The To-Do List: An Anchor, not an Anchor Chain

I've had two conversations about to-do lists this week that got me pondering how easy it is to overthink these simple productivity tools.

The First Conversation

Last week, a coaching client who had just listened to my "Overwhelmed Overachiever" talk confessed she'd misplaced her GPS quadrant list after completing several items and felt guilty about it.

"Has anything catastrophic happened since you misplaced it?" I asked. "Any frantic calls from school? Your boss demanding a missed report?"

She said no.

"Then maybe you lost it for a reason: you simply didn't need it anymore," I told her. "Maybe your list accomplished exactly what it needed to do. It helped you identify your most important tasks, and then you got them done."

She then asked me how often I rewrite my own quadrant list. I explained that I usually keep it around until I don't need it anymore—until I've completed the truly essential items. Then I start a new one when I need it.

The Second Conversation

Then today, a friend called and wanted to get my opinion on something she'd just heard from a buddy of hers, a CEO with significant responsibilities. He'd told her that he writes out a fresh to-do list every morning because he doesn't want to look at a messy one.

"What do you think of that method?" she asked.

"I'm about to blow your mind," was my reply. "I don't actually keep a to-do list at all. I put it all on my calendar."

"Wait—you put 'mow your lawn' on your calendar?" she said.

"Yep. I sure do."

"How do you keep all the details straight?" was her next question.

I had a quick answer for that: "I have different color-coded calendars for different areas of my life, and I can show or hide them to focus on how much time I actually have available each day."

The Takeaway

What struck me most about these conversations is how we risk turning helpful tools into demanding taskmasters. My client worried that she had let her list down, or had forgotten important things. Experience, in the form of zero feedback that something important had been overlooked, told us no. My friend, and her CEO buddy, were searching for peace in the to-do list struggle. And I had confirmed for me once again that everyone needs to find the tools that, like Goldilocks' bed, are just right for them.

If you haven't found the right fit yet, try my GPS system!

A to-do list—whether it's my GPS quadrant, a CEO's pristine daily rewrite, or my calendar method—should be an anchor that grounds your day, not a weight that drags you under to drown.

With lists, we're really after

1. Completing what truly matters

2. Letting go of the rest

So next time you find yourself stressing about the perfect to-do system, ask yourself: Is this actually helping me accomplish what matters most? Or has the tool itself become another source of stress?

I'm curious to know: how do you like to manage your to-do lists? Let me know in the comments.

Image Credit: Image by Eszter Miller from Pixabay