How do you feel when you look at your to-do list? If you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, this post is for you! Learn how to do it and grab your to-do list template to implement.
When you have 25 things on your list:
- It overwhelms your brain
- Anxiety kicks in
- It makes it impossible to get anything done.
So what’s the point of creating a to-do list that will jam your brain and take you into a procrastination rabbit hole?
Research shows that the longer your list, the less likely you will get things done.
I was feeling overwhelmed and stuck
A few weeks ago, I was unable to function, so many things on my to-do list and I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it.
I was multitasking, juggling a lot of plates, and throwing my energy into 10 different things.
I wasn’t finishing anything and I was stuck on my infinite to-do list.
First, I am a solopreneur, I have a small business to run, I work in a hospital and I do design jobs on the side.
All on my own.
So I kept thinking about everything I had to do and froze.
Then I went to Instagram and scrolled through happy people’s lives for 2h and felt even worse.
I was trying to escape this horrible overwhelming feeling, but it didn’t work. So, I cried, I felt what I needed to feel, and then I grabbed my journal.
I knew that no one would come and save me or do anything to help me.
Everyone is struggling with their own life, so I took responsibility for mine.
I decided to try something new
By following the 2 things-to-do list method, you will have clarity and focus on taking action on what matters.
When you finish your main priority of the day, you will instantly feel a weight off your shoulders and mind.
Most of the time, we believe we have to do lots of things and cross every task on our to-do list, but when we take time to analyse what really matters, we can see how much time we are wasting.
Focusing on one thing and getting it done will increase your feelings of self-worth, self-confidence and bring back your motivation.
3 steps to stop feeling overwhelmed and anxious when you look at your to-do list
Write down 2 things.
Start the night before, grab a journal, and this is what you are going to write:
1 thing to-do
1 thing not-to-do
What do you want to achieve the next day? Think about only one thing. Be clear and ensure this is important so you can feel you have progressed after you finish it.
Then, one thing NOT-TO-DO. It’s so easy to lose your focus. That’s why this step is crucial.
I don’t know about you, but I get distracted so easily.
By social media, doing house chores, tidying up my phone, and doing lots of small things that are not a priority.
It’s nothing more than self-sabotage. We’re trying to escape from the responsibility and do other things to feel better. That’s why a not-to-do list is just as important as a to-do list.
Here are some examples of this productivity tip in action:
Trust yourself and respect your own rules. This to-do list has only 2 items. You absolutely can do this!
Just make sure you are being realistic with yourself, okay? Don’t commit to finish a whole project in one morning because this is impossible.
Choose something that makes you excited, related to a big goal and a bigger purpose, which fuels your soul.
Eat the frog
Now that you know what you will do, you need to prepare your environment to work with you, not against you.
Our environment plays a significant role in our productivity, even though we’re unaware.
If you are working or studying at your desk, take 5 minutes to do a quick tidy-up on your space and make it cosy.
Maybe you can light a candle, add some house plants, grab a drink, etc.
When doing this, your brain will start associating it with focused work. It’s like a “productivity warm-up” to your brain.
Remove everything that may distract you and focus on your TO-DO THING. It’s only one. Get it done.
If you’re feeling unmotivated, take 2 minutes to close your eyes, breathe and visualise yourself finishing your one thing. How does it feel?
Now, jump into action, eat the frog!
Take time to refuel
You finished your one thing, respected your rule, and now you should feel incredibly proud of yourself, you know it’s not easy, but you did it.
Make sure you check your to-do list just after you finish it.
Now it’s time to celebrate yourself and your courage for stepping up and taking responsibility to do the things no one will do for you.
You choose the way you want to celebrate, but here I will also give you some ideas to fill your cup:
- go for a walk
- water your plants
- call someone you love
- watch something funny
- read your favourite book
- listen to your favourite podcast
- listen to your favourite music and dance
- go outside, sit on the grass, look around and breathe
- write in your journal how you feel, write about your dreams and how proud you are of yourself
Don’t skip this step even if you only have 20 minutes or 10. This it’s going to help you to stay consistent and have significant results over time.
Also, by taking time to refuel, you reduce overwhelm and anxiety.
Every time I finish my one thing for the day, I focus on this good feeling of progress.
Focus on the feeling. I know our time is scarce, but take just a few minutes to acknowledge yourself and give yourself some love and respect. Feel that you are making progress every day in the direction you want.
“Small, Smart Choices + Consistency + Time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE”
Darren Hardy – the compound effect
Why does it work?
- It works on your subconscious mind: when you have a plan the night before, your subconscious mind keeps working on it while you are asleep.
- It prevents decision fatigue: you won’t need to think about what you will do when you wake up in the morning. You already have it all written in your journal. Just focus on taking action and don’t fall into the trap of excuses.
- Reduces overwhelm and anxiety: this to-do list only contains 2 items. You can do this! This gives you control and empowerment, reducing overwhelm and anxiety. A conventional to-do list with 384858583 things just tends to increase your stress and feelings of overwhelming.
- It increases your self-confidence: every time you commit to doing something and you finish it, your self-confidence bar rises. You start trusting yourself some, you believe you can do the things you commit to doing, and you can do hard things.
- Reduces procrastination: when you have 35 items on your to-do list, it increases your chances of procrastinating. This happens because you feel overwhelmed. To try to escape this feeling, you just try to get a quick and easy dose of dopamine on social media, alcohol, or junky food. By having only 1 thing to do on your list, your brain thinks, “I can do this, let’s do it”, so you have a higher chance of getting things done.
Don’t forget your to-do list template
I have been following this to-do list template, and It’s been so beneficial. I still plan my week where I have my other to-do’s that I can’t forget. But on my 2-things to-do list, I do it separately.
If you are constantly multitasking, doing lots of things simultaneously and feel like you are not getting anywhere, try this to-do list method.
Sometimes simplifying it’s all we need to get things done.
Do less, but do it better.
Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
I use this Notion Template for Life and Business to organise my life and business. It’s where I dump everything I can’t forget and the 2 things-to-do lists I do in my physical journal because I avoid using screens at night.
Here’s my gift to you
I designed the 2-things to-do list template, download it, add it to your routine and stop feeling overwhelmed when you look at your to-do list.
Download your To-do list template here and overcome to-do list anxiety.
I hope it helps!
