Born-On Dates: We’re all familiar with the expiration dates on food products, but my Grandma used to write the date she bought items on them, long before Budweiser started printing the “born-on date” on their cans and bottles. This actually makes sense when putting something in the freezer, but even with canned goods, my Grandma would note the date she bought it. By seeing how long something had been in the pantry, she could determine which foods the family was actually eating and which ones were being ignored.
First In, First Out: In the same way, we should add the date that each item is added to our to do list. If something isn’t urgent, or if it’s something we dread doing, we tend to put it off. Then we put it off again, and again. By seeing the date that it was added to our to-do list, we can measure how long we’re procrastinating. We may want to spend a day just getting old items knocked off the list.
Last In, First Out: While it’s a good idea not to let our to-do items age too long, a first-in, first-our approach isn’t always the best strategy. After all, some of those tasks have sat on our list for several weeks and the world didn’t end, so letting them age just one more day probably won’t be catastrophic. Sometimes, a last-in, first-out strategy actually makes more sense. Why? Because… Sometimes I like to answer emails in the middle of the night, especially if that’s when someone sends the email. That makes an impression on the sender. It’s like the “never not working” commercial.