Thoughts
The problem with the "adding something to the TODO list so that you can check it off" is that there's a sense of accomplishment with
checking it off, when under Matthias's Stop Worrying productivity system, there shouldn't be. The sense of accomplishment should come from following the routine. You should feel accomplishment the entire time you're working, not just when it's finished.
This is important because sometimes there are times when you need to check something off that isn't done; e.g. it's no longer actionable or no longer important. If your goal is completing things and you feel good about removing something from the TODO list because it's complete, then you feel guilty about removing something from the TODO list because it's unimportant and you don't have time for it. But you shouldn't, it's unimportant! You should feel good about not-doing that, because it means you have more time to do other things.