When I consider the weight of mental load in my life, it is not only about remembering all the things. As a devout list maker who lovers her paper planner, I have a pretty good system for keeping track of what I need to do. For me, much of the stress comes from feeling that there’s never enough time to get it all done. Knowing WHEN I intend to do something sends a cue to my brain that there IS enough time and so lowers my anxiety and reduces the impact of my mental load.⁣

⁣Here are four practices that help free my mind from the mental load by addressing when things will get done.⁣

⁣ 2-Minute Rule⁣

⁣Author David Allen and others recommend this practice to amplify productivity. It’s simple—if you can do it in two minutes or less, do it now. ⁣Put that thing away. Toss this in the recycling. Add that to the calendar. Load this in the dishwasher. Carry the garbage out to the can. You get the picture. There are jobs that are super quick when you do them right away but the time required grows the longer you put them off. Do them now.⁣

⁣Power Hour (a la Gretchen Rubin, not the drinking game)⁣

⁣Keep a running list of those nagging little tasks that are not time sensitive but still need to be done. Then every week or so schedule an hour, set a timer, and power through as many items on that list as you can in the time allotted. ⁣

⁣One a Week⁣

⁣This is my current experiment. This is for projects that aren’t big or super time sensitive, but require a little research and mental energy to figure out. I use this ‘clever’ name because I figure I’ll feel really good about myself if I tackle one a week. This week the task is preparing info for our tax accountant. Next week the task will be replacing broken floor vent covers.⁣

⁣Schedule Phases of Larger Projects⁣

⁣When I have larger projects, I break them up into more manageable phases and schedule them on my monthly calendar as a reminder not to over schedule those days.⁣

⁣I keep these lists in my paper planner so they are easy for me to locate. It could be done simple in a Notes app as well.⁣

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Which of these strategies have worked for you?⁣

What other strategies have helped you manage the mental load?