When you're overwhelmed with work and personal obligations, it can be tempting to just shrug your shoulders and say, "I'll get to that later." But don't! Instead, try using a simple to-do list. The list will help you prioritize tasks and keep yourself accountable for getting things done. And as long as you follow a few simple rules of thumb when making one — like not doing it while watching TV or while eating dinner at the same time every day — you'll be organised in no time.
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Feeling overwhelmed?
Feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry, you're not alone. The feeling of being overwhelmed is common and can happen for a number of reasons: work, family, friends or other commitments. It's important to take a step back and see what you can do to reduce the stress.
- Make sure your priorities are clear by writing down your goals for each day and week before working on them so that your to-do list is focused on where it needs to be.
- If there are things that aren't urgent but still need doing use the Eisenhower matrix method to prioritize tasks by importance and urgency; this will allow you to better manage time.
- Identify which tasks may cause some anxiety so that when they come up again in future they don't create an unnecessary amount of stress.
Get into the habit.
To get started, make a list of your most important tasks and write them on a piece of paper. This can be as simple or detailed as you want it to be—you might write down just one item or have several pages filled with everything that needs to get done that day.
Whatever your approach, the most important thing is consistency. Once you've created your first task list, continue using it every day until it becomes part of your normal routine. As I mentioned earlier, there's no point in making a task list if you don't use it consistently over time (and even then, there are other ways to help keep yourself organized).
The key here is not perfection; we're only human and our schedules tend to change from week to week or even day by day depending on our workloads at work or school/college/university etc... So don't worry too much about getting everything done perfectly; focus more on developing good habits when creating these lists instead!
Also remember that failure is inevitable when trying something new: if you miss something off your list once or twice because life got busy then don't beat yourself up about it - just try again next time!
Do it at the same time every day.
How many times have you forgotten to do something, only to remember later and feel like an idiot? It's like how people always ask if they can use the bathroom when they're already in there. Or how half of the time it's 6:30 before you realize that it's already been dark for half an hour and you didn't even notice.
It's because you're not doing what needs to be done at the right time. If you want things on your to-do list completed, do them at a certain time every day—and make sure that time is always exactly the same from day to day. That way, when something arises during your routine time slot and says "Oh crap! I forgot!" it hopefully won't be too late by then (because after all...you are a human being).
Limit yourself to three tasks a day.
It’s tempting to try to fit more tasks into your day. After all, the world is full of problems that need solving and there are so many things you want to accomplish! But if you limit yourself to three tasks per day, you can realistically tackle and complete them without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.
Don’t let your list get too long either. If a task takes longer than an hour or two, consider breaking it down into smaller parts and tracking those instead (e.g., “Rewrite blog post from scratch” vs “Brainstorm topic ideas; draft first paragraph; revise article outline; write draft of article).
Batch your to-dos by category.
To keep things organized, you can use a to-do list app that allows you to batch your tasks by category. This way, when you’re looking at the list in the morning, it will be easier for you to see how many of the things on your plate are within each category and what order they need to get done in.
Put your hardest task first.
This tip is simple but effective. If you want to get more done, prioritize the hardest tasks first and make sure that the most important ones are included at the top of your list.
This is similar to what I call the “eat-the-salad-first” trick: if you want to eat a balanced meal, start with salad because it's easy to fill up on it without overindulging in other foods that might be less healthy for you (e.g., meat). The same idea applies here—you'll find yourself feeling accomplished after completing some initial tasks, which will motivate and encourage you to continue working toward accomplishing even more of what's on your plate.[1]
Keep a master list of everything you need to do.
Once you've figured out what you want to do, it's time to create a master list of everything you need to do. This can be either a spreadsheet or a notebook, but make sure it's somewhere that's easy for you to find and update regularly. Once this list is set up with the tasks and their priorities, you'll have all the information that was previously scattered throughout your brain organized in one place. You can then use this master list as an outline for each day's work by simply checking off completed tasks as they're completed (or corrected). As an added bonus, if something comes up during the day that isn't on your master list—say, an unexpected meeting pops up at 3pm—you'll still be able to reference this document quickly in order make sure nothing falls through the cracks!
Use technology to your advantage.
There are a number of different ways to keep track of your tasks and to-dos. The easiest is probably using one of the many task management apps available for smartphones or computers. You can also use a calendar app, or even just a simple text file on your computer. If you prefer using pen and paper, try making a weekly planner with time slots in which to write down your tasks.
Focus on one thing at a time — and don't make lists while doing it.
The best way to use a to-do list is by focusing on one thing at a time. Don't make your lists while doing something else, like driving or commuting in the morning. And don't make them at night before heading to bed—wait until morning for that. The reason for this is simple: multitasking leads to a lower quality of work and more stress. You're less likely to remember what you wanted to put down on your list if it gets written while you're trying to focus on something else, and there's no reason why you should have any less focus when creating the list than when going through it later.
You'll be more productive if you make and use a to-do list.
Making and using a to-do list is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your productivity. A to-do list allows you to keep track of all the tasks you need to accomplish, so that you can stay on top of everything that needs doing. This can help prevent distractions from other projects or tasks, which will allow you to focus on getting things done as quickly as possible.
To get started making your own personal To Do List, simply write down everything that needs doing in chronological order (i.e., first things first). If there are any deadlines associated with these tasks (which there usually are), feel free add them into this listing as well so that they’re easily accessible when needed later on during execution time.
Conclusion
I hope you've found this blog post helpful" It can be hard to find the time and energy to get things done, but a good to-do list can help you stay on track and get more done in less time. Plus, it feels good when you check off each item on your list!