“Make to-do list” is the first thing I write on my to-do list.

With pen. On paper.

It might seem old-fashioned. And a tad neurotic.

But this overview of all my to-do’s in front of me gives structure.

Some psychologi

sts say it reduces chaos-induced anxiety.

In general, they agree that open tasks take a toll on your cognitive capacity.

Productivity guru David Allan puts it this way: "there is an inverse relationship between things on your mind and those things getting done".

So the more to-do’s on your mind, the less you get done. Paralysis.

Entrust them to a piece of paper. Or an app. Or a tool. Clarity.

The extra trick? Look at the tasks you write down. They have to be manageable. So you can tick them off within a reasonable time.

Reaching a goal and crossing that tasks off the list is rewarded with dopamine in the brain.

Then the brain wants more of it.

So you’ll be looking for another task to do. To cross it off as well.

And another.

You don’t write:

-Make board presentation

Instead, you write:

-collect slides from so-and-so

-check flow of slides

-study speaker notes

-practice presentation

Etcetera

So free your mind with a bird’s-eye view of all your small to-do’s. You’ll fly through the February task-overload.

Tick, tick, tick, there goes your list.

I’ve just crossed off ‘Write LinkedIn post’. And now I’m going for ‘Post LinkedIn post’.

Feels good.

Recente blogposts