I’m a fan of using a bullet journal. It really helps me to stay on track, keep thoughts organized, and is a flexible planner for how my brain works.

One thing I have in my journal is a Ta-Da List — a rolling list of what I did/completed each day. It’s not a To-Do list. It only gets written after things are done. And there are a couple of reasons why.

1. It allows me to see where my time went and, if needed, to adjust my schedule.

For example, at one point I saw that I was getting a lot of unscheduled phone calls (when I have phone calls or meetings I log them plus the amount of time I spent on the call). I then shifted to make Tuesday and Thursday morning phone call times and started telling everyone.

I also set a mental limit on how long I would be on the phone for unexpected phone calls. Letting the caller know that “I’m at work and only have 15 min”. It really helped. Like many in this group, often those who have my phone number seem to think, even though they know I’m self-employed, that I’m always available.

2. I also evaluate other tasks to see if there is a way to improve or make them more efficient.

If there are certain tasks that are repetitive can I automate them? Are there things that I am doing that might be better to assign to a team member? Are there hints I do that I just shouldn’t be doing at all m

3. I can see how long certain tasks actually take.

I use the Pomodoro method to notate how many units each task took. I tend to suffer from what I call time suck disorder. I don’t always realize how long things are going to take. Time management and time flow awareness are one of the difficulties faced by people with ADD. It can get in the way of productivity and a balanced focus. So it’s challenging when I plan for something that doesn’t happen in the time frame I’ve allotted. My Ta-Da list reminds me of what I did get accomplished and has helped me learn to shift my time thinking.

4. I get the satisfaction of getting things done and seeing them in the list.

All too often, when I was doing only a traditional To-Do list, I would be discouraged. Yes, I got things done, but the number of unchecked boxes was overwhelming. Now, borrowing from Brendan Burchard’s High-Performance Planner (which I still use every day also) I track the three most important things that have to be done for the day. This means no. Ore endless to-do lists. It forces me to focus on what HAS to be done. The rest of it is being aware of what I’m doing.

In my opinion, using a Ta-Da List has made my life much more streamlined, easier to pivot where needed, and less stressful.

Who in this group also uses a bujo?