Reframing Productivity Series Part III: Effective Hacks for Your Daily To Do List
Like we have discussed in Parts I and II of my Reframing Productivity Series, leaders are notoriously hard on themselves. They carry high expectations for personal performance, which trickles down into expectations for how they manage their time, energy and tasks each day. And the outcomes loom under the surface until they blow up: things like negative self talk, perfectionism and burnout. But there’s a simple way to trick your brain back into a positive mindset, which we’ll discuss today in Part III of my Reframing Productivity Series. Today we’ll discuss a few small adjustments you can apply to your To Do list that carry a big payoff in your overall mental health.
Most leaders keep a running list of things that need to get done in a given day. And if you’re anything like me, it frequently feels like you start the day with a massive list, and barely make a dent in it by the time the day is done.
But there are two things you can do to use your To Do list to your advantage and shift your attitude.
Hack #1: Never Start with an Unchecked Checklist
Research shows that acknowledging small wins activates your brain's reward system, which reinforces positive behavior and releases dopamine. Celebrating small accomplishments “fosters a sense of accomplishment and progress and boosts self-efficacy and self-esteem.”
Here’s what that looks like for your To Do List:
Never start with an unchecked checklist.
As ridiculous as it sounds, it works. I started this trick a few years ago, and it started as a joke with a few coworkers. I always make sure that before I write down what I have yet to do, I first jot down (and immediately cross off) at least one thing that I’ve already completed. And, by the way, no task is too small here. Sometimes the first items on my list are things like “brush teeth,” “drink coffee,” “get dressed,” or even “start to do list.”
There’s few things more satisfying than crossing off items from your list (literally). Why not start things off that way?
(On a particularly rough day, I’ll make sure I list off 3 or 4 things I’ve already done, including things like “get out of bed”).
Hack #2: Prioritize & Make Your Lists Shorter
According to author and Executive Coach Peter Bregman, the biggest issue with most of our To Do lists is they are simply too long. His suggestion is to remedy this by brain dumping all the things you need get done, then pick one thing for the entire day that is your non-negotiable, must-do task. And if you get that one thing done, you can walk away from the work day feeling wholly accomplished.
After highlighting your “one big thing,” the next thing you can do is prioritize the rest of your list. Take some time to look at the remainder of your massive task list and ask yourself the question: Am I uniquely qualified to handle this?
If this answer is no, then follow up with the question: Who can I hand this off to? Leveraging the abilities and expertise of those around you not only helps you out, it also multiplies the value of your team. Delegation isn’t just about lightening your load. It’s also a way to empower your team to grow with you.
Reframe to Regain Control
The truth is, as a leader and parent, I know there will always be more tasks on my plate than there are hours in the day. But constantly feeling behind doesn’t have to be the norm. The key to breaking free from this cycle isn’t by squeezing more hours out of the day or becoming more efficient. It’s in changing the way you view progress, and resetting expectations for what a great day looks like. Try reframing your to do list by prioritizing what’s most important and celebrating the small accomplishments to take back control of your mindset.
“To avoid burnout, we don’t need huge accomplishments. We just need small wins. The strongest predictor of engagement at work is a sense of daily progress.” - Adam Grant
