thereby providing a greater sense of accomplishment.

Opinions

To-do lists can be overwhelming if they contain more tasks than can be realistically completed.
Recording daily achievements can be more effective than listing tasks to be done.
Acknowledging the variety of tasks completed in a day, even those not on a to-do list, can enhance one's sense of accomplishment.

What’s Better Than a To-Do List?

To-do lists help many people, and I often hear about their merits. They can certainly be useful tools, but for me, they’re sometimes counterproductive. I try to put more tasks on them than I should reasonably expect myself to complete.

Even though a detailed to-do list doesn’t work for me, I like to type what I’ve achieved for the day on my phone instead of writing down things I need to do. Noting that makes me feel more cognizant of how much I’ve accomplished in one day.

You may find that tracking the tasks you’ve gotten done in the course of a day brings you a sense of accomplishment. We all complete plenty of activities in one day that maybe wouldn’t even make it onto a to-do list. It’s helpful to recognize them.

Inspiration

To Do List

Productivity

Gratitude

Short Form

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