We don’t give the to-do list the credit it deserves, says Eileen Chadnick, principal of Big Cheese Coaching in Toronto and author of Ease: Manage Overwhelm in Times of “Crazy Busy.”
“It seems so basic to talk about a to-do list,” Chadnick says. “But there’s neuroscience behind it.”
When you fill your brain with an overwhelming number of details to remember, it receives a “threat” signal. This signal compromises the function of the prefrontal cortex, which controls your capacity to think and analyze.
When you record tasks rather than trying to remember them, Chadnick says, your brain releases a hormone called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which has a calming effect. That leaves you better equipped to analyse problems and make decisions.
So, relax your brain with these four suggestions for creating an effective to-do list:
1. Develop a system that works for you
The best to-do list structure is the one that’s easy to maintain and quickly accessible. Whether tasks are documented in a notebook, on scrap pieces of paper or in digital form is up to you.
“Whatever your system is,” Chadnick says, “make sure there’s a means of glancing at it at any time — either to update it or to read it just to calm yourself down.”
If you prefer technology, try Evernote (www.evernote.com). It is a free app that can hold your to-do lists through multiple technological platforms such as your smartphone, your tablet and your computer. The information you store is synchronized so you can access it from any one of those devices at any given time.
2. Keep various timelines in mind
In order to benefit from GABA, we must free our brains of our many tasks, which can cover the current day, week and even the next year. So, create a system through which you can easily see your daily, weekly and long-term tasks.
3. Keep it organized
If you find you have too many items on a list, categorizing your tasks will make it easier for your brain to absorb that information.
There are many ways to organize your tasks. You can divide them according to items that must be completed, those that should be completed and those that will help you get ahead. Another idea is to arrange tasks by the area of your life that they occupy, such as work, home or your social life.
4. Refresh your list regularly
Develop a routine through which you update your list on a daily basis, Chadnick says.
“I don’t end my day without having my next day’s list done,” she says. “It takes five minutes.”
However, continue to update your list as you complete certain tasks and add others.
“What you’re basically doing is re-prioritizing,” Chadnick says. “You’re writing it down so you don’t have to carry it around in your head.”
5. Acknowledge your accomplishments
Chadnick has developed what she calls a “ta-da” list to remind herself of what she has completed.
We often forget how much we get done because we focus on the tasks that are ongoing. But remembering those completed assignments is a “brain-friendly exercise.”
Says Chadnick: “Those moments of happiness, pride and accomplishment actually physiologically open up the brain.”