How Giving Up My To-Do List Made Me More Productive
I love a good list.
A shopping list is essential for me — otherwise I’ll stand in the supermarket, forget everything, and leave with some (gluten-free) biscuits.
My husband often gets a list of DIY jobs from me whenever he has time off work.
I have lists in my Notes app, lists in notebooks, a meal plan stuck on the fridge, and I absolutely love a good brain dump that I can organise into neat little lists afterwards.
Anything I can tick off and get that little dopamine hit from? A big yes from me.
But then there’s that list.
The to-do list.
The problem with to-do lists
We all have a never-ending to-do list quietly reminding us that we’re not doing enough.
A list that:
makes us feel guilty for resting
tells us we should be more productive
is never, ever finished
No one really likes a to-do list, do they?
So recently, I decided to run a little experiment with myself, and it’s been surprisingly glorious.
Why giving up my to-do list made me more productive
I know this sounds dramatic, but hear me out.
Instead of a traditional to-do list, I now keep a simple task list.
It’s a list of everything that needs to happen in my business to keep it running or gently growing:
sending emails
writing Substack posts
creating Pinterest pins
updating my website
It’s not ordered. It’s not time-blocked. And it’s intentionally vague.
Instead of “write a Substack post about XYZ”, it just says: Write a Substack post.
The magic? It doesn’t matter what order I do things in.
Capacity first (this is the real shift)
The biggest difference between a to-do list and my task list is what happens before I even look at it.
I ask myself one simple question:
How much capacity do I have today?
For example, Wednesday 7th January was my first day back to work after the Christmas holidays. The children were back at school and nursery, and my husband was back at work.
Old to-do-list me would have hit the ground running, trying to “make the most” of the day by working through the list in order.
Task-list me did something very different.
I recognised that after two hectic weeks, I needed very little stimulation. So I made a coffee, went to bed, and watched Grey’s Anatomy.
That was the task that day.
I had no capacity for strategising, planning, or creating anything new. And instead of fighting that, I worked with it.
Choosing tasks based on how I feel
On days when I do have capacity, I look at my task list and choose based on what feels right:
If I’m in a writing mood, I’ll work on a Substack post
If I’m feeling creative, I’ll design graphics in Canva
If my brain wants something low-effort, I’ll tidy systems or schedule content
There’s more autonomy, more variety, and far less pressure.
And surprisingly? I procrastinate less and get more done.
How to use your own task list
If you want to try this yourself, here’s how to start:
Make a general list of tasks that keep your business running or growing
Keep it intentionally vague
Store it somewhere easy to access, even on low-capacity days
Then, before you work, ask yourself:
What is my capacity today?
What do I feel like doing?
That’s it.
Why this works (especially for neurodivergent brains)
Maybe it’s my neurodivergent brain, but I need:
less pressure
fewer rules
more autonomy and flexibility
Traditional productivity advice doesn’t leave much room for that.
By removing the constant sense of failure that comes from an unfinished to-do list, I feel calmer, more capable, and more productive, even though I’m doing less.
Because the truth is: If you run a business, your list is never finished.
And that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
A gentle invitation
This capacity-first way of working, choosing tasks based on energy, removing pressure, and trusting yourself, is exactly how I support creatives inside the Slow & Sustainable Business Membership.
It’s a quiet, ongoing space for people who want guidance and gentle structure, without rigid plans, deadlines, or never-ending to-do lists.
If you’d like support while you build a business that fits your real life, you can read more about the membership here:
And if not, I hope this post gives you permission to try something softer for yourself.
Speak soon,
Sophie
If you’re ready to start building a business that works with your life instead of against it, begin with my free Slow Business Starter Kit. It’ll walk you through creating your own gentle weekly rhythm and building the foundations of a slower, simpler, and more sustainable business.
You can wander further into the forest and explore all my resources here:
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