To-do lists against overwhelm – and when they create extra pressure
A simple daily list can order tasks. But it only helps if it stays realistic and does not become a gauge of your own worth.
A to-do list promises order with a few strokes: get the tasks out of your head and onto paper, tick off what is done, feel a bit of control again. A first-hand account in the Guardian describes exactly this effect after a month of daily planning. A personal experiment cannot be turned into a general therapy. Even so, the underlying mechanism is plausible: anyone who sorts tasks visibly has to hold less of them in mind at the same time.
Psychologists distinguish between planning and self-evaluation. A list can be useful when it makes a decision easier: What is genuinely necessary today? What can wait? When does support make sense? It becomes a problem when it turns into an endless balance sheet of unfinished things.
Small, concrete, limited
“Tidy the flat” is not a well-plannable item for the day; “sort clothes for 15 minutes” is. Concrete steps make it easier to start and allow a more realistic estimate of the effort involved. The same holds for work, finances and health. Instead of noting ten resolutions at once, it helps to set a few priorities and to plan buffers for the unforeseen.
The personal benefit does not depend on the medium. Some people concentrate better with paper, others need calendar reminders or shared lists. Digital tools can bundle appointments, but they also bring notifications and distraction. What matters is that the list serves everyday life – not that everyday life serves the list.
When lists create additional pressure
Anyone who feels guilty about every unfinished item should simplify the system. Not done often simply means that the time required was misjudged, that a task is too big, or that a priority has changed. On stress, the WHO points to the importance of breaks, social contact and achievable steps. With persistent overwhelm, sleep problems or depressive symptoms, a to-do list is not a sufficient answer; professional advice may then be necessary.
In Switzerland the topic is also a question of work. Flexible work, digital availability and private organisational tasks easily blur into one another. A good list therefore sets boundaries: working hours, recovery and unfinished business may exist side by side. Control does not come from seamless productivity, but from a realistic selection.
Sources
- The Guardian, first-hand account, 4 October 2026: theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/oct/04/daily-to-do-list-o…
- WHO, Stress: who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress…
- NHS, self-help for stress: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/
