System review: Do It Tomorrow

Do It Tomorrow by Mark Forster

Review by Ben

How does this system work?

‘Do it Tomorrow’ aims to increase your efficiency at work, in particular getting “a day’s work [done] in one day”. The process involves collecting all your incoming tasks during the day and placing it in a folder away from you which you then do tomorrow. It allows you to identify a workload’s manageability whilst not getting distracted by sudden emails, questions or tasks that appear during the day, as these can be done tomorrow. The book advises you to use ‘closed lists’, rather than ‘open lists’ (lists you add too) allowing you to apply limits to your work to increase efficiency.

How easy was it to get the hang of following the system?

As a novice at a) librarianship and b) using management strategies, and c) having just finished my masters, I was surprised at how easily I could fit this into my working week. If you already use ‘to do’ lists like me, then this book will show you how to use to create lists most efficiently without requiring too much upheaval to your day; in fact, it frees up your day to focus on tasks! I would advise thinking about whether you have any repetitive daily tasks and use them as a framework for your ‘closed lists’.

How did you find following it?

I started my role with still very much a ‘student mindset’ in regards to essays, deadlines and seminar preparation etc, so ‘Do It Tomorrow’ was both a wake-up call in how to grasp time management and the world of work. The book’s welcoming and informative language explained its ideas perfectly.

What was its best feature?

The closed lists! It gets you thinking about what is most important to get done in said day. Since a closed list cannot be added, it makes you understand that not all sudden incoming work are ‘real emergencies’. It teaches you to be less reactive and impulsive which usually increases your workload.

What was its worst feature?

This system is generally great! It only requires pen and paper! Perhaps a downside could be if you do not manage your day using a to do list then this book may not be particularly useful to you since the book revitalises the to do list.

Who would you recommend this system to?

If you, like me, you do not have a tailored, trialed and tested time management system then this book is a great introduction for this!

Any other thoughts?

Before I read this book, I doubted how useful it would be. This is okay! In fact, it’s good to go into this book feeling like this. Have a try and see what it teaches you.