We all want to do it all and get to the bottom of that list. But we all know that the list never ends…

If you’re anything like me, you plan to take a break but of course, the first thing you do when you opened your eyes is to make a laundry list of things to do. And you soon start to feel super anxious and kind of wished it wasn’t your day off. That was me yesterday.

Here’s how to get everything on your to-do list done and feel accomplished without the unnecessary overwhelm…

Get really clear on your goal for the day.

You can’t be trying to accomplish ten goals in one day. In fact, high performers are able to be hyper-focused on their ONE main goal. They’re able to keep the main thing the main thing. Society tries to feed us the lie that we can have our cake and eat it too. And that’s exactly why we’re a nation of people who are unsatisfied, burnt the F out and just unhappy. You need to have ONE main goal for the day. For me yesterday, that was to prepare for my upcoming trip. I didn’t need to be answering emails, working on projects, hanging out at the pool…none of those prepare me for my trip. Start each day by asking yourself what your main goal for the day is. Get super clear.

Add 2-4 things to your list that are directly related to your goal of the day and 1-2 other unrelated things.

After you’ve identified that one goal, it’s time to make the list. Your list shouldn’t have more action items that are unrelated to your main goal of the day than ones that are directly related. You can obviously see how that wouldn’t get you anywhere near your goal. You need 2-4 items that are directly related to your main goal then you can add 1-2 other things that need to get done. Now this list is much shorter and super-efficient. It will instantly make you feel better.

This list now becomes your “do it all” list.

This is now your “do it all!” So when you get everything done from this list, you consider it as doing it all. See what I did there? It’s all about tricking your mind, changing how you look at things, and really working on that mindset. When you are able to make your list shorter, you are able to relax, focus more and feel excited to tackle that list.

As long as you have a to-do list that means you’re alive. Once that list stops, you have no more life to live! It’s an unrealistic expectation to want to get to the bottom of the list. That doesn’t set you up for success at all.

Remember that your to-list will never end and you don't want it to.

Here’s to YOU getting it “all” done!

Putting it into action:

Ready to try it for yourself?

Think about your main goal for tomorrow. What’s the number one thing that you need to accomplish?
Start making a list of 2-4 things that are directly related to that goal. What things can you do which will drive you closer to the main thing?
What are 1-2 things that are unrelated that absolutely need to get done?
After you have your list and are able to execute it, jot down your feelings. How did you feel at the end of the day? Accomplished? Feel like you got it all done?