Overcoming To-Do List Paralysis | Deep Questions With Cal Newport

Cal Newport explains how to-do lists are inhumane. This causes the #TaskFreezeEffect.

Cal visually explains how to break down a to-do list in order to eliminate task freeze.

0:00 Cal's intro
1:40 Example of Task Freeze
5:00 How Cal sorts
9:38 Working Memory file

Connect with Cal Newport:

About Cal Newport:
Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University. In addition to his academic research, he writes about the intersection of digital technology and culture. Cal's particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives.

Cal is a New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including, most recently, A World Without Email, Digital Minimalism, and Deep Work. He's also the creator of The Time-Block Planner.

The videos are considered to be used under the "Fair Use Doctrine" of United States Copyright Law, Title 17 U.S. Code Sections 107-118. Videos are used for editorial and educational purposes only and I do not claim ownership of any original video content. I don't use said video clips in advertisements, marketing or for direct financial gain. All video content in each clip is considered owned by the individual broadcast companies.

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[debolinachatterjee]

Wow. This is such a good way to overcome decision fatigue as well.

[d.warren]

OMG I thought something was wrong with me because this is exactly how I always feel when I write list out and when I'm not able to come pleat the list and accomplish my goal I stress and put myself in a different state but this makes so much sense also this guy reminds me of one of my favorite actors Jason Bateman thank you for the helpful info

[cmralph...]

This was so helpful to me as a fine art book illustrator. I have no problem with shorter format books, but when faced with a longer tome I feel instantly overwhelmed and find myself doing ANYTHING ELSE in my studio, besides the actual task at hand. Thank you so much for explaining how and why this happens and how to fix it!

[AndrewThoesen]

I love these little video. You are, and this is a compliment, not overly polished. It feels very professorly.

[tranquillo]

No matter how many productivity tools I try I always return to good ol .TXT lol. Nothing beats it.

[mark]

Thanks, Cal! I face this situation everyday, going to try this on Monday 🎉

[randan]

Is it okay to do shallow work in the same environment (location) as deep work? Does it have an effect on depth?

[jacquelinesmith]

I stopped writing to do lists because it's too strict for me, and it puts me under a lot of stress. I think aloud a lot and talk to myself about what I'm going to do for the day. The only time I write stuff down is on my calendar. That includes appointments, work hours, due dates for assignments for my online classes, when I have bills due, and so on. I get stuff done when I'm actually doing the tasks. If I know that something doesn't need to be done on that particular day, I do, however, make a note of that task for the next day on a post-it sticky so I don't forget. It's simpler for me.

[imsoket]

Big fan Sir. Absolute genius. fantastic methodology

[raenastra]

Reminds me of GTD's recommendation to sort by context!

[JNYC-gbpp]

How to handle: various to-do & obligations ie calendar (hard landscape), inbox, quarterly plans which causes freezing. no task is difficult. just the combination makes you avoid tackling the list (neuroscientific reason =- plan/execute/reward loop - can't plan for 15 things at once so get task-freeze - so no motivation is forthcoming - incompatible with brain)
Solution Step 1: Transfer: go through inbox, capture notes, tasks etc and transfer to a text file so you have a list
Solution Step 2: Batch like tasks that use a similar part of the brain ie phone calls/emails, writing/editing, spreadsheet/budget etc - many of which could be small and easy tasks and others that are non trivial that requires thought
Solution Step 3: Tackle ONE GROUP AT A TIME - then go for a walk, then when you come back tackle a new GROUP OF TASKS (to let cognitive context dissipate - brain catch breather and load the new cognitive context)
Comment: It's a shame that the workplace isn't like this at all. You have to constantly task switch (because usually your boss is disorganized & reactive to incoming workflow) back and forth from one 'cognitive context' to another - which is not only frustrating and exhausting and poor time management but ends up taking so much longer as you're 'getting back into' a task after interruption - only to be interrupted again. A task that could take 1 hour ends up taking 5 hours because you keep repeating the 'getting back into' part of the task. Incredibly frustrating.

[thehiddeninvestor]

-Your Brain generates motivation based on the task
NO vague tasks - Sort them (similar ones easy ones first) break or reward after a group is done

Pragmatic Approach

Just make groups not list
don't see them just do them for a seemingly easy time 5m

[garyeongkim]

I always listen to it via Podcast. But this episode, i had to come to YouTube 😂

[Baffuteagle]

If in Linux, Gnotes is a great notepad jotter / text file, super easy to use blank page like Cal shows. Also to save file and group. Super intuitive.

[ShelterDogs]

How do you use bullets in Notepad? Or is that on a Mac?

[danf]

your bio and several other items could be life changing if the right person sees it. how in the world does that fit on the same schedule with "laundry" which in itslef is actually 4-6 separate steps over several hours as we all know. so there is no mention of time alloted to tasks?- and budget? that could take hours..especially if you are not hitting budget goals or are over budget or your stock portfolio is down

[luvinfunvan]

The sample presented is not a to do list its just stuff. One freezes with a list of stuff because you can't do "Budget" what does that mean? This is a great list of stuff that one needs to process one at at time, think about the thing then move it into a place that you trust you are going to see it when appropriate. When is it appropriate? Well it depends have some spare time and low brain power? Well that's when I'd like to see "order new cable" ideally though I thought about it previously and its actually order new 12" trs to midi cable on amazon and I saw that item on my "got time and lazy" list... Or in my car those things live on my errands list.