The key to a clear mind is to dump everything into an external system you trust completely.

What can help is to use something that is called an “incompletion triggers” list. This list helps you to check if there are loose ends that should be recorded and taken care off, and are lingering around in your mind.

Here it is (adapted from Getting Things Done), use it in your weekly review today to check for any loose ends and have a wonderful relaxed weekend:

Professional stuff:

• Projects started, not completed
• Projects that need to be started
• Commitments/promises to others (boss, partners, colleagues, subordinates, customers, organizations, professionals…)
• Communications to make/get (phone calls, e-mails, letters, memos, etc.)
• Writing to finish/submit (reports, proposals, articles, promotional materials, instructions, etc.)
• Meetings that need to be set
• Decisions that have to be made. Who needs to know?
• Significant read/review
• Financial stuff (budgets, forecasts, statistics, credit line, cash flow, etc.)
• Projects formal planning (goals, targets, objectives)
• Travel
• Banks
• Administration (legal issues, insurance, procedures, etc.)
• Customers
• Marketing
• Promotion
• Sales
• Systems (computers, phones, office equipment)
• Supplies
• Waiting for… information, delegated tasks, replies, petty cash, ordered items, decisions of others, etc.
• Professional development (training, things to learn, skills to practice)
• Research

Personal stuff:

• Projects started, not completed
• Projects that need to be started
• Commitments/promises to others (spouse, children, family, friends)
• Communications to make/get with family and friends
• Upcoming events (birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, travel, social events, cultural events, sporting events, etc.)
• Things to do (places to go, people to meet)
• Administration (bills, banks, investments, loans, taxes, insurance, legal affairs)
• Waiting for… orders, repair, loaned items, etc.
• Home/household (plumbing, electricity, decoration, furniture, etc.)
• Computers (software, hardware, connections, internet)
• TV
• Music
• Cameras, photo and video collections
• Phones
• Subscriptions
• Sports equipment
• Closets/clothes
• Garage/storage
• Vehicle repair/maintenance
• Pets
• Health care (dentist, doctors, specialists, medication, physical activity)
• Hobbies (books, music, movies)
• Errands (drugstore, market, bank, stationer, etc.)
• Community (neighborhood, schools, local government)