To-do lists are a great way to keep yourself organized and have a plan in place to help you accomplish anything and everything you have to do. But to-do lists can also seem daunting, overwhelming, and stressful. Whenever I have a long list of things I need or want to do, I have a bad habit of running through my list over and over again in my head and freaking myself out about all the things I need to get done instead of actually just doing them. Or, while I’m trying to complete one task, my mind is already thinking ahead to the next task or the next five tasks. This all makes planning, approaching, and working through my to-do lists pretty stressful sometimes.
I’m still learning what works for me when it comes to tackling a to-do list. I’ve realized that to-do lists might seem overwhelming, but with a few mindset shifts, they appear less scary. It’s all about your state of mind when you’re approaching and working through your tasks. A mindset shift won’t make your to-do list any shorter, but it might just make it easier to handle. Here are some things to keep in mind so you can lessen your stress and tackle your to-do list like a pro.
When you’re creating your to-do list, be realistic.
When you feel like you have so many things to get done, it’s easy to overload your to-do list until it gets to the point of being humanly impossible to accomplish. Try to balance what you need to get done and what you’re actually capable of doing. Don’t force yourself to get through twenty things on your list when you know you’ll only have enough time and energy for five. To create realistic to-do lists, try to adopt a quality over quantity mindset with your tasks.
Once you have a realistic to-do list, it’s time to prioritize.
Even a realistic to-do list can be long and overwhelming. To deal with your feelings of overwhelm, take some time to prioritize your tasks. Decide which tasks need to get done first, and which ones can wait. Some of your tasks might have an approaching deadline or a tight time limit, or you might just want to get them over with sooner rather than later. Tackle these tasks first so you don’t have to worry about them for much longer. Then when those are done, you can work through the less pressing tasks on your list. Also, if there’s something on your list that you know you need to do, but aren’t really looking forward to doing because of how challenging, intimidating, or stressful it is, make that one of your top priority tasks. It might be the last thing you want to do, but if you don’t get it done first, chances are it’ll be sitting in the back of your mind while you’re trying to get through your other tasks. I’ve learned from experience that avoidance of a task doesn’t make it go away, and to avoid unwanted stress and worry, it’s best to tackle it as soon as you can. Prioritizing your tasks gives you a clear roadmap to help you navigate your way through your to-do list.
When you’re making a game plan for your tasks, create and utilize time blocks.
Assigning specific times or chunks of your day to each task on your to-do list is a really helpful way to keep you on track. Time blocking is all about deciding how much time you need for each task and when you’re going to do it. You don’t have to be super specific, but give yourself a rough guideline for the day. Create chunks of time throughout your day and based on your tasks, decide how long those time chunks need to be. Being intentional with your time will give your productivity a big boost and will help you get through your to-do list more effectively.
While you’re working through your to-do list, approach each task one at a time.
It can sometimes be too easy to look at your to-do list and feel stressed about how long it is. But that’s because you’re looking at everything all at once. If you’ve taken a realistic approach and prioritized your tasks, you’re all set to start working through them one at a time. The key part of that sentence is the last four words: one at a time. You might be tempted to look at your list as a whole, but that’ll only make you feel more stressed than you need to be. You don’t need to work on every task all at once. You’ll work more effectively and get better results when you tackle the tasks on your to-do list one at a time.
Make room for any possible setbacks.
Even the best laid plans can go astray. When you’re working through your to-do list, you may encounter some unexpected setbacks that interfere with your plans. This used to be a real cause for anxiety for me, and it’s still something I’m learning how to deal with. One of the best things you can do to handle this situation is to make room for setbacks before they even happen. This can be as simple as telling yourself it’s okay if a distraction, interruption, or a new last minute task comes up. Prepare yourself for that possibility so that if it happens you can keep your cool and do your best to keep tackling your to-do list.
Stay focused and minimize distractions.
When you’re trying to work through a long to-do list, the last thing you want to do is distract yourself. You don’t have to stay focused at all times, but in order to maintain your focus as much as you can, try to minimize any cause for distraction. This includes the distraction of thinking about all the other tasks on your list. Stay present and focus on the task you’re working on in that moment. Based on the task you’re working on, do whatever you need to do to free yourself of distraction and maintain your focus. I know from experience that this can be difficult, but it’ll do wonders for your productivity and your ability to tackle your to-do list.
Refresh yourself by making time for breaks.
Even though it’s important to minimize distractions so you can stay focused, taking breaks is also a great way to maintain your focus. Making time for breaks is especially essential if your tasks are mentally or physically taxing. Give yourself time to breathe and step away from your tasks for a little while. If you work too hard for too long, you’ll burnout more easily, and you’ll be less likely to get through the rest of the tasks on your to-do list. Be kind to your mind and body by taking breaks whenever you need to. This can be a great refresher and get you feeling even more motivated to finish your to-do list.
Celebrate the small wins.
The tasks on your to-do list don’t have to be big or long-term goals. Your daily to-do list might be filled with small tasks like doing the laundry or getting to the gym or calling a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time. Everything on your to-do list matters. You put that task there for a reason. Each task is meaningful in its own way, and no matter how small some might seem, they all deserve to be celebrated. You deserve to feel good about accomplishing each task on your list, so take the time to pat yourself on the back. Encouraging yourself and acknowledging your wins, especially the small ones, will give you the motivation to tackle the next task, your next to-do list, and all the goals after that.
If you didn’t get through everything on your to-do list, don’t feel bad about yourself.
These tips aren’t foolproof. You can be super realistic, prioritize perfectly, create useful time blocks, work on each task individually, prepare for setbacks, stay really focused, and make time for breaks, and still not accomplish everything on your to-do list. And that’s okay. No one is perfect, and sometimes your plan won’t happen exactly the way you wanted it to. Be gentle and kind with yourself, and don’t feel bad if you didn’t get through everything. Remind yourself that even getting through one task on your list is an accomplishment. Shifting to this mindset will make accomplishing each task on your to-do list so much more fulfilling.
To-do lists don’t have to cause as much stress or overwhelm as they usually do. When you shift your mindset and take an intentional approach to your tasks, tackling your to-do list can actually be kind of fun! Experiment with these tips and other ways to boost your productivity and motivation, and you’ll be tackling your to-do list like a pro in no time.
what do you think?