Get Everything Done

What if I do a task without even getting to the list?

For example this morning I automatically cleared the email inbox and subsequently worked on the most dreaded task before it exploded on me, all before even getting to check my list.

I am unclear on how to proceed with the writing on the list now. Somewhere there is written "clear emails" I did it, now I want my reward of crossing that one of.

Just jumping there without "driving" trough the list until I reach that point feels like cheating.

How can a crossing-off procedure for this look like? (Specially with either AF1 or FV in mind.)

I say it counts and you get to cross it off. Done is done, even if it's only getting the folder out.

Since focusing on what I want to do, I do more in my off-list time. Alan's right, though. If searching for it breaks the flow, then wait till you see it. I have many duplicate entries. It's faster to write them down than check if they're already on the list. The duplicates get removed as I notice them. They don't mess up the flow enough to worry about. Also, if it's so important I keep feeling the need to write it down, maybe considering it more than once each scan is a good thing. If nothing else, it keeps me calm -- I know it's in there.