Do you ever find yourself struggling to sleep because your mind won't slow down? Do you have a hard time focusing because your thoughts are racing?
I've created My Daily List Template so that you can unclutter your busy mind and stay calm, clear, and motivated.
Why it Works
Short-term memory is the information that we are currently thinking about or aware of. Recent events, thoughts, ideas, and sensory data like smells and sounds are stored in our short-term memory. Short-term memory applies to events over anywhere from 30 seconds to several days, and it has a limited capacity.
In order for our minds to keep that information in our short term memory, it must be repeated over and over again. This takes energy, effort, and can easily be derailed by other events, thoughts, and activities. After a while, the process fades to the background and we are less aware that it's happening.
At the end of the day, when there is less stimulation for our minds to process, the conscious mind resumes the process of refreshing your short term memory again and again, causing rumination and racing thoughts.
My Daily List Template gives you a framework for freeing up that space in your mind and preventing the racing and ruminating thoughts that distract you or keep you awake.
Start Your List
This first part is about taking the burden off your short term memory so that you can keep your thoughts more organized and feel less stress.
Set aside about ten minutes each morning to write out your list. You can stay as simple or get as fancy as you like. The basic idea is to get as much out of your head and onto paper as possible.
Write the date at the top of the page and start by writing down your to-do list. Just write down all the things you need to get done, whether you think you'll get to them today or not.
You can also write the things that have been on your mind, like questions to ask people, things you need to take a closer look at later, and those things that have been taking up space in your mind. Just get it all down on paper.
As you move through your day, check off the things you’ve accomplished on your to-do list, and add things as they come up. The same goes for your non-to-do items. If you've found resolution to something on your list, cross it off. Add new things to your list as you think of them.
End the Day with a Clean Slate
This next part is about resolving your list at the end of the day so that those thoughts don't keep you up at night.
Set aside about ten minutes at the end of the day to review your list. Make sure everything you completed has been checked off, and that you added everything that needs to be added.
On the next page write tomorrow’s date. One by one, transfer anything still on today’s list to tomorrow’s page. Check off each item from today's list as you move it to tomorrow's.
What you're doing here is resolving everything that needed your attention today by acknowledging it and moving it to tomorrow. This simple step takes the pressure off your short term memory so that you can rest easy with a quiet mind.
That’s it! By making a simple list of tasks every morning, and resolving it every evening before bed, your conscious mind will stop trying to repeat everything, and you will feel more in control and more organized.
Get your free Daily List template below and see how easy it is to clear your mind.