Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management Summary

Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management

by Mark Forster • 2006 • 224 pages
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Productivity Self Help Business
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Key Takeaways

1. Establish clear limits and focus on one thing at a time

A clear vision is as much about what you are not going to do as it is about what you are going to do.

Focused productivity. Establishing clear limits and focusing on one thing at a time are fundamental principles of effective time management. By setting boundaries on your work and commitments, you create a framework for increased productivity and reduced stress. This approach helps prevent overwhelm and allows for deeper engagement with tasks.

Benefits of limitation:

  • Improved concentration and quality of work
  • Reduced mental clutter and decision fatigue
  • Increased likelihood of task completion
  • Better work-life balance

Implementing this principle requires conscious effort to say "no" to non-essential activities and distractions. Regularly review your commitments and eliminate those that don't align with your primary goals or values. Remember, every "yes" to one thing is a "no" to something else.

2. Create a buffer between stimulus and response

To complain about a shortage of time is like a fish in the sea complaining that it has a shortage of water.

Reactive vs. proactive. Creating a buffer between stimulus and response is crucial for maintaining control over your time and actions. This principle involves pausing before reacting to incoming tasks, requests, or information, allowing you to make more thoughtful and strategic decisions.

Implementing buffers:

  • Batch processing emails and messages at set times
  • Using a "holding area" for new tasks before adding them to your main to-do list
  • Practicing the "24-hour rule" before committing to new requests

By creating these buffers, you reduce the likelihood of being constantly interrupted and pulled in different directions. This approach helps maintain focus on your priorities and prevents the day from becoming a series of reactive responses to external stimuli.

3. Implement the "Do It Tomorrow" system

Nothing is so urgent that it can't be put off till tomorrow.

Structured delay. The "Do It Tomorrow" system is a powerful approach to managing daily tasks and incoming work. This method involves collecting all incoming tasks during one day and processing them the following day, creating a natural buffer and allowing for more structured and efficient work.

Key components of the system:

  • Collect all incoming work (emails, voicemails, tasks) during the day
  • Process yesterday's work in batches the following day
  • Use a "will-do" list instead of a traditional to-do list
  • Maintain a separate list for genuinely urgent same-day tasks

This system helps reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by incoming work and allows for better planning and prioritization. It also helps break the cycle of constant interruptions and reactionary work habits, leading to increased productivity and reduced stress.

4. Use closed lists to increase efficiency

A closed list is a way of applying limits to our work in order to increase our efficiency.

Finite focus. Closed lists are a powerful tool for increasing efficiency and maintaining focus. Unlike open-ended to-do lists that can grow endlessly, closed lists have a defined set of tasks that cannot be added to once created. This limitation encourages completion and reduces the tendency to constantly shift priorities.

Benefits of closed lists:

  • Clearer sense of progress and accomplishment
  • Reduced decision fatigue
  • Increased likelihood of task completion
  • Better time estimation and planning

To implement closed lists, create a daily "will-do" list with a realistic number of tasks that can be completed in one day. Once the list is created, resist the urge to add new items until the current list is finished. This approach helps maintain focus and prevents the constant shuffling of priorities that often occurs with traditional to-do lists.

5. Distinguish between real work and busy work

Busy work often looks more like work than real work does.

Meaningful productivity. Distinguishing between real work and busy work is crucial for maximizing productivity and achieving important goals. Real work advances your business or career, utilizes your skills fully, and often takes you out of your comfort zone. Busy work, on the other hand, often feels productive but doesn't contribute significantly to your primary objectives.

Characteristics of real work vs. busy work:
Real work:

  • Directly impacts bottom line or key objectives
  • Requires your unique skills and expertise
  • Often challenging or outside comfort zone

Busy work:

  • Feels productive but doesn't advance key goals
  • Could be delegated or eliminated
  • Often used to avoid more challenging tasks

Regularly assess your activities to ensure you're focusing on real work. Be honest about which tasks are truly essential and which are merely keeping you busy. Eliminate or delegate busy work to free up time for more impactful activities.

6. Overcome procrastination through structured approaches

Lying is an attribute of the rational mind.

Strategic self-deception. Overcoming procrastination requires understanding the psychological mechanisms behind it and implementing structured approaches to combat it. One effective technique is to "fool" the reactive mind by pretending not to do the resisted task while taking small steps towards it.

Techniques to overcome procrastination:

  • Use the phrase "I'm not really going to [task] now, but I'll just [small step]"
  • Work in timed bursts (e.g., 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break)
  • Break large tasks into smaller, less intimidating steps
  • Use positive self-talk and reframing techniques

Remember that procrastination is often rooted in feelings of being overwhelmed or fears of failure. By using these structured approaches, you can bypass the emotional resistance and make steady progress on important tasks.

7. Prioritize projects by reverse order of urgency

I don't believe that anyone consistently prioritises by importance because it's virtually impossible to do so.

Proactive planning. Prioritizing projects by reverse order of urgency is a counterintuitive but effective approach to managing multiple projects. This method involves tackling less urgent tasks first, which prevents them from becoming urgent later and reduces overall stress and last-minute rushes.

Benefits of reverse urgency prioritization:

  • Reduces artificial emergencies
  • Improves work quality by allowing more time for important tasks
  • Decreases stress by spreading work more evenly
  • Increases overall productivity and efficiency

To implement this approach, regularly review your projects and identify those with the most distant deadlines. Allocate time to work on these projects consistently, even if they don't feel urgent. This proactive approach prevents the buildup of last-minute crises and allows for more thoughtful, high-quality work across all projects.

8. Delegate effectively to maximize productivity

You will never get anyone to attach a higher priority to your work than they perceive you are giving to it yourself.

Empowering others. Effective delegation is crucial for maximizing productivity and achieving larger goals. It involves not just assigning tasks, but also empowering others to take ownership and develop their skills. Proper delegation frees up your time for high-level tasks while developing your team's capabilities.

Keys to effective delegation:

  • Delegate tasks as soon as possible, not at the last minute
  • Provide clear instructions and expectations
  • Set realistic deadlines with built-in buffers
  • Follow up regularly without micromanaging
  • Offer support and resources as needed

Remember that delegation is a skill that improves with practice. Resist the urge to do everything yourself, even if it seems faster in the short term. Effective delegation leads to long-term productivity gains and a more capable team.

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