A key feature of the Calibration Method is building a to-do list for today only. This is important for several reasons:
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Focusing solely on today stops procrastination.
When you have a long list of things you want to get done today, tomorrow, and long into the future, it becomes really easy to let items slide because there’s always the possibility that you’ll get to it tomorrow. By setting out to build a list that contains only the items you plan to get done today, and then committing to completing them to the best of your ability, you effectively put an end to procrastination…for today, if nothing else.
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Having a limited list motivates you to complete it all.
When you have a list of everything you want to accomplish in a day, and are pre-committed to not filling it up with more stuff once those are done, you have a concrete finish line that you can push yourself to reach — and celebrate when you get there!
I’ll be honest, I’ll still trying to figure out what I’m capable of in a day, so I still don’t often finish my list. But when I do, it feels great!
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Exercising control over your day’s list in the short-term keeps you in control of your lists, not the other way around
By limiting yourself to only doing the tasks you’ve set out to do, you make an advance decision to not worry about any other tasks that might be “out there.” After all, you’ll already prioritized your tasks and decided those other tasks weren’t necessary to do today. They may be necessary tomorrow, but not today. Sticking with that decision puts you in charge, and helps you feel a greater sense of control. Too often, the longer your list gets, the more overwhelmed you get and the less control you feel. Committing to a limited list keeps that overwhelmed feeling in check.
Even if you never implement the Calibration Method in its entirety, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to write out a list of only things you actually believe you can finish today — and make sure they’re worthy of your limited time that day!