The difference between The Today Card and a traditional to-do lists is the point system—which makes prioritizing front and center. But the points also represent something else: commitment.
If you put something on your card for today, it means you’re committed to getting it done. That’s why your score suffers for each item you don’t work on. So as you fill out your card, be conscious of how many tasks you’re putting on there. Think of each one as a commitment, rather than a mere desire.
There is a work-around, though, when it comes to loading up your card with things you’d like to do, but don’t necessarily represent commitments. You can use extra credit.
If you have 5 items or fewer on your card, you can add extra credit items that would each add .050 to your score (actual points / possible points). If you have more than 5 items on your card, each extra credit item adds 1 point to your actual points.
But no matter how many things extra credit items you complete, there’s no way to make up for a lack of attention to your top items. So stay conscious of what you’re committed to, as opposed to what would simply be nice to get done.
