#157| Why “Just Use a To-Do List” Is Terrible Advice for Productivity (Plus the Simple Skill to Use Instead): Overwhelm, Productivity, Time Management & People Pleasing

Do you end every day exhausted, yet still feel like you’ve accomplished nothing? 

If your to-do list never seems to reflect how hard you’re working, you’re not alone. This episode reveals why the endless mental load women carry drains energy—even when it never appears on paper. 

In this episode, you will:

• Discover why your to-do list feels useless even when you’re checking things off
• Learn a quick 5-minute brain sweep to clear mental clutter and reclaim focus
• Understand how naming invisible tasks can bring instant calm and clarity

Listen now to finally free your mind, lighten your mental load, and make your to-do list feel meaningful again. 

Wondering why you're overwhelmed? Take my "why am I overwhelmed" quiz to find out the source of your overwhelm, and what to do about it.

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Life can be overwhelming, but on this podcast, you'll discover practical strategies to overcome overwhelm, imposter syndrome, and negative self-talk, manage time effectively, set boundaries, and stay productive in high-stress jobs—all while learning how to say no and prioritize self-care on the Overwhelmed Worki...

Episode Transcript

Michelle Gauthier (00:01):
Do you ever finish a day feeling exhausted,
but then you look at your to-dolist and there's still a ton of
stuff on it?
You're listening to OverwhelmedWorking Woman, the podcast that
helps you be more calm and moreproductive by doing less.
I'm your host, MichelleGauthier, a former overwhelmed

(00:22):
working woman and current lifecoach.
On this show, we unpack thestress and pressure that today's
working woman experiences, andin each episode you'll get a
strategy to bring more calm,ease and relaxation to your life
.
Hey friend, today we're goingto be talking about why your
to-do list isn't working, butnot for the reason that you

(00:46):
probably think.
In this quick, hit Thursdayepisode, I'm going to teach you
why your to-do list feels likeit's failing you, even when
you're getting things done, andyou know you're working hard,
what the mental load actually isand how it drains your energy
without ever showing up on paper, and a simple 5-minute reset
that will help you clear yourmind and reclaim your focus.

(01:08):
Let's dive in.
So having a to-do list is great.
I definitely recommend having ato-do list, and I've got many
podcasts on how to be moreproductive and what to do with
your to-dos and how to schedulethem on your calendar, but
sometimes it feels like you workall day long and there's not a
lot of things checked off onthat to do list.

(01:29):
So then it feels like, well,this list isn't working or I'm
not making the right amount oftime.
That's probably not the caseand it's probably not because
you're disorganized.
It's probably because your todo list is missing so much of
what you're actually doing.
The mental load which iseverything that you're managing
that never gets written down,like remembering to get a

(01:52):
graduation card and money andmail it to my friend's daughter.
That's one that's been on mymental load and not on a to-do
list everywhere, worrying aboutan awkward conversation you had,
or thinking about aconversation that you're going
to be having in the future.
Writing an email while mentallythinking about what am I going
to have for dinner, or makingdinner while mentally writing an

(02:14):
email could go either way.
Keeping track of I don't know,like the dog's medication and
the forms that I have to turn inalready now, this summer, for
my son to be able to run crosscountry next year.
It's invisible, it's not on myto do list anywhere, but it's
real and it can really beexhausting - exhausting in the
brain sense.

(02:35):
So if you feel tired butunproductive.
It's not because you're lazy,it's probably because you're
doing like a full day's workinside your head.
The other thing that's alwaysmissing from the to-do list is
you don't write on your to-dolist attend seven meetings today
.
So I don't know about the typeof job you have, but if I have
seven clients in one day, theonly thing that I'm going to be

(02:56):
doing is seeing clients.
I'm not going to get anythingelse done.
So my to-do list might as welljust I might as well keep my
notebook closed that day,because the only thing I'm doing
is seeing clients.
So here's what I recommend thatyou do to just reset the way
that you're thinking about itBefore you dive into your to-do
list.
I've always heard it called abrain dump, but I recently heard

(03:19):
it called a brain sweep, and Iactually liked that a lot better
.
I don't know it's somethingabout the term dump, that's just
not that appealing sweep, and Iactually like that a lot better
.
I don't know it's somethingabout the term dump, that's just
not that appealing.
So take five minutes, grab apiece of paper, open a document
and just write down everythingthat's crowding your mind.
You don't have to organize itor filter it or make to do's
from it.
Just write it all out.
A lot of times for me, thesearen't to do things as much as

(03:42):
worries.
Every once in a while there'llbe something like oh yeah, don't
forget to call my dad, orwhatever it is, but a lot of
times it's just worries likewhat am I going to talk to
Oliver about that collegeapplication?
Or or does my daughter needanother skirt before she has her
first golf practice?
Or whatever it might be.

(04:02):
So I will just write downeverything that's on my mind.
Try this If you give yourselffive minutes, you will exhaust
everything that's in your brain.
This tiny act of writing thingsdown sounds small, but it can
give you so much peace and a lotof times when I have worrisome
thoughts like I'm not doingenough or I'm not spending
enough time with my kids.
When I see it written out on apiece of paper, I'm like

(04:24):
actually I'm doing pretty good,like I don't have to worry too
much about this.
So there's something about theact of writing it down and just
looking at it.
Sometimes you'll grab a fewthings from it for your to do
list, but most of the time it'sjust getting it out of your head
so that you have clarity to doall the things that you need to
do in the day.
Okay, so point number one yourto do list is great.

(04:46):
There's probably not a problemwith your to do list.
It just doesn't containeverything that you're actually
doing.
To look at everything thatyou're doing, just start your
day with a five minute brainsweep and then ask what do I
really need to do?
What deserves my time andenergy today?
And don't forget that all daylong you're managing so many
things in your head that nevershow up on your to-do list, and

(05:08):
that is what's probably makingyou tired.
If this episode helped you namesomething that's been quietly
draining, you will.
You send it to a friend who'sprobably juggling the same
invisible workload aka everywoman.
I would love if you would sharethe podcast and if it was
helpful to you and you don'tmind taking minutes to write a

(05:29):
rating or review.
Actually, a rating takes onesecond.
You just click on the number ofstars.
If you actually review, thatprobably would take a minute or
two, but if you would do that,if you have enjoyed this episode
or any episode on the podcast,I would so appreciate.
It means so much to me when Iget reviews.
Thank you so much and have agreat week.
Thank you for listening to theOverwhelmed Working Woman

(05:55):
podcast.
If you want to learn more aboutmy work, head over to my
website at michellegauthiercom.
See you next week.