Getting to the Bottom of the Task List Every Time!

Overwhelmed by the To-Do List

The to-do list just keeps stacking up and the requests just keep coming. You have committed to a couple extra things this week and the demands of being a mom, wife, friend, student and employee are not going anywhere. You feel a breakdown coming on, but you don’t have time for that either. So what do you do?

Considering you have so much on your plate and you want to do it all right, it is only natural that you feel overwhelmed and at your wits end! Though the issue at hand likely goes much deeper, the first thing is getting you through the moment with some time management and a task list.

Start by prioritizing your list in to want-to, have-to, and should-do. Once you have that list, map out your week’s plan broken down into days and hours. Many of the things you HAVE to do also come with timelines such as appointments and events, so fill those in first. If there are tasks that have to be done prior to those timelines, allot the estimated time on your map as well. Do your best not to schedule yourself too tightly. It will help keep you calm and build your confidence in your ability to complete everything if you aren’t continually cutting it close or running into the next thing.

You may find that you have no extra time for the should-dos and the want-tos. Earlier I mentioned that this may go deeper than prioritizing and creating a task list. Now is the time to address that. Is the description in the initial paragraph painting a picture of you way to often? Are you ready to make a change? If so, some things to consider are:

• What is really holding you back from accomplishing things?
  Is time management an area for improvement in your life?
  Are you packing your life with things that are important to you and in alignment with your values?
  Can you envision your life any other way?
  What would your ideal week look like and include?
  Are you able to say no? If not, why?

There are so many things to examine and it is different for each individual person.
Once you are able to get to the root of what is causing your overwhelming feelings, you can begin to make a positive change in the way you are living your life. The great news is, that you can make a change when you are willing!

Knowledge is Power,

Trista Koch
Empowered Practice Holistic Life and Business Coach