Back in 2014, I found my 9-year-old self, watching my all-time favorite, lifestyle YouTuber Alisha Marie. She shared a video of her morning routine in which she showed how she made a list of activities she had to do whilst having her morning cup of coffee. This was my first introduction to To-Do lists. Ever since then, I have invested my time and effort into finding the most appealing Post-it notes and adorable planners to note down my to-do list. Now coming back to the present day, being a psychology student I put forward the question to myself: how has making to-do lists helped in managing my stress?
As quoted by Charles Kettering “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved”, if one can note down all their activities for the day from most important to least important, then they are already halfway there. The to-do list you make is a form of mental decluttering. Apart from increased productivity and improved mental wellness, you can also enjoy your free time without having to pause to try and remember all the remaining work you have. Maintaining a regular list will benefit your work overall and assist you in keeping track of your short-term objectives, ideas, and successes. Whether at work or at home, having a to-do list helps manage your personal and professional tasks. It enables you to prioritize and finish the most important tasks first.
Time management may be enhanced by using to-do lists since they clearly outline all of your tasks ahead of time. When you finish a task and go on to the next item on the list, you can pick what to do more simply. Having a to-do list makes it easier to organize everything that you want to accomplish in the day so that you can start fresh the next.
Apart from just noting things down, physically crossing them out once the work is down, boosts our motivation to get the rest done. You may be less likely to finish the tasks on your to-do list if you lack motivation.
Personally having experienced anxiety, to-do lists are crucial in the reduction of anxiety and living a balanced life. Our mental health can be enhanced by using a to-do list to organize
our schedule since it helps us see all of the things we want to get done during the day and eliminates uncertainty. Completing chores can also give us a confidence boost by affirming our ability. Our confidence may rise when we cross one item off our list and make progress toward a new objective. We will have a better outlook on life and general mental wellness from having more self-esteem. A sense of accomplishment can be experienced when activities are completed and a physical action, like crossing items off a list, occurs. Getting a task done can raise spirits and increase output.
To summarize, to-do lists can in fact become your personal assistant. Starting today, making one will not only help you relieve stress but also motivate you to finish upcoming tasks and improve self-confidence.
By
Ms. Rida Fathima PK
B.A. - Year I