{"id":22813,"date":"2013-11-17T11:04:07","date_gmt":"2013-11-17T19:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=22813"},"modified":"2013-11-17T11:04:07","modified_gmt":"2013-11-17T19:04:07","slug":"best-solution-list-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/best-solution-list-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Solution for Your To-Do List Stress"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n

Ever wonder why to-do lists make you feel so guilty?<\/p>\n

Even though to-do lists are useful for keeping track of tasks and for clearing up mental space that\u2019s much-needed for focus, I\u2019ve never felt all that great using one. You get that little rush of satisfaction after crossing something off \u2014\u00a0which does feel wonderful \u2014\u00a0but only for a few minutes. Then right onto dealing with the rest of the\u00a0 ever-growing list of tasks. It\u2019s like battling a Task Monster. Cut off one head just means eight more sprout in its place.<\/p>\n

We actually write down too many tasks on our to-do lists<\/a> and then make ourselves feel bad because anxiety over not getting to everything impairs our motivation to keep moving. This means we\u2019re actually contributing to our own deflated sense of defeat. I\u2019ve even noticed that many incredibly productive people who get an impressive amount of things done still<\/i> come down really hard on themselves, saying \u201cI didn\u2019t get enough done today.\u201d<\/p>\n

A surprisingly effective practice that deals with these undermining feelings is keeping a done list<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n

When you flip your perspective to reflect and review what you actually got done<\/b> at the end of the day, you\u2019re looking at real, concrete evidence of productivity rather than thinking about all the should\u2019ve, could\u2019ve, would\u2019ves that so easily weigh down your spirit.<\/p>\n

By taking time to write down your \u201cdones\u201d, you gain the same little rush of pleasure that you get when you cross a task off your to-do list. The big difference with a done list<\/a> is that it encourages you to celebrate all<\/i> your accomplishments, including those that weren\u2019t initially planned. Think about all the unexpected things that you end up dealing with throughout your day.<\/p>\n

So instead of feeling dejected at the end of the day, you\u2019ll gain strength and encouragement from what you got done, which then serves as motivational fuel<\/a> the next day to continue your productive streak.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, you\u2019ll have a record of your achievements to look back on to get a motivation boost on those not so great days and a way to learn about how you work. Maybe you\u2019ll notice you\u2019re super productive toward the beginning of the week, so you can change how you go about the end of the week to spend that energy more wisely elsewhere like resting up or connecting with others.<\/p>\n

Need a few tips on how to keep a done list to get started?<\/p>\n

Do what works for you and express yourself.<\/b><\/p>\n

Done lists are kind of like bite-size diary entries, so get personal and express your emotions. For example, I keep a group done list<\/a> at work with my team, and my co-worker\u2019s done list from yesterday included this entry: \u201cwe were in The Economist<\/i>, which is pretty sweet\u201d. It\u2019s not necessarily something she did, but it\u2019s a memorable accomplishment for our team that she wanted to comment on and record.<\/p>\n

Balance your to-do lists.<\/b><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t just turn your done list into your to-do list 2.0 where you\u2019re writing items down instead of crossing them off. The point of done lists are to respond to how your day really went, so it should reflect that instead of a pre-conceived list of tasks. You\u2019ll probably still use to-do lists, but now you can get a balanced perspective. Pay attention to the journey of how your tasks turn into dones.<\/p>\n

Get into action mode.<\/b><\/p>\n

All the items on your to-do lists are not necessarily important. A done list is a great way to transform your mindset into action mode so that you\u2019re making progress toward your goals and priorities.\u00a0 So recording dones like \u201cdid the laundry\u201d or \u201cchecked my email\u201d that are so routine and things you should be doing anyway won\u2019t be all that helpful or illuminating for you. Use the done list as a way to work towards what matters most to you.<\/p>\n

Be thoughtful.<\/b><\/p>\n

Spend just a few minutes to reflect<\/a> back to your day. We hardly pause in these busy times and it\u2019s easy to forget to take a breath and appreciate the day. Plus when you review what you got done and how, you become more aware of how you handle things, which paves the way to make a change for the better or plan better next time.<\/p>\n

Do you have experience learning or gaining motivation from keeping track of what you\u2019ve done? I\u2019d love to hear in the comments!<\/i><\/p>\n

Janet Choi is the Chief Creative Officer at iDoneThis, the easiest <\/i>progress management tool<\/i><\/a> around. She writes about productivity, creativity, and motivation on the <\/i>iDoneThis blog<\/i><\/a>. Follow her on Twitter @<\/i>lethargarian<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever wonder why to-do lists make you feel so guilty?<\/p>\n

Even though to-do lists are useful for keeping track of tasks and for clearing up mental space that\u2019s much-needed for focus, I\u2019ve never felt all that great using one. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":23013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[2162],"tags":[4631,66,4639,4629,1419,725],"yoast_head":"\nThe Best Solution for Your To-Do List Stress - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ever wonder why to-do lists make you feel so guilty? 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