“It doesn’t take much power to get things done, but it takes a lot of strength to determine what to do.” (Elbert Hubbard).
Have trouble sleeping? Your workload is keeping you up and anxiety has hit you with full force and you don’t know what to do? You are suffering from insomnia? The answer to all of these problems can be for you to start keeping a to-do list.
Writing a to-do list will ‘offload’ those thoughts and reduce worry.
According to a Baylor University study, it may be helpful to create a bedtime task list to fall asleep. The study compared the sleep patterns of the participants who took five minutes to write their tasks for the following day compared to those who recorded the completed tasks of the day.
The reason being that, concerns about incomplete business and upcoming deadlines, or even a pint of milk you forgot to buy, stimulate mental activity that makes sleep difficult. Writing the to-do list will relieve anxiety by “relieving” boring thoughts about the next day.
Our brains tend to be obsessed with unfinished tasks. In this way, we experience varying degrees of mental fatigue and fear. An ancient phenomenon explains this process. Experimental psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik first examined this effect. The human mind needs closure to open questions. This can be seen in almost every effort we make. The brain experiences uncomfortable tension until the tasks are completed. Only when the tasks are completed, they are released from our mind.
The importance of creating a to-do list
Studies have shown that people get better results when they write down what they need to do. Almost everyone has difficulty doing things. But some of us face problems in the scene first: in finding out what we need to do. The list of tasks is, in theory, is the answer. It’s a simple, traditional system: calculate what to do in order, note tasks, execute them and delete them one by one as you complete them. Here are some reasons why you should keep a to-do list:
The task list helps you to set priorities
Creating a to-do list is an important first step. However, prioritizing this list ensures that you focus on the most important tasks rather than tempting to deal with the less important tasks, because they may stand out more or because they’re easier to try to do. When you have a to-do list, prioritize and decide which to do first.
It makes us more efficient
If we have a routine that we follow daily, the need to make decisions will decrease every day. So, we exactly know the tasks we have to do every day without having to think about it or make a decision or think too much. When we finish a task, we already know what to do next, without thinking too much. Activities get standardized and thus we get more efficient.
Develop Good habits
The enigma behind building good habits is repetition. Designing a personal routine that suits us, facilitates the development of good habits by encouraging us to repeat the same tasks multiple times. Just as you brush your teeth every morning, with a routine, you can reinforce habits that will meet our goals and aspirations.
A Good Activity List has the power not only to shape today but also to attract your attention to the most important thing for you. When you write your to-do list, you divide your larger goals into manageable pieces.
So, grab a pen, write down your tasks for tomorrow, shut your lights and say goodbye to sleepless nights.
