12. How to Finally Take Control of Your To-Do List
Do you feel like your to-do list is a never-ending source of stress and overwhelm? Are you tired of ending each week with more to-dos than you started with, feeling like you're constantly falling behind? What if I told you there was a simple tweak you could make to your life that would completely transform the way you get things done?
Supercharging your to-do list and finally taking control of your time doesn't need to take your time and attention away from your business dreams and your family life. By intentionally scheduling your tasks into your calendar, you can create a realistic plan for your week, build crucial self-trust, and free up tons of mental energy for what really matters.
If you're ready to ditch the overwhelm and end each week with a sense of accomplishment and momentum, this is the episode for you. I show you how to escape the to-do list trap once and for all and never fall back into it.
If you're looking for the right environment to start your networking journey, look no further than my group, the Mom Entrepreneurs Circle. Join us for mutual support, advice sharing, and the tools you need for both you and your business to thrive. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month and participation is totally free!
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
Why traditional to-do lists are setting moms like us up for failure, unless we improve them.
The power of focused time blocks for tackling important tasks.
Why moms need a calendar to serve as our second brain when we're on the move.
How to batch smaller to-dos into one hour-long task that clears your to-do list.
The psychological benefits of scheduling your commitments.
Common pitfalls to avoid when time-blocking your week.
One small mindset shift that will help you push through any resistance you feel around scheduling.
Listen to the Full Episode:
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Full Episode Transcript:
I want you to imagine a world where your to-do list doesn’t haunt you anymore, where you end each week feeling accomplished, in control and ready to take on the world. And that’s not just a dream, it is your new reality and I’m about to show you exactly how to do it.
Welcome to How to Quit Your Job: A Mom’s Guide to Creating a Life and Business You Love. It’s a podcast that helps working moms just like you, optimize your time, manage your mind, and start a business that helps you create more freedom, flexibility, and, yes, fun. I’m business and mindset coach Jenna Rykiel. And I offer practical tips to help you ditch the nine-to-five. I have been exactly where you are, and I know what it takes to make the transition without trading one form of burnout for another. So, let’s get started.
Hi, mom friends, I am so glad you’re here. I keep showing up and you keep showing up and that is awesome. Today we’re talking about getting things done. You probably know that feeling when Friday rolls around and despite your best efforts, your to-do list seems longer than it was on Monday. It’s a constant nagging sensation that you’re falling behind, juggling too many balls, and never quite catching up.
Well, today we’re putting an end to that cycle of overwhelm and underachievement because I’ve got a simple, yet powerful strategy that’s going to revolutionize the way you manage your time and tasks. It’s a small tweak to what you’re probably already doing right now in terms of mapping out what you need to get done each week. So, it’s probably something you can start implementing today and reaping the benefits.
Okay, so first we need to talk about what I call the to-do list trap. It’s Monday morning, you’ve got your coffee in hand, your planner open, and you’re ready to conquer the week. You start jotting down all the things you need to accomplish, from work projects to household chores, kids activities, personal goals. It feels good, doesn’t it, that sense of organization, of having everything laid out neatly on paper? But fast forward to Friday, and suddenly that list has become your enemy.
And here’s why to-do lists on their own are setting you up for failure. First, they’re never ending. You cross one item off and three more magically appear. It’s like trying to fold laundry with toddlers in the house. You reach the end of the basket, and then you turn your back for two seconds and suddenly there’s a new pile of clothes on the floor that needs to be folded. It’s also a bit like trying to keep the counters clean in the house. You put one thing away and then suddenly there are three more random items that have accumulated. But this constant growth creates a subconscious feeling of being perpetually behind, no matter how much you actually get done and accomplish.
Okay, second, to-do lists don’t account for time. They give you the false impression that you can do it all without considering the reality of your 24 hour day. It’s like trying to fit an entire season’s worth of kids activities into a single weekend, soccer practice, dance recitals, birthday parties and family time. No matter how much you want to make it all happen, there are only so many hours in a day, so something’s got to give.
Lastly, to-do lists play to our weaknesses. We naturally gravitate towards the quick and easy tasks, leaving the important but challenging items just languishing at the bottom. It’s like always choosing to unload the dishwasher instead of tackling that mountain of paperwork. Sure, it feels good to have a clean kitchen, but the LLC isn’t going to create itself, and the longer it takes you to sit down and do it, the more you’ll want to avoid it altogether, which unfortunately will fuel self-doubt the longer it sits on the to-do list.
You’ll start asking yourself, do I really want to do this? Maybe, since I’m not motivated to create the LLC, it means I’m not meant to start my own business. So, we become our biggest enemy when those things stay on the list. But don’t worry, I’m not here to take away your beloved to-do lists. Instead, I’m going to show you how to supercharge them with the power of intentionally scheduling. Which brings me to the second important thing we need to discuss, your calendar.
If you’re a mom, you have a calendar. And if you don’t have a calendar, you need to get one because I imagine not having a visual of all the things you and your kids are doing on any given day or week is a huge source of frustration. Now, I want you to imagine your calendar as a magic wand, with a simple wave, or in this case, a click, because I recommend always having a virtual option, so it’s always with you. But with a simple click you can transform the floating tasks into concrete commitments, and this is where the real magic happens.
Scheduling your to-do list items into your calendar is a game changer. It forces you to be realistic. When you start plotting tasks into specific time slots, you quickly realize that you can’t do everything in one day, or maybe even one week. This reality check is crucial for setting achievable goals and avoiding burnout, it also creates accountability. So, when you see a task scheduled for 2:00pm on Tuesday, it’s no longer an abstract idea that the LLC needs to get created. It’s a commitment you’ve made to yourself, and you’re much more likely to follow through if it’s written down at a specific time.
The third thing is that it frees up mental space. Once a task is scheduled, you can let it go from your mind until it’s time to tackle it. No more mental gymnastics trying to remember everything you need to do. Your calendar becomes your second brain. The mental load that we carry as moms is already heavy enough. We need these little tips and tricks to offload some of that weight, and so putting the to-do list items in our calendar instead of allowing it to swim around in our brain rent free is such an easy way to do that.
There are actually two specific ways I like to approach scheduling those to-do items in my calendar. So let me talk you through that. First, for tasks that take more than 10 minutes, I create what I call focused time blocks. These are one to two hour chunks dedicated to deep focused work. Maybe it’s writing a business plan, researching potential clients, or working on your website. By giving these important tasks a dedicated space, you’re ensuring they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
There’s a lot more I can say about focused time blocks because that’s where the true business magic happens, but we’ll save that for a later episode. Because what’s likely most frustrating right now is all the little things that need to get done and feels so overwhelming. So, for those little things which I define as the tasks under 10 minutes and that require very little brain power, create a one hour daily to-do event. This is a one hour block where you knock out all those little things that can pile up.
So, this is responding to emails, making quick phone calls, updating your planner, scheduling, and rescheduling appointments for the kids. All those tasks that are important but don’t require deep focus. Earlier this week I had a one hour to-do block with nine items on it. It included sending a few emails, responding to texts, and updating some admin stuff in my CRM. I finished all nine tasks in less than an hour. So, I was able to actually chip away at tasks I scheduled for the next day and the sense of accomplishment was incredible.
It is such a relief to have that part of the list completed, which leads me to why this one small shift is so important for you to start implementing. First, there’s the psychological boost. When you complete a scheduled block of tasks, it feels amazing. You’re not just crossing items off a never ending list. You’re fulfilling a promise to yourself. This builds momentum and positivity that can carry you through the rest of your day and week.
Second, you’re developing a crucial skill, which is self-trust. How many times have you told yourself you’re going to do something only to let it slide and not do it? Each time you follow through on your scheduled commitments, you’re proving to yourself that you’re reliable and capable. And since these tasks are usually not too intense, just never ending and a little bit annoying to have to do, it’s much more likely that you’ll complete them. This self-trust is the foundation for bigger goals and dreams.
Once you prove to yourself that you can get these things done in these smaller to-do blocks, you’ll feel much more confident when scheduling something like create webinar outline in marketing language to promote it. Or reach out to real estate agents about potential spaces and sign new lease for event space.
Third, you’re saving an enormous amount of mental energy when you schedule things in your calendar. I touched on this before, but you’re no longer lying awake at night worrying about that doctor’s appointment you need to reschedule or lying awake at night thinking about that email you forgot to send. Once these tasks are in your calendar, you can relax knowing it’s as good as taken care of. It’s as good as done. And this saves so much mental energy, I promise.
The last thing, and perhaps the most important thing is, you’re actually getting things done. By giving each task a specific time and place, you’re dramatically increasing the chances of it happening. It’s like making an appointment with yourself and we all know how good moms are at keeping appointments for everyone else. Now it’s time to extend that same courtesy to yourself.
You’re getting these little things that build up done, and though many things are being added to your list as the week goes on, if you keep scheduling them. Whether it be leaving time on Friday to collect all those pesky things that pop up, or even starting to create next week’s to-do list that will get scheduled. You can actually see the progress of what you’re getting done. So, you get to Friday, you can look back at all the things you did and feel like a badass as opposed to getting to Friday, having felt so busy and exhausted all week, but feeling like nothing got done.
Now, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t warn you about the challenges that you are definitely going to face. The biggest one is going to be resistance. When that calendar notification pops up telling you it’s time to tackle your to-do block., you might suddenly feel the urge to reorganize your sock drawer or scroll through Instagram. This is normal. In fact, it’s a sign that you’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, which is exactly where growth happens so nothing has gone wrong. The key is to push through that, treat it like a workout. You might not like starting the workout, but you always feel better when you’re done.
I actually want you to go into robot mode for most of these tasks. This is what I do. When it’s time to start my scheduling tasks I simply go through the motions without thinking too much about it. I open my computer. I look at the list. I start with the first item, no deliberation, no procrastination, just action. I turn into a robot, which is helpful since the tasks don’t require too much brain power. Remember, the resistance you feel is temporary. Soon after you get started, you’ll start to feel the momentum that comes with getting things off the list and the satisfaction of completing your tasks will definitely stick with you throughout the day and week.
So, push through to get started and you’ll build momentum that will carry you forward. The other piece of advice is to start small. It’s tempting to look at your massive to-do list and try to schedule every single item. Resist this urge, overscheduling is just as problematic as under-scheduling. Begin by scheduling less than you think you can actually accomplish. And it’s better to finish early and feel successful than to overcommit and feel defeated. So, as you practice this, you’ll get better at estimating how long tasks take and how much you can realistically accomplish in one of those one hour to-do blocks.
And remember, the goal isn’t to schedule every minute of your day, it’s to create a balanced, achievable plan that moves you closer to your goals while still leaving room for flexibility and the time you need for you, though, I recommend of course scheduling that too.
So, we talked about recognizing the limitations of traditional to-do lists. We aren’t getting rid of these as I know you all love your to-do lists. We’re just improving our process with them. We talked about embracing your calendar as a powerful tool for time management. I recommend a virtual one so you can reference your schedule anytime, anywhere, because I know we’re always on the move. We talked about using focused time blocks for larger brain heavy tasks and daily to-do events for the smaller ones.
We talked about the psychological benefits of increased productivity and self-trust when you schedule and stay committed to what you scheduled. And of course, the things to watch out for, what I and my clients have experienced that work against us instead of being able to reap all the benefits of scheduling our to-do lists.
So, by implementing this one small tweak in your process of getting things done, you’re not just managing your time better, you’re taking control of your life. You’re saying goodbye to that constant feeling of being behind and saying hello to a new sense of really empowerment and accomplishment. Now, of course I want you to take action, knowing is one thing, but putting it into practice is a whole other thing.
This week I challenge you to try this method of taking your lengthy to-do list and actually scheduling when you’ll get each item done throughout your week. Start small, maybe just schedule one to-do block each day, see how it feels to knock out those tasks at a specific time. Pay attention to how accomplished you feel and how much mental clarity you gain. And remember, this is just one piece of the puzzle. In future episodes, we’ll dive deeper into other strategies that will help you transition from overwhelmed corporate mom to confident entrepreneur. But this is such a quick and easy way to start feeling less overwhelm with all the things that need to get done.
And of course, we will have to do an episode on overcoming resistance, because I’m sure a lot of you are sitting there thinking, okay, I do schedule, but then I just keep putting it off. So, for now, take my advice to be a robot and just get the to-do block done when it comes. But if you’re still struggling with that, stay tuned because we will definitely address it. Because yes, we have a lot of responsibilities as moms and we somehow find a way to make it all happen, but it’s important to do it in a way that takes care of the most important asset in our family and business, which I promise you is you.
So have an amazing day. Let me know what you’re struggling with as you put some of these strategies into place. I’m a voice in your ear, but I’m also a real person with a ton of ways to support you, so get in touch. Visit my website at www.jenna.coach and check out all the ways we can take this a step further. Thanks for tuning in and I will see you next week.
Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of How to Quit Your Job: A Mom’s Guide to Creating a Life and Business You Love. If you want to learn more about how I can help you stop making excuses and start making moves, head on over to www.jenna.coach. I’ll see you next week.
Welcome to How to Quit Your Job: A Mom’s Guide to Creating a Life and Business You Love. It’s a podcast that helps working moms just like you, optimize your time, manage your mind, and start a business that helps you create more freedom, flexibility, and, yes, fun. I’m business and mindset coach Jenna Rykiel. And I offer practical tips to help you ditch the nine-to-five. I have been exactly where you are, and I know what it takes to make the transition without trading one form of burnout for another. So, let’s get started.
Hi, mom friends, I am so glad you’re here. I keep showing up and you keep showing up and that is awesome. Today we’re talking about getting things done. You probably know that feeling when Friday rolls around and despite your best efforts, your to-do list seems longer than it was on Monday. It’s a constant nagging sensation that you’re falling behind, juggling too many balls, and never quite catching up.
Well, today we’re putting an end to that cycle of overwhelm and underachievement because I’ve got a simple, yet powerful strategy that’s going to revolutionize the way you manage your time and tasks. It’s a small tweak to what you’re probably already doing right now in terms of mapping out what you need to get done each week. So, it’s probably something you can start implementing today and reaping the benefits.
Okay, so first we need to talk about what I call the to-do list trap. It’s Monday morning, you’ve got your coffee in hand, your planner open, and you’re ready to conquer the week. You start jotting down all the things you need to accomplish, from work projects to household chores, kids activities, personal goals. It feels good, doesn’t it, that sense of organization, of having everything laid out neatly on paper? But fast forward to Friday, and suddenly that list has become your enemy.
And here’s why to-do lists on their own are setting you up for failure. First, they’re never ending. You cross one item off and three more magically appear. It’s like trying to fold laundry with toddlers in the house. You reach the end of the basket, and then you turn your back for two seconds and suddenly there’s a new pile of clothes on the floor that needs to be folded. It’s also a bit like trying to keep the counters clean in the house. You put one thing away and then suddenly there are three more random items that have accumulated. But this constant growth creates a subconscious feeling of being perpetually behind, no matter how much you actually get done and accomplish.
Okay, second, to-do lists don’t account for time. They give you the false impression that you can do it all without considering the reality of your 24 hour day. It’s like trying to fit an entire season’s worth of kids activities into a single weekend, soccer practice, dance recitals, birthday parties and family time. No matter how much you want to make it all happen, there are only so many hours in a day, so something’s got to give.
Lastly, to-do lists play to our weaknesses. We naturally gravitate towards the quick and easy tasks, leaving the important but challenging items just languishing at the bottom. It’s like always choosing to unload the dishwasher instead of tackling that mountain of paperwork. Sure, it feels good to have a clean kitchen, but the LLC isn’t going to create itself, and the longer it takes you to sit down and do it, the more you’ll want to avoid it altogether, which unfortunately will fuel self-doubt the longer it sits on the to-do list.
You’ll start asking yourself, do I really want to do this? Maybe, since I’m not motivated to create the LLC, it means I’m not meant to start my own business. So, we become our biggest enemy when those things stay on the list. But don’t worry, I’m not here to take away your beloved to-do lists. Instead, I’m going to show you how to supercharge them with the power of intentionally scheduling. Which brings me to the second important thing we need to discuss, your calendar.
If you’re a mom, you have a calendar. And if you don’t have a calendar, you need to get one because I imagine not having a visual of all the things you and your kids are doing on any given day or week is a huge source of frustration. Now, I want you to imagine your calendar as a magic wand, with a simple wave, or in this case, a click, because I recommend always having a virtual option, so it’s always with you. But with a simple click you can transform the floating tasks into concrete commitments, and this is where the real magic happens.
Scheduling your to-do list items into your calendar is a game changer. It forces you to be realistic. When you start plotting tasks into specific time slots, you quickly realize that you can’t do everything in one day, or maybe even one week. This reality check is crucial for setting achievable goals and avoiding burnout, it also creates accountability. So, when you see a task scheduled for 2:00pm on Tuesday, it’s no longer an abstract idea that the LLC needs to get created. It’s a commitment you’ve made to yourself, and you’re much more likely to follow through if it’s written down at a specific time.
The third thing is that it frees up mental space. Once a task is scheduled, you can let it go from your mind until it’s time to tackle it. No more mental gymnastics trying to remember everything you need to do. Your calendar becomes your second brain. The mental load that we carry as moms is already heavy enough. We need these little tips and tricks to offload some of that weight, and so putting the to-do list items in our calendar instead of allowing it to swim around in our brain rent free is such an easy way to do that.
There are actually two specific ways I like to approach scheduling those to-do items in my calendar. So let me talk you through that. First, for tasks that take more than 10 minutes, I create what I call focused time blocks. These are one to two hour chunks dedicated to deep focused work. Maybe it’s writing a business plan, researching potential clients, or working on your website. By giving these important tasks a dedicated space, you’re ensuring they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
There’s a lot more I can say about focused time blocks because that’s where the true business magic happens, but we’ll save that for a later episode. Because what’s likely most frustrating right now is all the little things that need to get done and feels so overwhelming. So, for those little things which I define as the tasks under 10 minutes and that require very little brain power, create a one hour daily to-do event. This is a one hour block where you knock out all those little things that can pile up.
So, this is responding to emails, making quick phone calls, updating your planner, scheduling, and rescheduling appointments for the kids. All those tasks that are important but don’t require deep focus. Earlier this week I had a one hour to-do block with nine items on it. It included sending a few emails, responding to texts, and updating some admin stuff in my CRM. I finished all nine tasks in less than an hour. So, I was able to actually chip away at tasks I scheduled for the next day and the sense of accomplishment was incredible.
It is such a relief to have that part of the list completed, which leads me to why this one small shift is so important for you to start implementing. First, there’s the psychological boost. When you complete a scheduled block of tasks, it feels amazing. You’re not just crossing items off a never ending list. You’re fulfilling a promise to yourself. This builds momentum and positivity that can carry you through the rest of your day and week.
Second, you’re developing a crucial skill, which is self-trust. How many times have you told yourself you’re going to do something only to let it slide and not do it? Each time you follow through on your scheduled commitments, you’re proving to yourself that you’re reliable and capable. And since these tasks are usually not too intense, just never ending and a little bit annoying to have to do, it’s much more likely that you’ll complete them. This self-trust is the foundation for bigger goals and dreams.
Once you prove to yourself that you can get these things done in these smaller to-do blocks, you’ll feel much more confident when scheduling something like create webinar outline in marketing language to promote it. Or reach out to real estate agents about potential spaces and sign new lease for event space.
Third, you’re saving an enormous amount of mental energy when you schedule things in your calendar. I touched on this before, but you’re no longer lying awake at night worrying about that doctor’s appointment you need to reschedule or lying awake at night thinking about that email you forgot to send. Once these tasks are in your calendar, you can relax knowing it’s as good as taken care of. It’s as good as done. And this saves so much mental energy, I promise.
The last thing, and perhaps the most important thing is, you’re actually getting things done. By giving each task a specific time and place, you’re dramatically increasing the chances of it happening. It’s like making an appointment with yourself and we all know how good moms are at keeping appointments for everyone else. Now it’s time to extend that same courtesy to yourself.
You’re getting these little things that build up done, and though many things are being added to your list as the week goes on, if you keep scheduling them. Whether it be leaving time on Friday to collect all those pesky things that pop up, or even starting to create next week’s to-do list that will get scheduled. You can actually see the progress of what you’re getting done. So, you get to Friday, you can look back at all the things you did and feel like a badass as opposed to getting to Friday, having felt so busy and exhausted all week, but feeling like nothing got done.
Now, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t warn you about the challenges that you are definitely going to face. The biggest one is going to be resistance. When that calendar notification pops up telling you it’s time to tackle your to-do block., you might suddenly feel the urge to reorganize your sock drawer or scroll through Instagram. This is normal. In fact, it’s a sign that you’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, which is exactly where growth happens so nothing has gone wrong. The key is to push through that, treat it like a workout. You might not like starting the workout, but you always feel better when you’re done.
I actually want you to go into robot mode for most of these tasks. This is what I do. When it’s time to start my scheduling tasks I simply go through the motions without thinking too much about it. I open my computer. I look at the list. I start with the first item, no deliberation, no procrastination, just action. I turn into a robot, which is helpful since the tasks don’t require too much brain power. Remember, the resistance you feel is temporary. Soon after you get started, you’ll start to feel the momentum that comes with getting things off the list and the satisfaction of completing your tasks will definitely stick with you throughout the day and week.
So, push through to get started and you’ll build momentum that will carry you forward. The other piece of advice is to start small. It’s tempting to look at your massive to-do list and try to schedule every single item. Resist this urge, overscheduling is just as problematic as under-scheduling. Begin by scheduling less than you think you can actually accomplish. And it’s better to finish early and feel successful than to overcommit and feel defeated. So, as you practice this, you’ll get better at estimating how long tasks take and how much you can realistically accomplish in one of those one hour to-do blocks.
And remember, the goal isn’t to schedule every minute of your day, it’s to create a balanced, achievable plan that moves you closer to your goals while still leaving room for flexibility and the time you need for you, though, I recommend of course scheduling that too.
So, we talked about recognizing the limitations of traditional to-do lists. We aren’t getting rid of these as I know you all love your to-do lists. We’re just improving our process with them. We talked about embracing your calendar as a powerful tool for time management. I recommend a virtual one so you can reference your schedule anytime, anywhere, because I know we’re always on the move. We talked about using focused time blocks for larger brain heavy tasks and daily to-do events for the smaller ones.
We talked about the psychological benefits of increased productivity and self-trust when you schedule and stay committed to what you scheduled. And of course, the things to watch out for, what I and my clients have experienced that work against us instead of being able to reap all the benefits of scheduling our to-do lists.
So, by implementing this one small tweak in your process of getting things done, you’re not just managing your time better, you’re taking control of your life. You’re saying goodbye to that constant feeling of being behind and saying hello to a new sense of really empowerment and accomplishment. Now, of course I want you to take action, knowing is one thing, but putting it into practice is a whole other thing.
This week I challenge you to try this method of taking your lengthy to-do list and actually scheduling when you’ll get each item done throughout your week. Start small, maybe just schedule one to-do block each day, see how it feels to knock out those tasks at a specific time. Pay attention to how accomplished you feel and how much mental clarity you gain. And remember, this is just one piece of the puzzle. In future episodes, we’ll dive deeper into other strategies that will help you transition from overwhelmed corporate mom to confident entrepreneur. But this is such a quick and easy way to start feeling less overwhelm with all the things that need to get done.
And of course, we will have to do an episode on overcoming resistance, because I’m sure a lot of you are sitting there thinking, okay, I do schedule, but then I just keep putting it off. So, for now, take my advice to be a robot and just get the to-do block done when it comes. But if you’re still struggling with that, stay tuned because we will definitely address it. Because yes, we have a lot of responsibilities as moms and we somehow find a way to make it all happen, but it’s important to do it in a way that takes care of the most important asset in our family and business, which I promise you is you.
So have an amazing day. Let me know what you’re struggling with as you put some of these strategies into place. I’m a voice in your ear, but I’m also a real person with a ton of ways to support you, so get in touch. Visit my website at www.jenna.coach and check out all the ways we can take this a step further. Thanks for tuning in and I will see you next week.
Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of How to Quit Your Job: A Mom’s Guide to Creating a Life and Business You Love. If you want to learn more about how I can help you stop making excuses and start making moves, head on over to www.jenna.coach. I’ll see you next week.
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