Stop making "To Do" Lists

  How stressed do you get when you look at a big project and think about all the steps you have to take to get there and get it done? If you are like me, these lists make me anxious and just give me another excuse to procrastinate even more. I already have everything I know I need to do in my head, why am I wasting time writing them down? I just get stressed about the tasks that are still left on the list and exhausted from trying to do it all.
  Lately, I have been writing "Done" lists. Sounds different, right? This is especially good for people who are dealing with time management issues. I write down what I did, check it off, and how long it took to complete the task.
  Why does this work? Many of us underestimate the time it actually takes to complete a task. This is the essential cause of the anxiety from looking at an incomplete "to do" list. Not only that, we don't take distractions into account. Write those down too. Are there ways you can eliminate them or minimize them? More than likely. Once you understand how much time you need to get your tasks done it will be easier to make a "to do" list based on your time frame.
  But, most of all, allow some flexibility and time for yourself!