5 ways to-do lists keep us sane (and productive)
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5 ways to-do lists keep us sane (and productive)

February 8, 2021
Kai Magsanoc

Have you ever experienced analysis paralysis? Investopedia defines it as “a situation in which an individual or group is unable to move forward with a decision as a result of overanalyzing data or overthinking a problem.” 


It further explains that, in business, “Analysis paralysis can occur with many investment decisions, such as buying or selling securities. The inaction it causes can easily lead to losses in a portfolio or missed chances at larger profits.”


This is the scale at which analysis paralysis can affect us. But, in our everyday life, analysis paralysis can happen when — faced with a mountain of tasks — we are overwhelmed by the thought of needing to reach the summit of that mountain within a certain period of time and — overwhelmed by that mountain of tasks — we don’t know where to begin.


READ: IT’S A DEAL! 10 ways to close that sale


We forget that the gap between our starting point and the summit is made up of small steps, small accomplishments, small to-do’s. As we focus on accomplishing these to-do’s one by one in a calm and realistic manner, we are able to enjoy the journey and make sense of what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how it is helping us get to where we want to be.


This is why to-do lists are so important. They help us identify the building blocks of what eventually become great accomplishments.


  1. TO-DO lists calm us down

When pressure is mounting and anxiety rears its ugly head, forcing yourself to sit, focus on your breathing, and list down all you need to do proves to be therapeutic. By the end of your list, you will find that you are calmer. This is because you finally have a visual target, and you know where to begin.


Of course, there are different kinds of to-do lists you can employ:

  • The basic to-do list where you list everything you need to do in no particular order and just tick them off as soon as you’re done
  • The daily to-do list where you look at your week and list what you need to do per day. This is good in identifying repetitive tasks.
  • The prioritized to-do list where you identify the most important and the most urgent and put them on top
  • The 4-quadrant to-do list where you qualify your tasks according to 4 categories: Important and Urgent, Important but NOT Urgent, NOT Important but Urgent, NOT Important and NOT Urgent


  1. TO-DO lists help us create accountability

Listing all that we need to do helps us see how much we need to accomplish in a day, week, or month. It helps us realize what we need to do that will affect the work of others, too. We are reminded of how much depends on one single task, especially on a daily basis, and when you work with a team.


But if you’re a startup owner, it’s always one task away from the fulfillment of a dream. If that’s the case, won’t you make sure you get it done?


READ: 2020 Lessons Learned — How to do a retrospective and why


  1. TO-DO lists help us manage our time, organize, and re-organize

In the beginning, we may make to-do lists that are a kilometer long. Then we realize we need to take smaller steps and celebrate smaller wins to get to the big ones, so we break them down into what is realistic. Then we realize we need to put in the time for fitness, chores at home, and family. And so we are able to move things around and distribute them accordingly. 


This helps us not only feel good about our to-do lists but feel good about ourselves, too. Think about it: if you don’t include exercise in your important to-do’s for the day, what will you do with business achievements when you are in poor health? To-do lists help us identify what is important in life, the non-negotiables that should be a given every single day.


  1. TO-DO lists help us create a system that works for us

There are people who claim that to-do lists don’t work for them and that they’d rather work based on what’s in their head. But there is scientific proof that to-do lists help us create a system and this system is effective in making us more productive. Psychologist Dr. David Cohen perfectly summarizes what to-do lists do for us:

  • “They dampen anxiety about the chaos of life”
  • “They give us a structure, a plan that we can stick to” 
  • “They are proof of what we have achieved that day, week, or month”


You know how you feel when you look at a to-do list where all items are ticked off and done? It feels good, right? It gives you a high, and you feel indestructible, even if only for a period of time. But you can clearly see that you have worked hard and have earned some reward, like a massage or a good bottle of wine (with a grazing box!).


  1. TO-DO lists help us delegate

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about a to-do list is it helps us identify tasks that we need help with; tasks that we need to delegate in order to come up with a better result.


This is where BizScale To-Do comes in, when there are tasks not doable by a team of one, but by a team of dedicated, committed, and inspired professionals fit to do each task in your to-do list. 


With BizScale To-Do, you get access to a pool of low-cost experts who can deliver high quality work very quickly. Unlike virtual assistants that typically have a limited skillset, the BizScale To-Do team can handle just about any type of task including research, data entry, graphic design, video editing, copywriting, and more.


How do you utilize BizScale To-Do? It’s really easy:

  • Step 1: Just create a task
  • Step 2: Track the progress on that task
  • Step 3: Review deliverables


So if you still have a mountain of tasks that need to be done, get to that summit faster with the help of the BizScale team. The tasks they can help you with are classified as Basic, Standard, and Premium, starting at just USD $6 per hour (and we know how much can be done in an hour with the help of a team that cares). Imagine getting your peace of mind back in just an hour. That’s priceless.


To learn more about BizScale To-Do and other services that the BizScale team can do for you, complete the form on this page, email us at sales@bizscale.com, call us at 833-722-5310, or book time on Calendly today.


Sources:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/analysisparalysis.asp

https://web.uri.edu/teachonline/the-power-of-to-do-lists/

https://www.lifehack.org/859340/todo-list

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/may/10/the-psychology-of-the-to-do-list-why-your-brain-loves-ordered-tasks