TURN YOUR TO-DO LIST INTO INTO A TA-DA! LIST
MINUTES
How to
I vividly remember my to-do list from my teaching days: scraps of paper and scribbled-on Post It notes jammed into, and often escaping from, my diary. What’s your list like? Is it crammed into the empty spots in your daily planner? Is it a pile of Post It notes and scraps of paper? Or do you keep it in your head? Have you got a great digital version? Maybe you’d describe your to-do list as ‘too long’?
Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good list, and I love crossing items off that list too! And given that scientists tell us that we can probably only hold about four pieces of information in our short-term memory at any one time, writing things down on a list makes sense for our memory, our available headspace, our productivity, and our efficiency.
Can you remember the last time you finished your day with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction? Take just a moment to tap into the experience again. How did it feel? And what impact did it have on your thoughts and behaviours for the rest of the day?
If you’re struggling to recall the last time you finished a day feeling accomplished, don’t despair, you are not alone!
Educators know the stress of being faced with a never-ending to-do list and will go to extraordinary means, often sacrificing sleep, their social life, wellbeing and family time to get just one more thing done. The result of this is usually a neverending to-do list, which results in neverending doing, which leads to exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed and difficulty switching off at night. Any of this sounding familiar to you?
CONTRIBUTED BY
KATRINA BOURKE