What's the point of a 'have done' list, I hear you ask? Well there are loads of points, but here are just a few which will help you improve your time management:
- you can see at a glance where all your time is going
- this helps you track over time, patterns, tendencies, tasks that you always have time for, those things that are getting done but also those that never get on the list
- you can make a comparison between what's on the 'have done' list and your core goals. Map across and decide if you are getting a good ROI on your time in relation to your core goals
- assess the value you have derived from your 'have dones' and ask yourself should I have done that, at all? (Remember my maxim 'just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should')
- personal satisfaction. You will see at a glance what you have achieved. It will make you feel good and that will motivate you to go on and achieve even more. You get more of what you focus on.
Steel yourself for your findings, you may be in shock.
Where did I come up with this one, you may ask? Two things I will tell you. While, mapping your time to your core goals is vital in optimising your ROI, it's the last point that really does it for me. Particularly, when I'm spending a high percentage of time on business development and it's very difficult to reap immediate reward. It's that last point that keeps me going. And second, did you ever add something to your 'to do' list after you had done it? Well you just turned it into a 'have done' list. Yep, we've all been there. Ask yourself, why did I do that?
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