Sticky notes with lists. Journals with lists. Your Evernote app with lists. You may be a master at writing out lists in all the places. You love the way it feels to check the boxes and get stuff done.  To cross off each item on that list and celebrate its completion. You get that little dopamine hit at that moment and it is oh.so.sweet.

I call this the “Checklist Effect”.

In this episode, I will talk about what the checklist effect is, why it can be a problem, and why to-do lists can decrease your productivity.

The “Checklist Effect”:

That momentary “high” you feel knowing you are getting stuff done.

You’ve likely fallen into it, right?

Literally, checklists are actually making you less productive.

And today I want to show you why.amanda walker business life health coach

The 3 Reasons to-do lists alone don’t work:

  1. Too many choices and you are not clear in your priorities. You aren’t really sure what matters so you waste time figuring it out.  Then you beat yourself up for not getting an unrealistic amount of stuff done.
  2. You are doing the stuff that is easy.
    1. And the stuff you resist–it’s for sure not getting done.
    2. SO you keep doing the easy stuff and it feels good but have you ever noticed you aren’t actually doing the things that you really want?
  3. Your lists aren’t really for you…they are for everyone else’s stuff
    1. If you audited your to-do lists would the lists be something you WANT or something you are doing for someone else?
    2. What happens is YOU end up last on that list.
      1. And when you are last on that list, you are: resentful, exhausted, overwhelmed, your hormones are a mess, you aren’t feeling good in your body, and the list goes on.

So, it’s time to reconsider the “Checklist Effect” and see how things can start working FOR you instead of against you so you can be your best self.

Struggling to make yourself a consistent priority and feel like there is never enough time? Sign up for my FREE workshop where I teach you how to have more energy, less overwhelm and still do it all in your life.

Sign up here: https://feelamazingnaked.com/moreenergy

You can also catch this week’s episode:

amanda walker business life health coach