Why?ĭaily brain breaks increase productivity by up to 34 percent, as reported by The Office Club. We include tasks, and maybe even phone calls or meetings on our to-do list, but do you include workday “me” time: brain breaks? These are just as important as the other tasks you have to get done, if not more so. Most to-do list apps allow you to check items off your list, and you can even add boxes to your handwritten to-do lists (I do this!) to experience the same effect. “When dopamine flows into the brain's reward pathway (the part responsible for pleasure, learning and motivation), we not only feel greater concentration but are inspired to re-experience the activity that caused the chemical release in the first place,” explains Monica Mehta, investor at Seventh Capital. When you check an item off your to-do list, you feel successful, which sends a rush of dopamine into your brain and motivates you to do it again:

Avoid these issues and make your to-do lists more effective by including the following six things on every one.Ĭhecking things off your to-do list is one of the best ways to stay motivated throughout the day. Suddenly, that to-do list is causing more problems than it’s solving. When looking at this, you may ask yourself: What articles am I going to edit? How many do I have time for? How long will it take me to write that blog post? What is it about? Will I only check email once today? What am I talking to Brian about?

However, the items are both vague and simplistic. Look at the example below:Īt first look, it seems fine-tasks for the day written out. To-do lists that are too simplistic can slow you down and waste time. However, not all to-do lists are created equal. To-do lists are like the bumpers on a bowling alley lane-they keep you in the lines and on track during the workday.

Things todo list