i made a "done list" every day this week

here's why you should too

Helllooo, lovely little overthinkers <3

I’ve been hearing one thing and one thing only from a lot of you guys lately… drum roll please: your to-do lists are INSANELY long and growing at a rapid pace. It feels like anxieties are higher than the temps in New York City this week.

If your overthinking spiral is anything like mine it probably goes a little bit like this:

“Did I get enough done today?”

“What if I forget to do something important tomorrow?”

“What if I simply run out of time to get EVERYTHING done!?”

All the sudden, the day is gone, it’s 12:57 am, your alarm is set to go off in a few hours, and you haven’t so much as tried to close an eyelid.

Well, if you struggle with this then you’re in luck my friends. Because I know that loop intimately. In fact, I’m the queen of it.

As a professional overthinker, I know how easy it is to let a single unchecked box on a to-do list eclipse the ten things you did get done. I know, I know: in the attention economy we’re living in, it seems like 10 things get added to our checklists every minute! Even on our most productive days, we tend to lie in bed feeling behind. Why? Because instead of measuring ourselves by what we accomplished—we measure what we haven’t accomplished.

However, here’s what I’ve learned… it’s not really about the to-do list. It’s about the mindset behind it.

How might we rewire our brains to start thinking about “productivity” in a healthier way?

Where Overthinking and Productivity Collide

Many of us grew up attaching our self-worth to achievement. I know I did. I was lucky enough to attend a highly competitive school from ages three to eighteen. Everyone around me was wildly driven, curious, and accomplished - it seemed that was the expectation. I thrived in that environment (or so I thought). I loved—and still love—learning, competing, contributing, and excelling. But as we get older, life demands more of us. Work, friendships, health, and goals to name a few. As my dad used to say “The older we get, the shorter the days.” I never fully understood what that meant.

Until I did.

Like a car idling into a gas station on empty, my strive for perfection started to feel… unsustainable.

The way I spoke to myself started to change too.

If I didn’t answer every email, I felt unprofessional. If I forgot to check in on a friend, I felt selfish. If I didn’t complete everything on my to-do list by sundown, I felt lazy.

This mindset—if I don’t do it all, I’ve failed—is deeply perfectionist at its core. It leads to a vicious cycle: the more overwhelmed you feel, the harder it is to be productive. Less productivity creates more anxiety, more anxiety means less productivity. It’s difficult to break out of this loop, where even the smallest tasks can feel daunting.

Enter: The “Done List”

This week, I tried a little experiment. I made a “done list” every day. And it LITERALLY. changed. everything.

Instead of ending my day with a long list of what had to happen tomorrow, I wrote down everything I could remember accomplishing from the day—emails sent, walks taken, meals made, calls returned, thoughts journaled. Some were big. Some were small. All of them counted.

The effect was almost immediate: I felt calmer, more accomplished, and less caught in the endless loop of never-enoughness. For the first time in a while - I actually felt the crisp comfort of my fluffy bed’s percale sheets underneath me as they gently called me into a slumber. Boy, did I sleep well this week.

Why Done Lists Work (According to Psychology)

Our brains are wired to notice what’s unfinished. It’s called the Zeigarnik Effect, and it explains why your half-written email, unwashed dishes, or uncompleted goals live rent-free in your mind. To-do lists feed this effect, keeping your brain focused on gaps instead of gains.

Done lists reverse that cycle. They direct your attention to what has been completed, helping your brain register progress and, in turn, reduce stress. They give you a record of movement, not endless ambition.

Even more powerful? When you connect your “done” items to why they mattered, your brain starts to feel more emotionally rewarded. And that, research shows, fuels motivation far more effectively than punishment or pressure.

Done? Why?

A 2017 study commissioned by the National Science Foundation reviewed 60+ experiments on what helps students succeed. The most powerful intervention? A simple writing exercise where students reflected on why their course material mattered to them personally.

Those who did the exercise not only improved in that class—they improved across multiple semesters. The effect was especially strong for students most at risk of falling behind.

The takeaway? When we see meaning in our work—when we connect our actions to personal values or goals—we’re far more likely to stay engaged.

That’s why I now write a short “why” next to each item on my done list. It might look like:

• Walked the dog → because moving my body helps my nervous system reset

• Sent pitch to editor → because I want to grow as a writer this month

• Canceled dinner plans → because I needed to honor my fatigue

To take this further - take the example:“Took my dog for a walk today,” and part of you immediately questions it—Was that really productive? Did it have a benefit or did it just take time away from important calls I could’ve been making? But when you attach a why—“So that I could feel my nervous system reset. AND so that my dog got the rare exercise and play that bring it joy and love!!”—the meaning reveals itself. Suddenly, it's not a throwaway task; it’s an act of care. It’s a value you upheld.

In this way, done lists don’t just document your day—they reshape your internal definition of productivity. They invite you to ask: Whose well-being am I prioritizing? Whose joy am I making space for? Maybe on other days, you’d have skipped that walk to send ten emails no one replies to. But today, you didn’t. And maybe that’s not a loss—it’s a better choice. Maybe it’s something worth doing more often.

What a Done List Can Do For You

Here’s what you may notice after adopting this practice:

• You sleep better. You stop lying awake focused on all you didn’t get to. Instead, you close your day with a little mental celebration.

• You feel more in control. Even when the day doesn’t go to plan—last-minute deadlines or dog emergencies—you look back and see how you adapted, not how you failed.

• You actually get more done. Counterintuitively, being less obsessed with doing everything lessens your anxiety, helps you sleep better, and enables more efficiency.

Don’t believe me yet? Here’s what a couple of my readers had to say after trying the practice:

“Writing “done lists” has been very therapeutic for me. I often criticize myself for not being productive. Done lists force me to give myself credit for all the things (big and small) that I was able to get done that day. This practice has helped improve the way I think about my productivity, and has reinforced healthier self talk habits.

Done lists don’t take a lot of time. It’s a nice way during the week, to get your journal practice in, without having to commit more than a few minutes.”
— Reader #1

“I’ve really enjoyed incorporating “done lists” into my weekly routine. “To-do lists” can often feel daunting and, at times, serve as a stark reminder of everything you’ve yet to accomplish. This can create a negative mindset around tasks and affect your overall approach to the day.

Pairing a “done list” with your “to-do list” brings a sense of positivity to your goals. It highlights all the small and big things you’ve already accomplished—sometimes without even realizing it. This shift in perspective sets you up for success, as your mind begins to recognize and celebrate progress. It gives you that extra boost, a reminder that if you’ve already done things, you can tackle what’s next on your to-do list. 😊

A “done list” celebrates all forms of progress, no matter how small. It can be as simple as brushing your teeth or stepping outside. This practice reminds me that even the smallest accomplishments are, in fact, significant—and they deserve to be celebrated. 😊” —Reader #2

“I use the check boxes in my notes app for my to do list. When I click the check button, it automatically sends it to the bottom and I can see everything on my done list as well as what’s left. I love that I can see the progress.”
— Reader #3

How to Start Your Own Done List

Getting started is easy:

1. Start with a blank page. It could be a Notes app, a journal, or a physical piece of paper.

2. As you complete tasks, add them. Everything counts. Brushed your teeth? Answered a stressful email? Took a break? Add it.

3. Optional but powerful: Add a “why.” Ask yourself: Why did this matter? What did I learn? Who benefited? It doesn’t need to be deep—just meaningful to you.

4. Review at the end of the day. Look at your list. Take a breath. Let it register. You did all that.

Shifting From a Lack Mindset to an Abundance Mindset

Life is never going to stop being busy. Unexpected things will always pop up. Some days, your priorities will get hijacked by other people’s needs. Some weeks, rest will be the most important thing you do.

We all know this well by now, but we don’t stop to notice how we’re reacting to it.

When you focus on what is done—what did go right—you invite in a mindset of abundance.

You remind yourself that you’re not behind. You’re human. You’re doing your best. And that deserves to be seen, acknowledged, and celebrated.

Love you guys.

Delaney <3

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