Why To-Do Lists Often Fail

When we get stressed or overwhelmed with things to do, one of the first reactions is to create a to-do list. The thinking behind a to-do list sounds logical - lots of stuff to do, keeping it all in ones head is a task in and of itself, so write them down. Then, during periods of 'free' time, the list can be consulted, and productivity skyrockets!

A few items may get knocked off the list, but how often have you created a to-do list where items just sit, because something more pressing came up?

It's those more pressing items that are the problem. Sure, some of those are fires and legitimate things that need taking care of right away. But most of the time? Once something is on a to-do list, it becomes kind of a permission slip to get distracted by something else. "Oh, I can come back to it, because it's on my list, and I won't forget it!"

Which brings us to why to-do lists fail. That word: distraction.

Quick quiz: What is the opposite of distraction?

If you said focus, then I've got good news for you! You answered with the most common answer.

The bad news is that that answer is incorrect. The real opposite of distraction is traction, and there in lies the problem. What we commonly think is the antidote to distraction is completely incorrect. When we get distracted, it's not that we lack focus - we have focus, it's just not what we'd like to think we want to focus on.

So yes, we are going to get into a bit of etymology here, but it's actually really important, because if you want to solve the problem of distraction, you have to understand what it really is.

The root of the word traction comes from the Latin trahere, meaning 'to pull'. When we have traction, we are pulled in a direction. We say we want to be pulled in a direction of productivity, moving the needle, or making progress - but all too often, we are pulled in a different direction. Thus, distraction. So, it's not that we don't have focus; it's that we have an urge, or a sense of being pulled, in another direction. Focus actually has nothing to do with it.

Now we get into the reasons why you might be pulled in a different direction. Maybe it's the buzzers and beeps of a device sitting next to you. Maybe it's a browser tab with social media or a stock portfolio. Whatever it is, it's something you have half a mind on, and when your work-brain senses a lull in activity (such as completing an email, or finishing up working a problem), that half-a-mind on something else ends up being opportunistic for attention, and suddenly that quick break has resulted in 45 minutes disappearing from your day. And was that half-a-mind on getting back to your to-do list? (Oh, right. The to-do list. The whole reason that brought us here). Nope.

So, what can we do about it? Close browser windows, and turn off notifications on our devices? Maybe. But we've all tried that, and it doesn't completely solve the problem. The full answer lies in something you may not expect: recognizing that the problem is a pain (or at least, discomfort) management issue.

Here is an example: A lot of times, we may have a general sense of what needs to get done on a given workday, or we may say 'Today I'm going to work on this documentation'. Then you start off, and Pat asks you for something, pulling your attention away from the documentation. You figure 'OK, well, Pat needs this thing, so I'll help them. And it's not like the documentation absolutely has to be done today.' So you dump what you are working on, help Pat, and then before spooling back up, you 'take a break' - check email, check the socials, maybe take care of some other stuff. Then, before you know it, the end of the day comes along, and maybe you helped Pat (which felt good, in the moment), but you didn't finish the documentation, and its right there on your plate for the next day. You didn't get that sense of accomplishment of finishing what you set out to do. Best case, you get to it the following day - a day late, but not terrible. Worst case, that next day (or 2, or 7) was already scheduled for something else, and that documentation lingers for days, leaving you with a noticeable sense of incompletion. And that is the part that sucks. That is the part that, over time, is demoralizing and wears on your psyche.

Now it's easier to see why a to-do list, by itself, isn't the solution. In my experience, to-do lists end up being a parking lot more than anything else. And it's not that that isn't useful - sometimes we have enough stuff on our plate that we need a place to put lower priority things as a reminder. But all-too-often we delude ourselves into thinking that a to-do list is the answer, when in fact, it's just the first part of the solution. We have to have a plan to act on the to-do list. Many times, this means being proactive with a schedule and sticking to it. Telling Pat 'no' may not feel good in the moment, but Pat can't reasonably expect you to dump everything to help them, and meanwhile you've (potentially) sacrificed your own sense of accomplishment.

Take the items on the to-do list, and don't just 'get to them when you get a moment' - consciously block time off in your schedule to do them. You'll get the satisfaction of accomplishing what you set out to do, and have a shorter to-do list as a result. And that is the path of least discomfort.

This post was inspired by an interview I heard with Nir Eyal, author of the book 'Indistractable'