Why Your To-Do List Makes You Want to Cry (And How AI Can Actually Help)

"Why Your To-Do List Makes You Want to Hide Under a Blanket"

Staring at your to-do list feeling completely paralyzed? You're not alone.

In this episode, Claire shares the moment she found herself at her kitchen table at 10 PM, staring at a notebook full of random tasks (yes, including "take a shower" on her checklist—don't judge), feeling more overwhelmed by her "helpful" list than before she wrote it.

What you'll discover:

• Why your brain treats every task like an emergency (spoiler: it's not your fault)
• The simple ChatGPT strategy that turned Claire's chaotic brain dump into actual clarity
• A 5-step system that works WITH your scattered brain instead of against it
• How to stop beating yourself up for not having some magical prioritization superpower

Perfect for: Anyone drowning in their own productivity system, struggling with decision paralysis, or feeling guilty about needing "basic" reminders.

The challenge: Take 5 minutes to brain dump everything on your mind, then ask ChatGPT to help you find just ONE starting point. Because sometimes the best thinking partner is one that never judges you for asking the same question twice.

Remember: You're not broken for struggling with this stuff. You're beautifully human.

Resources mentioned:

• ChatGPT (free AI tool)
• Brain dump exercise
• Simple task batching strategy

New episodes every two weeks. Creating tech that supports people first.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Have you ever stared at your to-do listfeeling completely and utterly paralyzed
and thought, why is this so hard?
What's your feeling?
Is decision fatigue mixed with lots ofoverwhelm and today we're gonna fix it?
I'm Claire Vve, the host.
This is Human First ai, the podcastwhere we tackle real everyday

(00:22):
problems with practical AI tools anda human heart behind every solution.
This all started when I found myselfstaring at my notebook filled with
random tasks, tons of checklists, callthe dentist, finish client proposal,
buy a birthday gift for my mom, whichher birthday was like two weeks ago.

(00:42):
Take a shower and yes.
Who else has take ashower on their checklist?
I do.
I'd written it all down thinking,okay, this will help, but instead.
I felt more overwhelmed than ever.
I realized this wasn't, well.
It wasn't really aboutbeing organized enough.

(01:03):
It was really about my brain trying tohold onto way too many different types
of tasks at once, feeling so guiltythat I couldn't seem to prioritize them.
The truth is this wasn't.
A productivity issue.
It was more of a clear human issue,and I was struggling with decision
paralysis because every single darn taskfelt equally urgent in my brain, and

(01:26):
I was just, I was just beating myselfup for not having some magical ability
to instantly know what mattered most.
That's when I used chat GBT for thefirst time as my thinking partner
to help me sort through this chaos.
And, oh my heavens, whata complete game changer.
What I did was take my messy, messy, messybrain dump of ideas and thoughts and help.

(01:50):
See patterns I really couldn't see on myown grouping, similar tasks, identifying
what was actually urgent versus what justfelt urgent, and even suggesting which
tasks I could batch together or maybe justlike put off for tomorrow, which let's be
honest, I don't think I would've thoughtof that, especially my sense of overwhelm.

(02:12):
And suddenly, instead of feelinglike I was drowning this ocean
of trillion responsibilities,I felt like I had this patient.
24 7 at 2:00 AM friend helping me organizemy thoughts into some sort of clarity.
I was like, this is freaking unreal.
Who knew Cha BT could be mypersonal life coach today.

(02:34):
Here's exactly what you can do,and trust me, this actually works.
First thing.
Take a breath and namewhat you're feeling.
Is it overwhelm perfectionism?
Just complete brain fog because honestly,we need to acknowledge this stuff before
we can really try and start fixing it.
The second thing is open chat, CBT.

(02:56):
And if it's your first time, it'slike a messenger and think of
it like a brainstorming buddy,partner, and not some scary robot.
Just talk to it like a friend.
It's there to help you throughthese little hiccups and see
these things of overwhelm.
Third, start with context.
This is crucial.
Begin with something like, I'm feelingcompletely and utterly overwhelmed about

(03:21):
this to-do list, insert to-do list.
Can you help me break this down?
Because the more honest youare, the better it can help.
Fourth.
Ask for options.
Don't ask for 10 options.
Follow up with, give me two to threesimple options I could try immediately.
Keep in mind, I have limited energytoday because let's be honest,

(03:43):
you're already running on fumes.
And lastly, pick one and try just one.
Choose the option thatfeels most doable today.
You're not committing forever,just trying one thing.
That's it.
Remember the same strategy can work inother areas too, like meal planning.
When you're completely tired of cookingand burnt out career decisions when

(04:06):
you're feeling super stuck in yourjob, or even difficult conversations
you've been avoiding or putting off.
Anytime you're overwhelmed by choicesor paralyzed by perfectionism,
having an AI thinking partner canactually help you see the forest
through the jumble eye of trees.
And if you're feeling stuckor burnt out by the endless

(04:27):
to-do list, you're not alone.
Just know also that you'renot lazy, you're not broken.
There's not something wrong with you.
You are wonderfully human.
Our brains were never designed to holdhundreds of competing priorities at once.
I mean, come on, who can do that?
So the right AI tools, they're nothere to make you more productive in

(04:48):
some terrible hustle culture way.
They're here to help you.
Think more clearly so youcan actually breathe and then
focus on what truly matters.
Here's your challenge for today.
Take five minutes, braindump everything on your mind.
Then ask cha GBT to help youfind just one starting point.

(05:09):
Just one.
Try it once.
See how it feels.
See if you can refine it.
Have that thinking partner insteadof trying to figure out all
on your own in your overwhelmshead at two in the morning.
It really does help.
Remember, AI is definitely not theanswer for everything, but when
used right, it is an amazing toolthat can make everyday life lighter,

(05:34):
calmer, and more beautifully human.
I'm your host Claire, er.
Thanks for listening toHuman First AI podcast.
I'm here every two weeks.
Let's keep creating techthat supports people first.