The power of a done list

I don’t think it will come as a surprise to many of you that I’m a big fan of a to-do list. I have been a stationery nerd for as long as I can remember (my Mum has a video of me unwrapping coloured erasers and huge packs of gel pens with glee on Christmas Day 1996), and as someone who runs multiple businesses alongside volunteer work and a busy social life, making lists helps me to feel organised and focused.

But there’s another type of list I love to make, too: a done list. And if I’m being really honest, I think I love it more than I love a to-do list. You see, a done list never leaves you feeling overwhelmed (or like you haven’t worked hard enough) in the same way that a to-do list can. Instead, it helps to build pride, confidence and joy, and can even go some way to keeping imposter syndrome at bay. 

So what is a done list then? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like - a list of all things you managed to get done. Unlike a to-do list, which is always future focused, a done list encourages us to pause, reflect and celebrate all that we’ve already achieved. By writing these things down, we give ourselves the opportunity to feel good about our efforts, instead of berating ourselves for not quite getting round to everything.

And that shift in focus can be powerful, because our moods aren’t determined by our actions, but by our thoughts. We all know how deflated it can make us feel to leave the office on a Friday evening focusing on all the things we didn’t manage to get done, but shifting our attention to all of our achievements can flip our mood to something much more positive, which in turn can benefit our wellbeing and improve our sense of resilience.

I like to keep my done list in a Google Doc - I choose to keep it there because I can access it from any device and I don’t need to worry if I leave my notebook at work or forget to email myself the document. I have 15 minutes carved out in my diary every Friday afternoon, and during that time I sit and reflect on everything I’ve achieved that week.

The contents of my done list document are repetitive, but it doesn’t matter. The point isn’t to write something interesting or novel - it’s simply to give myself credit for all the things I’ve done, instead of giving all of my attention to the things that I haven’t. The reason why I like to keep it all in one document is because as the list grows, so does the amount of evidence I have that I’m doing a good job, which can be really handy when my inner critic starts to get noisy. Clients tell me that it can also really help when you’re preparing for a job interview or getting ready for a performance review.

I’d love to encourage you to start your own done list. Maybe you want to borrow my method and create a little Friday afternoon ritual for yourself, or perhaps you’d rather end each day with a little done list in the back of your notebook. Whichever way you choose to do it, flipping your attention to focus on what you’ve done will shift your perspective, train your brain to be more positive and build your sense of self-belief - not bad for a little list, huh?