How to Simplify Your To-Do List

Making a to-do list is necessary, but if it is too long, it can easily make you feel overwhelmed. Below are simple tips to help you simplify your to-do list to make life easier while still completing assigned tasks .

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Make time for 'constructive worry'

Overwhelm can come from having so many worries running around in our heads like a washing machine, which can drain our energy. A useful strategy is to set aside 10 to 15 minutes a day for 'constructive worrying', where you write down your concerns. You can then apply cognitive strategies such as 'if, then' planning ('if X happens, I will do Y') or evaluating possible worst-case scenarios. This process can help reduce the emotional intensity of the worry and ease the feeling of overwhelm. Sometimes, you just need to remind yourself to tackle one problem and task at a time.

Do exercise

Anxiety is easy to get but hard to get rid of. Engage in healthy activities that help you manage it, such as weekly cold-water swimming, daily weightlifting, or watching comedy. These can help you keep things in perspective and give you time to reflect on your progress. Ten minutes in 14C water; 10 minutes of high-intensity weightlifting; 10 minutes of trying to make someone laugh: all of these will help to dispel the overwhelm of a long todo list, allowing you to simplify it more effectively.

Stop, breathe, be yourself

When you feel overwhelmed by a long todo list, practice a three-second brain reset called Stop, Breathe, Be. It's a way to get out of anxious thoughts that focus on "what ifs" and return to the "now." First, stop: intentionally pause what you're doing. Next, breathe: take a deep breath in and out. Finally, be: focus on being present in the here and now. This technique promotes the mind-body connection. Over time, it will rewire your brain to feel less stressed through a process called neuroplasticity.

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Lie face down on the floor

On a really chaotic work day, what often helps many people is to lie face down on a hard floor. Then focus on the sensations of the floor: the pressure, the temperature. After a few minutes, stand up and then maybe start sorting through your to-do list, or sometimes start doing this in your head while you're still lying down, but only after you've calmed down and can think without getting too worked up. A glass of water and some stretching (either after standing up or while still lying on the floor) can also be good for resetting the body.

Do little but often

One thing that really helps me feel less overwhelmed is doing a little more often, rather than a lot more every now and then, especially when it comes to maintaining my living space and my health. For example, every time I go into my bedroom, I do a little exercise (like 10 push-ups) or clean up four things in my room (it may seem like a lot, but throwing a receipt in the trash counts as one thing and making the bed counts as all four). It turns health and the environment into a game and prevents things from building up unnecessarily.

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Change your perspective

When you start to feel overwhelmed, write down everything you're feeling on a piece of paper. The key is not to distract yourself from the overwhelm, but to understand and lean into it. Writing things down will give you a different perspective because it focuses your thoughts and gives you more control over what you're doing.

Lesley Montoya

Update 02 January 2025