Managing yourself: Prepare a to-do-list with manageable tasks

One of the most challenging moments in my day is when I feel that I have a huge load of stuff to do and I just can’t seem to jump-start myself. This can be for a variety of reasons: I don’t feel like writing (or analyzing data, or running contests, or blogging); I am exhausted from bad sleep; I have many tasks to do that seem endless (like, you know, de-cluttering my room!). So I thought to myself “what do I do usually when this happens to me?“. And my answer was “build a To-Do list but with ONLY manageable tasks“.

It is easy to get into the trap of To-Do lists where we write “finish the journal article I was supposed to send to Journal of Civil Society“. That’s an ENDLESS task. So instead, I write a list of tasks that are actually do-able. For example, my list for things to do today from 11:30am Mexico time (9:30am Vancouver time) reads as follows:

– Make my bed
– Finish disconnecting old computer
– Put all components of old computer in one place or box
– Pack 2 shelves of old books to donate to university library
– Read Hummingbird604.com’s emails
– Upload photos to Flickr from those emails
– Write up 2 giveaway blog posts for each contest I still have to prepare
– Update working plan for July to include finishing 2 journal articles
– Take a break and go for a walk
– Read 3 journal articles about sanitation
– Answer 10 emails to colleagues about special issue on river basins
– Spend 1 hour with my nephews
– Have a nap
– Write CV in the format required for grant proposal

All of these are manageable tasks, and that’s how I usually plan my days. I make sure that, when I feel overwhelmed, my To-Do list includes only manageable tasks. Break down your projects in smaller tasks so that you can actually accomplish them!