The Nothing-Slips Checklist
A 5-minute sweep at the end of each day. Get every promise out of your head and onto one list.
Your one list
- One page or one note, never two.
- Each line reads: who · what · by when, marked "I owe" or "Waiting on".
- Every line gets a date, even a guess.
Every day, before you leave (5 minutes)
- At each stop, ask three questions: Who is waiting on me? By when? What am I waiting on, and from whom?
- Sent mail. Scan today's Sent. Every "I'll send it", "let me check", "by Friday" goes on the list.
- Replies you skimmed. Reopen what you read on your phone. Did a client ask for something or name a date?
- Slack threads and DMs. An "on it" or a thumbs-up is a promise.
- Texts. Clients and crew text dates. Scroll today's messages.
- Meeting notes. Each "we'll get back to you" gets a name and a date.
- Calendar invites. Read the description. A review on Thursday means the files are due Wednesday.
- Comments in shared docs. Open comments and @-mentions are requests.
- Invoices. What falls due this week, owed by you and owed to you?
Put a hold on your calendar when
- It's due within two weeks.
- It takes more than 30 minutes.
- Someone else is waiting on it: a client, a printer, a courier.
- Block the time you'll do the work, not only the due date. Invite nobody. It's for you.
Friday review (15 minutes)
- Cross off what's done.
- Past its date? Write today, even if it isn't ready.
- Waiting 3 days or more? Send a short nudge.
- Read next week's dates out loud. Does anything need a hold?
If something already slipped
- Write before it's finished. Say what's late, the new date, and what you're doing now. Put the new date on the list. Then move on.