To Do List Overwhelm

A To Do List can be really helpful in keeping you focussed on what needs to be done but it can also have a negative impact of reminding you of everything you haven’t done!  Just looking at the list of endless tasks can send you into overwhelm and there’s a big risk of not getting anything done because there is so much to do you have no idea where to start.

Have a Master List and a Short List

I recommend having a master list where you add everything on that comes to mind – if you are a person who constantly thinks of new ideas, popping these onto a master list gets them out of your head and allows you to focus on your priorities. From your master list create a short list of tasks that you will focus on for the coming week or even for the day ahead. Then put the master list away and out of sight unless you need to add new ideas to it.

Choose a Method

Make time each day or once a week to consult your master list and create a realistic short list. There are many apps you can use to organise your tasks and projects – Todoist, Asana, Trello to name a few. One just needs to google or look in the app store to find numerous platforms you can use. A simple excel spreadsheet or word document can do the trick too. If you love pen and paper make sure you have ONE book with your to do lists (you know who you are when you tell me you’re trying to find the book you wrote a particular list in!!!)

Have a Done List

Ticking things off a list gives you a sense of accomplishment. Take time at the end of each day / week / month to reflect on what you have accomplished. I can’t tell you how many times a client starts a coaching conversation with ‘I’ve not got much done…’ and when we start speaking, look at their one page plan with the listed actions agreed to, it’s usually amazing how much they actually have got done. Create a master ‘Done List’ for yourself so that you can physically see the progress you are making which will inspire you to keep adding to the Done List!