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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Daily Lists

Having read GTD quite a while ago now, I can't seem to remember if Allen mentioned any ways of creating daily lists. You know, the things that you do every day. For example - Check emails, clear voice mail, tidy desk, check calendar, diary, tickler etc . I'm just curious to how you guys manage these daily lists.

What I do, is every week when I do my weekly review is create a 'Dailys' excel file where I have a list of all the things I want to get done daily and I have a check box for each. This piece of paper is stuck on my desk. Personally I've found this a really effective way to get my daily things done, I get a sense of pleasure in ticking off items on the list. Being a graphic design student I've actually added in some other items that I would like to get done daily - such as complete one illustrator tutorial a day, and participate on graphic design forums (this idea sort of came from Steve Pavlina's 30 day trial idea).

Every week if I manage to get everything in my daily list checked off for a particular section, for example checking email, I challenge it for the next week and change 'check email' to 'check email - READ and REPLY'. This means I can't check this item off the list unless I've read through and replied to all my emails, so I don't just check to see there are emails. I will read through them all and reply to them (if required) as well.

Anyways, I just wanted to share that, and also wondering how you guys manage your daily rituals.

 
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