[Method] If your task lists are ‘wish lists’ you might be making these 5 mistakes. Here's how I fixed them.

My task list was a ‘wish list’ that always overwhelmed it. Here are 5 mistakes I was making but not anymore.

If you ever felt overwhelmed with your to-do list or found that it's not really helping you move in the right direction, you might be making a few common mistakes that i used to make too.

Here are those 5 mistakes you might be making too and what you can do about each one

1— Quantity over quality.
Focusing too much on the number of items rather than the quality of each to-do

❌ If you are simply writing down every single task that’ll fill your day you’re doing a “brain dump.” ✅ Choose tasks that will help you make progress on your projects.

2— Tasks are not prioritized.
Don't assume all tasks have equal importance. Sort your tasks so that you get the most important task done before anything derails your day.

3— Your task list is too long.
It's a surefire way to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and even anxious. There's only a finite amount of time in the day. A good rule of thumb is to stick to three to-do list items — five if you’re pushing it. I use Sunsama to keep my tasks aligned with how many hours I want to work in a day.

4— You aren’t using your to-do list to reflect.
Write a list of what you managed to finish in a day. Better if you write beside what you intended to do as a way to get perspective on how you’re using your time and what you’re capable of on a daily basis.

5— You aren’t using a to-do list system
This means using specific criteria to prioritize each task a certain way, or it can be a system that separates marker and manager tasks. Pick a system that helps you create a calm & focused day.

Note these 3 non-negotiable elements of a to-do list:
✅ Clarity on what you’ll be spending your time on that day

✅ There's no doubt what are the top three most important items on your list

✅ List is prioritized in a way that gets you closer to your goals
What's the one mistake you think you're making with your to-do list?