Never ending to-do list?

When we feel like we are in a whirl wind of chaos the to-do list feels like the perfect way to find calm.

Get all the thoughts out of your head and onto the latest gorgeous stationary from Paperchase and hey presto we are organised again.

The Guardian spoke with psychologist and author Dr David Cohen who expressed that 'his struggle to stay organised is helped, but not entirely solved, by his to do lists.'

They further explain that Cohen puts our desire for a to-do list down to three main reasons.

1) They dampen the anxiety of a chaotic life (feelings of lack of control)

2) They give us structure (the ability to take back control)

3) They provide proof of accomplishment (triggering a hit of dopamine in the brain enhancing feelings of pleasure, learning and motivation)

In previous years our brains would have completed these tasks. Our worlds were smaller. In the Zeigarnik Effect, established by a Lithuanian scientist named Bluma Zeigarnik in 1927 he noted that waiters could recall orders that were due to be served but could not recollect the orders that had been served, implying that our brains would let go of the information when the deed was done.

In June 2011 Masicampo & Baumeister conducted a study that showed while tasks that have not been complicated distract us from the next task, uncompleted tasks that have been written down allow us to perform better on the task that followed.

The Problem

Our worlds have expanded and with this we have been driven to keep adding to our to-lists. Taking them to a level that is unachievable.

The Solution

You create your own lists. Which means you are the controller of the list and what you decide to prioritise. Take your power back and split your lists up into priorities to reduce anxiety.

Eisenhower's Urgent/Important principle helps to decipher which priorities are important and which are distractions.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who quotes Dr J. Roscoe Miller, president of Northwestern University, said: "I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent."

Important - tasks that lead us to achieving our goals whether personal or professional.

Urgent - tasks that achieve someone else's goals and demand our immediate attention.

When we know which tasks are urgent we can create space to complete the important tasks for our long term success.

Personally my to-do lists consist of a maximum of three important things I must do to move myself forward each day and then I list 1-3 urgent tasks which are a bonus if the important has been completed.

In addition to this I choose 3 ways I wish to be whilst completing these tasks and add two more categories.

Delegate - someone else could complete this task. A small step which shifts the workload but keeps the wheels spinning on the task.

On hold - does not require my attention write now and can place it out of my mind on an automatic reminder or for the day it is assigned for as a consistent task.

The Problem

The tasks are overwhelming.

The Solution

Break the tasks down. When coaching on motivation I teach the 3 P's. Harmonise the push and the pull to make an agreement to proceed. There is a gap between what we want to do and what are beliefs are in terms of what is achievable.

With the to-do lists we have similar need for clarity.

If we cannot see the steps, no steps will be taken.

Scribbling down a bunch of tasks that you do not feel ready for is going to create more anxiety and cloud your judgement and productivity.

Dr David Allen author of the book 'Getting Things Done - The Art of Stress Free Productivity' explains that it is not enough to simply write down 'bank'. You need to provide more detail to know what exactly needs to be done, in which order and how much time realistically will be required.

If we desire to feel more accomplished we must first show ourselves compassion. Placing your needs first is important not selfish. Without direction and a purpose we can become demotivated and burn out.

Knowing your boundaries and sticking to them with your to do list is one of the most empowering gifts you can give to self.

1) Prioritise your to do list

2) Ensure it has detailed steps of when things will be done in a realistic timeframe.

If you would like support to set your boundaries and stick to them for a life outside work then drop me a message on here to book your ￡99 strategy call. #onestepatatimeysf