Write the completed task on the wide left side, then add its completion time or duration on the narrow right side. Choose one time convention for the page. Include useful unplanned work, and keep tomorrow’s unfinished tasks on a separate to-do list.
Why a finished task can vanish from the record
A to-do list describes intentions. It may not capture the urgent image fix, the unexpected call or the file cleanup that occupied your morning. Crossing planned tasks off also makes them less prominent when you later need to reconstruct the day.
A done list gives completed work a small, readable home. Try it at the end of a work period: write three things that actually finished and one useful time detail beside each. The aim is an accurate record, not a longer list or a score of personal worth.
It is useful for a weekly recap or a handover note. It is not a verified timesheet, proof of billable work or a replacement for required workplace documentation. Ongoing work can be recorded only as a completed action, such as “Reviewed pages 1–5,” rather than “Finished report” when the report is still open.
A completed task on the left, time on the right
The latest approved design uses a wide task area on the left and a narrow unlabeled time area on the right. Short dividers separate the two without making a heavy table. A7 has ten rows per side and M5 has nine.
| Space | Example | Meaning |
| Wide left line | Sent draft | Completed action |
| Narrow right space | 09:40 | Completion clock time |
| Same right space, on a duration-based page | 25m | Time spent, not 25 past an hour |
There is no printed date field or mandatory time label. Add the date to a nearby note or use a dated divider if you need chronological retrieval. The page has no pending-task check circles: an entry already describes something done.
Keep a done list in five steps
- Set the context. Date an accompanying note and choose clock time or duration. For this example, the right column records completion clock time in 24-hour format.
- Write the action after it finishes. “Sent draft” describes a result more clearly than “Email.” Avoid recording a planned task as if it happened.
- Include unplanned work. If an image fix interrupted the plan, record it when finished. A done list can include meaningful work that was not scheduled.
- Review the entries. Look for a factual recap: which results happened and what time information is useful? Do not infer that every gap means no work occurred.
- Choose the next action separately. If sending the draft creates a follow-up, place “Check for feedback” on the next-action list. The finished action stays here.
A filled-in example
Illustrative example: “Sent draft — 09:40,” “Fixed image — 10:15” and “Filed notes — 11:00” appear on three lines. These are completion times, not task durations. The difference between 09:40 and 10:15 does not establish that the image fix took 35 minutes; other work or interruptions could have happened between the entries.
At review, you might notice that the draft was sent but feedback is still outstanding. The follow-up belongs on a separate list. Recording it here now would turn a completed-work record into a mixed list of intentions and outcomes.
Three uses beyond a workday recap
Home reset: “Sorted paper drawer — 20m” on a duration-based page. Include only the completed part if the whole room is unfinished.
Study: “Answered practice set 2 — 18:30.” That says the set was completed; it does not tell you the score or learning outcome.
Creative work: “Exported final cover — 16:10.” Link the project name in your accompanying notes if several similar covers exist.
Keep sensitive details out of a portable planner. A short project code can be enough to recognize an entry without recording private customer information.
A review method, with honest limits
Todoist's weekly-review guide offers a structured time and checklist for looking back and planning ahead. A done list can provide some of the factual material for that review. The tutorial does not validate this JOYJOY insert, and this article does not claim that recording completed work treats anxiety or reliably changes motivation.
Incomplete logging is normal evidence of an incomplete record. Do not treat the page as a complete audit of every minute, and do not fill gaps with invented entries merely to make it look productive.
Design notes: let time stay optional
The approved Done List revision gives the task the broad left-hand area and reserves the narrow right-hand space for time. Leaving that space unlabeled allows a clock time, approximate finish, interval or duration, provided the user makes the convention clear. The layout deliberately omits pending-task check circles. Both sizes repeat the same job on the reverse with mirrored binding geometry, using ten A7 rows or nine M5 rows. This explanation follows the approved digital design record; it does not claim personal founder use or a completed paper test.
Common mistakes and a short closing review
- Mixing 10:15 and 15m without labels: choose one convention or write the unit explicitly.
- Logging an entire project after one step: name the completed step.
- Treating gaps as inactivity: the record may omit work.
- Copying finished work back into tomorrow: transfer only the new follow-up.
Close the page by selecting two or three results worth remembering and one next action. Archive it if it has future reference value. If you only need today's record, you do not have to carry every old done list in the binder.
Choose A7 or M5 for this page
Choose the size that matches your existing binder: A7 / Pocket is 80 × 120 mm with six holes; M5 / Mini 5 is 67 × 105 mm with five holes. Front and reverse keep the same page function with mirrored binding margins. A7 gives you a larger surface for handwriting. M5 makes the page smaller; it does not make every field larger or fit an A7 binder.
Compare the finished dimensions and complete hole pattern with a refill that already fits. Current listing specifications use 19 mm consecutive hole spacing; a matching number of holes alone is not proof of compatibility across brands.
Current listing prices checked October 6, 2026: A7 / Pocket $6.99 USD; M5 / Mini 5 $5.99 USD. The pack contains 15 double-sided sheets on 120 gsm paper. Binder, pens, stickers and other accessories are separate. Each side provides another page of this layout.
Allow 3–5 business days for processing where stated on the listing; processing is separate from transit. Digital product previews and public availability do not establish physical print, writing or binder-fit QA, or on-hand inventory. Check the current product page before ordering.
FAQ
Is this another to-do list?
No. Entries record work already completed, including work that was never on the original plan.
Should I write time of day or duration?
Either can be useful. Choose one convention for the page, or label different conventions explicitly.
Does it need completion checkboxes?
No. The approved layout records completed tasks directly and has no to-do check circles.
Related guides and sources
Read what to keep in a pocket planner to place this page in a useful compact setup. Read planner size guide for size and system selection.
Layout basis: the approved JOYJOY Done List digital master documented in this guide's image manifest; product information checked October 6, 2026. All filled examples are illustrative, not customer evidence or a product test.