Decide Done
When you're done, stop.
When you're done, stop.
I wrote this in all‑caps at a conference once. A speaker said it while talking about sustainable high performance without burnout, and it hit me like truth always does - simple, powerful, uncomfortable
But the follow up question niggled...
How do you know when you’re done?
For most busy, high‑performing professionals, the to‑do list is bottomless. There’s always more we could do. More we “should” do. And if “done” only counts when everything is complete, then none of us will ever get there, which is exactly how burnout creeps in
Use the constraint of time to define “done.”
I learnt this the hard way.
I used to be a 'first in, last out' worker. Until I returned from maternity leave, suddenly living under the strictest time constraint imaginable: childcare that charged by the minute when I was late!
That constraint forced me to focus, prioritise, and work more efficiently.
And, critically, stop when the time was up.
I didn’t suddenly finish everything every day. My mental to‑do list still followed me home. But my actual productivity? It stayed exactly the same.
Those last few tasks that felt so important at 6pm… somehow weren’t so important by 8pm
Stop waiting to feel like you have enough time
A CFO I worked with recently was on the edge of burnout. She told me:
“We always said we’d prioritise work‑life balance, but the more successful we’ve become, the further away that goal feels.”
As we unpacked it, she realised what so many leaders eventually learn:
The mythical day when things feel “under control” never arrives. There will always be another initiative, another crisis, another exciting opportunity.
Meanwhile, burnout does not wait.
The constraint of time has to come first. The ‘how’ follows.
My advice to her was the same lesson I learnt as a new mum: If you don’t know what “done” looks like, decide when “done” happens.
Limit the time you allow for BAU. That constraint forces clarity. It forces you to choose.
It forces you to get better at how you work and what you work on.
Because when you use time intentionally, when you design for it rather than squeeze around it, “done” becomes something you honour, not something you chase.
[Watch more here - The Constraint of Time]
Productivity Tip of the Day
Define 'done' by time, not task, and challenge yourself to give yourself around 20% less time than normal.
Do this for a week and see how it forces you to focus on what is important.
And don't forget the golden question "is this the best use of my time right now" - and if it is not, then stop!
