To-Do – Doing – Done Board Will Help You FOCUS and Finish
- By Omfit Kam
- April 5, 2021
- No Comments
Click here to get your very own To-Do – Doing – Done Board.
I have a book coming out very soon. The book was supposed to be released in March, but recently I had several setbacks: my computer went out, lost a lot of what I was working on, the new computer that I had ordered got lost in the mail, I had to fight with the company to get my money back even though the computer never made it to my home, and I had to order another computer among other things.
So, to get back on track, I have created a To Do – Doing – Done Board. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a tool that makes it easy to track what you need to Do, what you are currently Doing, and all the things that you have Done.
I’ve been away from my normal routine for almost two months now. It’s like coming back to a puzzle you haven’t worked on for months, without looking at the picture. At that point, you may not even recognize what you have been working on. I am creating the To-Do – Doing – Done Board to provide the picture, so I can understand what I’m working on, and what still needs to be completed.
The board can be completed in many different ways, but for this example, I will be using a whiteboard and sticky notes. At the end of this blog, I have provided a list of websites and applications you can utilize to replace a physical board. I have also provided a download just in case you don’t have a whiteboard of your own.
Click here to get your very own To-Do – Doing – Done Board.
Supplies
- Whiteboard
- Whiteboard Markers
- Sticky Notes
The Reason I Need A Board
I will be the first to admit, that it has been a bit of a challenge to get back on track because I didn’t know where I had left off. For two years I got up religiously every morning, blocked off my time, and got things done. But, for the past two months, I have abandoned my routine for a life a lot less familiar. Instead of continuing to get frustrated with everything that was going on, I decided that my computer breaking down and the new computer getting lost in the mail was a sign to take a break. So, that is what I did. At first, taking a break felt uncomfortable, and if I am honest I felt guilty like I was letting myself down. Eventually, those feelings of guilt went away, and I had found a rhythm and other important things to do with my time: workout more, do more yoga, meditate more, read more about launching a book, reading more about yoga and meditation, keep up with close family, work in the yard in freezing cold temperatures to name a few.
Now that I’m back, I had to figure out where to start again. This is where the To-Do – Doing – Done Board comes in. I will take you through the steps that I have taken so that you can create a board of your own.
Begin With The End In Mind
There is a great book of principles, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and one of those principles is, to “Begin with, the end in mind”. When you begin with the end in mind, you start with the end goal, and in my case, a completed book ready for launch After you know where you are going begin to work backward creating a list of all the steps it would take until you are at the starting point.
Here are three examples from think-human
For weight loss
If you want to lose weight, find a picture of yourself from thinner days and use it as inspiration. Or buy an outfit that you want to be able to fit into one day. If you have always been overweight, imagine what you would look like thinner, and think about what it would be like to reach that weight.
For overall fitness
Many people come up with a fitness goal that can spur them on, whether it be to run a marathon, lift a certain weight, or even just achieve a level of fitness, like being able to run for the bus without getting out of breath.
For career success
Visualizing what you want to achieve in your career can help you in times when you want to give up. If you want to be a doctor and save lives, focusing on that goal can get you through medical school.
To-Do List – This area should contain everything that you have not started to work on.
Doing List – This area should have everything that you have started, and haven’t finished. For me, I like to have one item at a time. I go by the FOCUS rule: Follow One Course Until Success.
There are different ways to do your own To-Do – Doing – Done Board. You can also use an app or a website. I just enjoy having a physical board as a reminder of work that still needs to get done. I have since added an app that makes it easy to track my progress or maybe even cross something off of the list while I am away from home. Like the saying goes, “Out of sight, Out of mind”. What I do is important to me, and hopefully what I create will add value to others and be important to them as well. So, no out of sight for me.
Click here to get your very own To-Do – Doing – Done Board.
Steps
- Grab a piece of paper and something to write with. Begin with the end in mind. Work backward creating a list of everything it will take to complete your goal.
- Grab your board and some sticky notes. On your board create three columns, one for each of the following: To-Do, Doing, Done.
- At the top of the first column write the word To-Do, at the top of the second column write the word Doing, and at the top of the third column write the word Done (you can also create an ideal column if you wish to keep in mind what you are working on).
- Everything you wrote on your begin with the end in mind list belongs on a sticky note. Place all of your sticky notes in the To-Do column.
- Now the work begins. Pick something from your To-Do column and place it in the Doing column. Whatever it is you chose FOCUS – Follow One Course Until Success. For me, it’s easier to complete one item at a time. I’ve also learned that if you start too many things at once, it makes it harder to finish anything. A bunch of unfinished tasks begins to be overwhelming. So, FOCUS!
- When the task is complete, move the sticky note into the Done column. Celebrate your ass off. Celebrate all the small wins along the way: do a happy dance, post the small accomplishment on social media, tell your accountability partner, allow yourself a few minutes to celebrate.
- After your short celebration, pick your next task from the To-Do list, place it in the Doing list, and repeat the process until everything in the To-Do list is in the Done list.
- And, once you are done take a moment to look back at all you’ve accomplished. Don’t forget to celebrate. Get started on the next project.
Now that you understand what to do, don’t hesitate to get it done. Don’t let time allow you to forget what you want to accomplish. Be brave for your journey, because your journey will need you every step of the way. Good luck!
Tools of Your Own
If you are looking for an easy-to-use To-Do – Doing – Done Board of your own, I have created a form just for you. Click here to find out more.
To-Do – Doing – Done Websites
In addition to the whiteboard with the sticky notes, on it, I use Google Keeps. It’s not as suffocated as the applications below, but it makes it very simple to keep track of what still needs to be completed, and what is already done. If you want to know more about Google Keeps click here.
Applications and websites that might be useful to you:
Click here to get your very own To-Do – Doing – Done Board.
To-Do – Doing – Done Board
May you be productive
May you find inspiration
May you stay motivated
May you find success
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