Occupational therapists have historically categorized occupations into three main categories: self-care, productivity, and leisure. I decided to get things under control by writing my to-do lists in categories - occupational categories, that is. These scattered lists used to not only look like a mess, they made me feel like a mess, too. My lengthy to-do lists are full of occupations: work, grocery shopping, cooking, Zooming with my grandma, more work.

The World Federation of Occupational Therapy defines occupation as “the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families, and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life.” Using my occupational therapy knowledge, I decided to tweak my to-do list - and the result has had a really positive impact on my mental health.īringing occupational therapy into my to-do listsīut first, what’s an occupation? Hint: It’s not your job. We occupational therapists have a lot to say when it comes to the science of how, why, and for what purpose people do things. I was overwhelmed with my to-do list anxiety, and I remembered something: I’m an occupational therapist. Writing tasks down in a - you guessed it - to-do list can reduce these persistent thoughts.īut what if you’re like me (or most of us) and you have a bajillion incomplete tasks? What if your to-do list is so long it actually becomes the source of your anxiety?

This is related to something known as the Zeigarnik effect, which is basically our brain’s obsession with outstanding tasks until they’re completed. There’s a long-held belief that to-do lists can reduce procrastination and, in short, help you get stuff done. I admit it!īut wow, there’s also nothing quite like that certain brand of anxiety that comes from a to-do list that just. Honestly, there’s nothing quite like that sweet, sweet feeling of crossing an item off my to-do list.

Make a to do list