How to reduce anxiety using to-do lists

Rachael Roberts
a woman with headphones around her neck writing notes at a table

Help reduce anxiety using to-do lists

Many teachers have a to-do list a mile long or even several to-do lists in different places.

Theoretically, a to-do list is a good idea. When we write something down, the brain can stop holding onto it quite as tightly, which can reduce anxiety and any feeling of overwhelm.

This tendency to obsess about unfinished tasks is called the Ziergarnik effect, after the Russian psychologist Bluma Ziergarnik, who noticed that waiters only remembered orders before they were served. As soon as the meals were delivered, the memory vanished.

So, if your brain is constantly nagging you about tasks that remain undone, write them down or make a rough plan and the anxiety will often disappear.

The downside of ‘to-do’ lists

I once had a list of jobs that needed doing about the house which had some items dating back several years. Simply writing down a task doesn’t guarantee that it will get done. A lengthy to-do list can enable you to procrastinate and avoid doing important tasks as they are hidden amongst any number of others.

Long lists can also be overwhelming and off-putting in themselves, and as you cross items off the list becomes cluttered and disorganized.

Making better use of your to-do list(s)

1. Learn to prioritize

It is vital to distinguish between tasks as this will help you decide how to prioritize, delegate and ignore. Categorize your tasks in the following way:

  • Important and urgent (prioritize these).
  • Important but not urgent (book in a time to do these, and stick to it).
  • Urgent but not important (see if you can delegate these, or consider if you need to do them at all).
  • Not urgent and not important (you could almost certainly take these off your list altogether).

2. Keep separate lists for separate areas of your life

It’s much easier to see what needs to be done and to prioritize things if you keep separate lists. If you are comfortable with tech, there are plenty of apps to help you with this. You can flag things as important and set reminders and deadline alerts while keeping separate lists. and are just a couple of the options available. If you’re more old school, you can have separate pages in a notebook.

3. Break tasks down

Understandably, you might avoid getting started on a big task that will take a long time. There never seems to be a suitable time slot to get it done. Instead, break it down into smaller tasks and tackle them one at a time. For example, break down marking 30 books into three slots of marking ten books.

4. Know your next actions

Before you finish work on part of a bigger task, make sure you know your next step, so that when you come back to it, you can get started straight away. This also works well when you decide at the end of a working day what the first task you’ll do tomorrow is.

5. Review weekly

A regular review is essential. Look through what you’ve achieved and feel good about it - and remove it from your lists. Analyse where you tried to do too much (try to stick to 3-5 tasks a day) and consider this when setting yourself tasks for the following week. Take note of any tasks you should have done but didn’t get around to and, assuming a certain task is a priority, decide exactly when you will do it next week.

Good luck!

Teaching requires you to juggle 101 different things, and that’s before you take your home life into account as well. Get on top of your to-do list, and not only will you feel less overwhelmed, but you may also even find yourself a bit more free time.

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • A overhead shot of a group of people working at a desk with papers and notebooks

    5 ways to make studying in a group work for you

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    There are many benefits to studying in a group, ranging from reducing procrastination and boosting your confidence to gaining new perspectives and learning faster. Many English language learners enjoy working in a group, and many English language teachers recommend it. Here’s how to make studying in a group work for you or your students…

    1. Create an effective group

    Even though you love spending time with your friends, don’t base study partners on friendship. Instead, look for people who stay alert in class, take notes, ask questions, and respond to the teacher’s questions – and don’t make the group too big. An ideal size for a study group is three or four students.

    It’s a great idea to try to meet on the same day and time each week because treating the study session as you would a class helps you to keep to a schedule and ensure that everyone attends.

    Finally, hold study group sessions in a place free of distractions with room to spread out the materials. This will help to ensure that you don’t end up talking about the latest movies or songs instead of studying the future tense!

    2. Decide on the topics and set goals

    Before your study group, think about the topics you’d like to discuss – then agree on one. This will help you concentrate on that topic without straying away. Once you’ve decided on your subject, also consider what you want to achieve at each session – but don’t take on too much material for one session.

    For example, if you’re using a novel written in English to learn more about the language, just think about one aspect of it, such as a couple of the characters, rather than trying to discuss the entire book.

    3. Prepare effectively

    Before attending your study group, prepare by reading more about or researching the topic you’re all going to discuss.

    Also, make a list of anything you aren’t sure you understand so that you can discuss it with your fellow learners. There are sure to be different things you all need explaining in more detail, so you can help each other to understand. Which leads us on to…

    4. Learn from each other by communicating well

    Communicate openly – it doesn’t matter if one of you doesn’t understand something or needs more explanation. And don’t be shy about asking for your peers’ feedback: “Am I talking too much?” or “Did I present your point of view correctly?”. It is often said that it is best to teach other material you understand, and learn from others who understand the material better than you do.

    If your study session reveals points of disagreement or confusion that you cannot resolve as a group, make a note of it and ask your teacher.

    5. Make it enjoyable

    Last on the list, but very important: try to make studying enjoyable in whatever way you can by keeping it interesting. Pick novels about subjects you all really enjoy reading about. Go to see an English-speaking movie together and discuss it at your study group. Or try a quiz together (online or in person) to see how you've picked the subject matter up.

  • a hand reaching for a book from a bookshelf

    9 great novels to help improve your English

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    Reading is one of the most fun and effective ways to help improve your English language skills. It can help to expand your vocabulary and expose you to different sentence structures, all while you enjoy some wonderful stories.

    E-readers and tablets make learning English even easier because if you don’t know a word, you can click on it to read its definition. On the Kindle, you can even add new words you’ve learnt to its Vocabulary Builder feature, which is stored on the device. Others recommend listening to and reading text at the same time as an excellent way to enhance the learning process. Kindle’s Whispersync for Voice is designed for just this purpose and includes audio with selected books, so you can listen and follow the text as you read.

    9 great novels to help improve your English

    Below, we reveal nine novels, including William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and George Orwell’s Animal Farm, to help improve your English.

    1. The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

    This classic tale takes place in the English countryside and shares the adventures of the animals that live by the river. Grahame’s simple use of language with imaginative stories makes this a pleasurable read for adults and children.

    2. Lord of the Flies – William Golding

    This book is a modern classic and a popular study text for schools all over the world. When a group of boys are isolated on a desert island, the society they create descends into ruthless behavior. Golding uses dramatic and descriptive language, almost like poetry, making you feel like you’re in the scenes yourself.

    3. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

    Ernest Hemingway is well-known for his clear, straightforward writing style and short sentence structure, which is great for English language learners and many people have read it in school. It’s the courageous tale of a Cuban fisherman and his battle to land a giant marlin and it’s a perfect introduction to Hemingway as an author.

  • A Young woman smiling and gesturing at her friend

    Improve your English without saying a word

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    Communicating in English goes far beyond simply learning English vocabulary. In fact, there are many non-verbal strategies you can leverage to appear more confident as you improve your English. Below you’ll find three of the most important aspects of non-verbal communication to work on:

    Make eye contact when you speak in English

    When you’re talking to someone, it’s best to look them in the eye as much as possible. This shows that you are engaged in the conversation and listening intently when not speaking. Especially in loud environments, you may find your eyes drawn to someone’s lips as they talk. While it may help you better understand what they’re saying in a noisy place, like a restaurant, aim to maintain eye contact as much as you can (but do remember to take a quick break away once in a while so as to not stare too intently).

    Be mindful of body language

    What you’re doing with your hands and the facial expressions you make can say a lot—sometimes more than words! Not only should you be aware of the body language of who you’re talking with, but you also need to know what your body language is saying about you. Different cultures see hand gestures differently so it's good to be mindful of what gestures you make with your hands. If you want to appear open and friendly you may want to keep your arms open and avoid closed body language like crossing your arms.

    If someone is leaning away from you slightly, this may indicate they aren’t interested in the topic you’re speaking about. They may lean in closer if more interested in what you're talking about. If they smile a lot, this may mean they agree with you.

    Prepare yourself for English conversations you may have

    If you are planning to practice talking in English, it’s OK to prepare yourself for the conversation. Create a script for yourself to speak from that allows you to practice difficult terms and phrases. Not only will this give you real-time experience bettering your skills, but it will allow you to speak English with confidence.

    Either in work situations or casual conversations, there’s more than just English words being exchanged so remember to dedicate your full attention. It’s an excellent opportunity to practice and improve your English skills and you’re likely to learn more than just studying on your own.