Simplify Your To-Do List with the 80/20 Rule

These two glassy eyed dudes at the Sydney Zoo reminded me how I feel sometimes when my to-do list feels overwhelming and I stall.

I’ve been traveling for the last three weeks in Australia, scoping out neighborhoods and schools for my family. We’re all excited about the move later this year and the adventures ahead of us.

I’m back in NYC today and my list of things to catch up on and do over the next few months is unbearably long. I started to feel overwhelmed and stuck. 

The minute I noticed my brain uttering the word “overwhelm,”  a red flag went up. I smiled - old habits die hard sometimes. 

I’m a list lover. For many years I got a sense of accomplishment from crafting long to-do lists and checking things off of them. 

Although this felt good in many ways, it also caused stress because my lists were always longer than humanly possible to finish. This often left me with a sense of underachievement. 

I now know that my self-worth doesn’t come from creating and completing long to-do-lists. I’m wonderful just because “I am”, no matter how long my to-do lists are. 

So I slowed down, took a few deep breaths and applied the 80/20 rule, which states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of the effort.

What items on my to-do-list will give me the most impact in terms of the priorities I've set for myself?

This approach helped me prioritize my highest-impact tasks. It also relieved me of some of my stress, allowed me to get unstuck and become more productive. 

So if you are a list lover like me, I invite you to try this simple technique this week. What are the top 20% of tasks on your list that would contribute most to the outcomes you are seeking?

Want more ideas for getting unstuck? Set up a free Calendar Reset session, to help you reduce the stress in your weekly schedule and infuse more calm and ease into your workflow.