What do you do with the (to do list) leftovers?

Often when cleaning up after dinner, I look at what’s leftover and wonder, are we really going to eat this? And sometimes I say yes, and we do, sometimes I just toss it, and other times I say yes and it just stays around, keeping the other forgotten leftovers company, til someone (usually me) gets rid of it.

Now, obviously, we’re not talking about food here. We’re talking about items that didn’t get done that day, that week, that month…the loose ends that remain on the to-do list, (or worse, that just get completely forgotten) but often just languish there, on that ever growing list, like that small bit of leftover pasta you were so sure you’d eat for lunch the next day but neglected to get rid of. And like that leftover pasta, leaving it in the refrigerator forever is not a good idea. Items left on the to-do list pile up, adding to the feeling of overwhelm, nagging at you, sucking away at your motivation, focus and energy, or irritating those you do business with.

And after a while, certain leftovers may become issues or develop into crises, like that invoice that didn’t go out, that bill that didn’t get paid, that client you didn’t respond to, or that proposal you forgot to write.

What do you do with the leftovers?
Susan Martin, Time Management