In college, one of my professors joked about his productivity method:
“At the end of the day, I just take everything on my desk and throw it away. If it’s important, I’ll see it again.”
It’s such a shocking idea that I still chuckle when I tell the story. But now that I’m older (in fact, I’m probably around the age he was when he was saying this), I’m starting to wonder if this really was his approach. Once the laughter dies down, I think the wisdom of this statement becomes clear.
What especially catches my attention is the notion that “if it’s important, I’ll see it again.” It’s certainly been true in my own experience! Think about it: are you more likely to stay up late because you just remembered you need to buy paper clips, or because you just had an idea for that presentation you’re scheduled to give next week? Important things have ways of coming up again…and again…and again.
Therefore, I’ve started planning my days with a fresh list. I don’t look at my previous day’s list, I just review my description of the best possible version of me (now modeled after the septessence), and then start making plans, thinking what would the best possible version of me do today?
I’ve found this approach to be very helpful for 2 reasons:
- It leaves the least valuable parts of yesterday behind.
Because of everything that happened yesterday, you’re a different person now than you were yesterday, and have different priorities. Why should you stay chained to yesterday’s plans? By cutting ties with yesterday, you ensure that the plans you make for today are the most current, most relevant plans for who you are and who you are becoming. You’re choosing today’s actions because they are in line with your hopes and dreams as of today, not because they were in line with your hopes and dreams yesterday. This ensures that you stay flexible and continue to grow. You don’t leave everything behind, of course. That’s where the second benefit of this approach comes in!
- It brings the most valuable parts of yesterday forward.
The key here is “valuable.” You did some things yesterday that set some very important wheels in motion, things that need to continue today to keep the momentum going. But because those actions were so significant, and continuing them today is so vital, they automatically come to mind when you’re preparing today’s plans. So there’s no reason to fear leaving yesterday’s plan behind, because the most important aspects of it will return to you like a value-adding boomerang!
So, I think my professor was really on to something. Don’t worry about ignoring yesterday’s to-do list. For the best results, just start fresh today, secure in the knowledge that what was important will come back to you.