The Best Way to Conquer My To-Do List

As I prepare to launch my third mystery novel, I’m compiling a list of new book-related tasks I want to accomplish on top of all the tasks I already juggle. Since I always struggle to accomplish the items on my do-do list, this is a problem. Read on for my best strategies to conquer my to-do list while staying sane and healthy.

Most Americans live a busy lifestyle. We are constantly on the go, trying to keep up with our to-do lists and all the expectations that others place on us. For this reason, there are tons of books, apps, podcasts and other resources aimed at helping us become more efficient so we can accomplish more in our days.

While some of those strategies are helpful, most of them don’t address the root issue—too many items on our to-do lists. And that leads me to the point of this post. The best way to conquer my to-do list is to eliminate some tasks so I have time to do the ones that matter most.

“Only once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter.” ~ Greg McKeown in Essentialism

I’ll never have the time or energy to get it all done

Sixty years of attempting the impossible has proven the above statement as a true fact. The number of tasks I want to accomplish are not in balance with my ability to finish them. There simply isn’t enough time in my day to do all I wish I could do.  

That leaves me with several choices. I could:

• Beat myself up for being a failure
• Push myself harder, sleep less, take fewer breaks, etc.
• Fantasize that I inherit a fortune and can hire someone else to do it all
• Find excuses for my lack of progress and numb my stress by escapism into cooking videos and chocolate

OR, I could bring my reality more in balance with my expectations and rethink my priorities.

Facing the limits of aging gracefully

As I get older (and wiser) my energy levels and aging body mean I can’t do as much as I used to accomplish in a day. Therefore, I have learned to employ various strategies to compensate and adjust to the reality of my physical limits.

Own my limits. My body isn’t twenty anymore. I don’t have the flexibility, strength, balance, or stamina I had at that age. (I intentionally exercise to maintain what I do have, but that’s a different topic.) Therefore, I adjust my expectations of what I can and cannot accomplish—both how much I can tackle in a day and what I really shouldn’t do at all.  

For example, I injured my shoulder last year lifting too many heavy boxes while clearing out my mother’s apartment. Months of PT have restored my shoulder, but I’ve learned my lesson.  I am now more careful about what I lift and how much strain I put on my shoulders in a day. This is a limit I take seriously.

I take smaller bites. That is, I don’t try to accomplish big jobs all in one day.  I break strenuous chores into smaller sections and do a little bit at a time. This eases the wear and tear on my body, but it means I need to plan ahead.

Spreading the work over several days means I can still do things I enjoy without overdoing it. But it also means I can’t accomplish as much as quickly as I would like. It’s an intentional trade-off.

I ask for help more often.  I like being independent and handling life on my terms, but I have learned that sometimes asking for help is the better choice.  Yes, asking for help means I have to wait for someone else, but it’s a small price to pay for preventing unnecessary injuries.

How I’m reprioritizing my to-do list

As I stated above, the best way to conquer my to-do list is to eliminate some tasks so I have time to do the ones that matter most. To put it another way, I need to determine which tasks are essential and which are non-essential. And then I need to cross those non-essential items off my to-do list!

“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”  Warren Buffet

Unfortunately, while the quote above is simple to say, it’s a lot harder to accomplish. Because it takes wisdom, determination, and courage to eliminate most of what we think is important, in order to focus on the few things that truly are.

But that is what I strive to do. I’m far from an expert at this, but I’m working on it. And it takes frequent reminders to take stock and consider what non-essential goals have slipped onto my to-do list when I wasn’t looking.  

The good news is that when you and I succeed in eliminating non-essential goals and tasks, a weight is lifted from our shoulders.

“There is tremendous freedom in learning that we can eliminate the non-essentials.”  Greg McKeown in Essentialism

One priority shift I’m making to conquer my to-do list

As I mentioned at the start of this post, I’m entering a season of launching my third novel. Which means my priorities have shifted. To conquer my to-do list, I need to make changes.

And after much thought, I’ve decided to cut back on blogging. Which means that starting this week, I’ve decided to post blogs every other week instead of every week.

I hope this change will enable me to post relevant content without feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

And how about you?

What changes can you make this week to bring your to-do list into better balance with your limits and priorities?