To increase productivity, create anti-to-do lists

What is an anti-to-do list

The idea is to keep not one to-do list, as we all used to do, but two. In the anti-to-do-list, you need to enter the tasks completed during the day. In other words, this is a list of achievements.

This is a very motivating technique because you can see how much you accomplished in a day. Even if these to-do's weren't on your to-do list.

In the to-do list, you cross out completed tasks. And in the anti-to-do list, you add everything that you did additionally, in addition to the planned tasks.

By the end of the week, you will see that it was not as unproductive as it might seem from the to-do list, in which several items remained uncrossed.

Why it improves productivity

During the day, we have to perform many more tasks than the number indicated on our to-do-list. Sometimes they take a long time, so we do not have time to complete the previously planned tasks. At the end of the day, we look at the to-do list and feel disappointed in ourselves.

We think over tasks from the to-do-list in advance. This is undoubtedly very useful for achieving the goal: by making a clear plan for the day, we set priorities. But by writing down our achievements, we motivate ourselves even more to complete tasks and new achievements.

Even if you only have a couple of tasks on your schedule, looking at your anti-to-do list will tell you that your day hasn't been wasted.

It also keeps track of your progress. It can help you keep track of what good habits you have developed. Over time, this can develop into a kind of gambling in which you compete with yourself.