Top 10 Reasons To Ditch Your To Do List Today

A to-do list is an effective way to organize your thoughts and focus on what needs to be done. But there are plenty of reasons to ditch your to-do list. But here are some of the top ones.

Do you ever get overwhelmed with too much stuff to do? If yes, then you should read this article.

We live in a busy world where time seems to fly by faster every day. There's always something new to do, whether it's a project at work or a family event. The problem is that we often forget to prioritize our tasks and complete them. This leads to stress and frustration.

You don't have to worry anymore. In this article, I'll show you the top 10 reasons why you should ditch your to-do lists today.

1. It’s Not Working For You

You have to figure out what needs to get done and when and where it will get done. This transforms task completion from a simple activity into a complex one, making it harder to complete.

A great example of this is task migration, which happens when you don't complete a task and therefore needs to move it to your next day's list. This is why people feel like their "to-do" lists are never-ending.

When creating your tasks for the day, always begin with the most important or hardest ones first.

Not only will this help you be more productive, but also more fulfilled throughout the day, knowing that you've already completed your most important tasks.

The best way to ensure that you're completing the most important tasks first is by identifying them each evening before bed. Then, when you wake up in the morning and create your new "to do" list for the day, place those items at the top of your list.

For this to work well, though, you'll need to make sure that you're limiting your task list to no more than three items. No more than three, and research shows that productivity plummets again because our brain can't handle so many things at once.

2. It’s Making You Feel Like A Slave

We are in serious overload. We have way too much to do and not enough time to get it all done, even though we try like crazy.

In our efforts to manage all the things we need to do and the information we need to manage, many of us have gotten into the habit of writing everything down. This is a good thing. Writing things down helps us clear our minds to focus on what's most important. It frees up our mind-space for creative thinking and problem solving by helping us not forget the little things we need to do or remember. Plus, it gives us a sense of accomplishment when we see items crossed off our list or deleted from our email inbox.

But here's the thing: unless you're managing your lists properly, all you're doing is making a list of stuff that you have no intention of doing — or, at least, no intention of doing today. I'm going to show you why your to-do list is making you feel overwhelmed, anxious and like a slave to your ever-growing "to-do" list and tell you what you can use instead!

3. It’s Taking Up Too Much Of Your Time

I’ve been keeping a to do list since high school. I’d jot down the books I should read, the articles I should write, and the big ideas that could change my life.

I’d fill up an entire notebook within a few months, but then something strange would happen: I’d start a new notebook.

And then another.... and another. Each one is filled with more brilliant ideas than the last.

Year after year, my to do lists got longer and longer.

My notebooks overflowed with ideas - but my life didn't change at all.

So I did what any self-respecting person who can't accomplish anything would do: I started reading about productivity.

I devoured blogs, books, and articles on how to get more done in less time. I tried every strategy, from planning out the perfect week to working in 50-minute sprints...and nothing worked for me.

4. It’s Keeping You From Doing What You Want

“To-do lists are not found in nature. There is no to-do list fairy.”

So says David Allen, author of the bestseller Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. If you’re relying on a list to get things done, it might be time to ditch it forever.

It's easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of tasks that we have each day. We spend more time deciding which ones are most important. Instead of actually making any progress on those items and ending up doing nothing well at all for our goals or dreams in some cases!

A better solution is asking yourself one simple question every morning: "What do I want to accomplish today?" You'll be surprised how much easier it makes your mornings. When you only have a few key things going forward rather than being uncertain what should come first onto your plate during this busy weekday gone by before Monday rolls around again…

5. It’s Stressing You Out

To-do lists can stress us out before we even get started. The very idea of having a list of things to do, staring back at you accusingly, is enough to put anyone off. You see the list, and you know that there’s no getting away from it.

You’ll have to do those things eventually, so why not just get them done today? If you can’t bring yourself to work on your to-do list, you should probably get rid of it.

If you’re like me, you probably add things to your to do list which are already completed. They nag at you when they aren’t crossed off, but they nag at you when they are crossed off too. It feels like a waste of time adding something that doesn’t need doing. It's because then you have to take time out of your day to cross it off. I mean, who has time for that?

A recent study in the Journal Psychological Science found that writing a to-do list before bed is linked to better sleep. That's because when you write down tasks, you're able to forget them and not worry about remembering them later. In other words, it helps you let go of your worries for the night and fall asleep more easily.

I'd argue that writing a to-do list during the day—and even throughout the day—has similar stress-reducing effects. A couple of times a week, I'll break down my overall goals into specific tasks. Then write them down on paper. This serves two purposes. First, it reminds me of what I need to do. Secondly, it clears my mind so I can focus on one thing at a time.

6. It’s Creating Unnecessary Anxiety

Do you have a to do list? I'm guessing the answer is yes. But there's a good chance it's not helping you get things done. It's probably causing more harm than good. Here are 10 reasons why you should ditch your to-do list today.

A to-do list is an ever-growing collection of incomplete tasks and ideas that we'll never get to. And it's causing us unnecessary anxiety. As we work through our day, we're constantly faced with the overwhelming reality of how much work we still have to do and how little time we have left to do it.

It's not about what you can get done in a day, week, or month. Your focus should be on what you can accomplish over the long term. A to-do list is designed for short-term productivity at best. It doesn't consider whether or not you're taking action on projects that will matter most in the long run.

Perhaps the biggest reason to ditch your to do list is that it distracts you from being present and living in the moment. By constantly checking off your task list, which is often filled with mundane tasks, you don't give yourself time to think deeply about the essential things that matter.

7. It’s Giving You The Wrong Information

The fundamental problem is that the to do list will tell you what you need to do. However, not when or where. It doesn’t mean you how it fits into the bigger picture.

Another major problem with a to-do list is that it doesn’t let you know how much time each task takes. You may think something will take an hour and then find out it takes three hours. Or vice versa. The only way to know is to start doing the task and see what happens.

The third problem is that a to-do list doesn’t give you context for your tasks. You might be in the middle of something important, but your to do list will act like everything is equally important. So you end up stopping a task that is urgent and important. Even though you are in the zone, start another task that might be less urgent or important.

The final problem I will mention here is that a to-do list does not tell you where your tasks should be done. If all of your tasks are on one list, your home tasks will get mixed up with your work tasks, and vice versa. This means that you may have no idea whether something can wait until tomorrow or not.

8. It’s Putting Pressure On Yourself

A to-do list is a perfect tool to keep you on track and organized, but it can also cause a huge amount of stress. When you have too much to do, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, and when you don’t get through everything on your list, you may feel like a failure.

The problem with lists is that they are essentially a visual reminder of how much you’ve got left to do. Even when we value our time and schedule sensibly, procrastination has always been an issue – we are always finding ways to put off the things we should be doing. This can be a comfortable habit, and it feels good, but the longer you put off important tasks and responsibilities, the more stressful it will become.

9. It’s Holding You Back

If you're like most people, you probably have a to-do list hanging around in your head or written down somewhere. It helps you keep track of what you need to get done and helps you feel accomplished when you check off an item.

But I'm going to let you in on a bit of secret: To do lists are the enemy of productivity. They might help you keep track of your tasks, but they hold you back from truly being productive. If you use them, they can make it more difficult for you to reach your goals.

Let me explain why, and then I'll show you how to ditch your list and get more done with less effort.

10. It’s Just Plain Boring

The to do list is boring for two reasons. Firstly, it is a collection of mundane tasks that you are trying to work through rather than fun or creative project. Secondly, it is usually so long that you don’t even want to look at it.

You don’t wake up in the morning excited to read through a list of tasks that feels more like a chore than anything else.

This is one of the reasons why most people who use to-do lists end up abandoning them after just a couple of days or weeks.

FAQ

Why do I avoid my to do list?

To do lists are great tools for getting things done, but they can also be overwhelming if you don't know where to start.
The best way to get started with a to-do list is to pick one task at a time and write it down. Then add more tasks until you feel like you've accomplished everything on your list. 

How do I get rid of to do list?

To do lists are great for helping us stay organized, however they can also be overwhelming. Try using an app like Wunderlist instead.

Why am I so obsessed with making lists?

Lists are great for organizing things, whether it’s my grocery list, or my life. They help me stay organized and get things done.

Why I stopped using a To Do list and what did I use instead?

A to do list can be helpful when you are trying to remember something important, but it doesn't work well for me because I'm forgetful. Instead, I use an app called Things which helps me keep track of all my tasks.

Conclusion

Most of us rely on to-do lists to keep us on track and help us remember. But are we setting ourselves up for failure with this method? If you think about it, lists can be an unproductive way to approach tasks. In particular, the more you create, the more probable you'll eventually overlook an essential item or find yourself delaying a task because there is too much to do at once. Here are ten reasons you should rethink using to-dos in your daily life. Hopefully, this list will be enough for you to reconsider how you tackle everyday chores and tasks.

Whatever your procrastination habits, I can't recommend highly enough to give them up. Rather than seeing the things you need to do as a burden, learn to see them as exciting challenges that could potentially improve your life in some measurable way. Allow yourself to become better, and strive to make your goals a reality. This might mean making radical changes, but it will also help you discover new opportunities you never knew existed.

References