End the To-Do List Overwhelm: How To Have More Time & Success (for Busy Women)
- Megan Devito
- Jul 22
- 5 min read
School starts in less than a month where I live. We're over halfway through 2025, smack dab in the middle of summer, and I hope that you're having your most relaxed and best year yet.
But if instead of a relaxed and fun summer, you've been running full speed through your to-do list, still not finding time for that bucket list of experiences you were daydreaming about last winter, it's time to slow down to a dog days pace.
It’s not too late to find the time and the success you've been working so hard for. You absolutely can still have lake days and lightning bug nights, completely blow your boss's mind with how efficient and detailed you are, and feel calm, confident, and grateful for what you have accomplished.
The Trap of To-Do List Overwhelm
As a mom, a woman, and a coach specializing in overwhelm management for women, I deeply understand the obscene number of demands often placed on ambitious professional women.
You're told to be 100% mom and 100% dedicated to your work.
Look confident, but not too confident.
Do not mess up and don't take your foot off the gas.
Don't look tired.
Make dinner, make money. Make decisions.
Make sure no one misses their appointments.
Make time for everything... And suddenly, you're out of time.
The feeling of constantly juggling everything for everyone, of having your mind race from one task to the next, is incredibly common. So, when you feel this way, what's your plan? For a lot of people, it's adding more tasks and events to their to-do list!
For many high-achieving women, the very thought of making or adding to a "to-do list" kicks their stress and anxiety into high gear.
Maybe you feel trapped by the in-your-face constraints of a to-do list, like you're locked into a rigid routine that steals any moment of freedom that might pop up.
Maybe you create a list every morning, only to watch it grow longer and longer, leaving you feeling like you'll never catch up or finish what's on it.
That uncompleted, ever-growing list often leads to more overwhelm, feeling trapped, and that you're never going to get caught up, much less have time for yourself.
I get it. I’m the best at fighting myself and my own need for structure. I've also been guilty more times than I care to admit of creating a list that is way too long for anyone to accomplish in a day.
In the past, I attempted to manage a ridiculous number of mom, coaching, and social commitments with two calendars and no list. It was, frankly, bat-shit crazy. This constant battle against intentional planning often leaves us more scattered, less productive, and incredibly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks we think we need to accomplish in a day.
This is where effective time management for women becomes crucial.
If you truly want to squeeze every last drop of satisfaction from the rest of summer, the year, and from each day, it's time for a mindset shift. As your coach, I’m here to help you reduce this overwhelm: instead of adding more to your endless list, let's focus on being grateful for all that you have already done while prioritizing your core values.
Why values? Because when you create your list from your core values, you're lining up with what makes you most YOU! You're being your most authentic self as you work, parent, give, connect, and play! This approach helps you stop overthinking, reduce decision fatigue, and find energy and fulfillment in what you do first, letting the smaller, less enjoyable things fill in the spaces between what's truly important and lights you up. This is a core strategy I help my clients implement all the time for better work-life balance.
Another simple and impactful way to use lists to your benefit instead of against you is to start celebrating small wins. Tiny successes are important; they're the fuel you need to feel successful, confident, and certain whether you've done 100 things or just one during the day. When you consistently celebrate by creating a list of "Ta-Dones," the need to complete an entire, often unrealistic, bucket list dies.
Fill Your Calendar and Life with Gratitude
In 2017, I started a simple nightly practice that has grown over time. What started with writing down one thing I was grateful for before turning off the light has evolved into a Ta-Done list.
Each night, I celebrate what I accomplished, what I learned and will focus on tomorrow, and I express gratitude for something. The hardest part about this is picking just one thing! Intentionally choosing just one thing floods your brain with so many moments of gratitude, pride, and success.
This is the power of a "Ta-Done list." Creating a daily or weekly record of what you’ve accomplished, rather than a laundry list of future tasks, shifts your focus to what you've completed instead of what you still have to do. On busy days, I can look back and see all the good, great, and wonderful experiences, people, and situations that might not have crossed an item off my list, but were still valuable. It instantly boosts my mood and combats feelings of stress.
Find More Time, Success & Gratitude With Me
Who doesn't want more time, energy, success, joy, peace, compassion, forgiveness, and love? That's a long list of incredible feelings, isn't it?
When you get clear about what's important and non-negotiable to you, and focus on the one thing that works for you, life changes.
You’ll feel confident in your ability to set and hold boundaries so you have control over your time.
You'll find more energy and clearer thinking that lead to greater success in your career, and most importantly, more presence in your personal life and relationships.
This is true productivity for women!
If you’re reading this right now, and notice you're feeling that bubble of excitement, or maybe the gut-punch that you’re tired of rushing, stressing out, and barely keeping your head above water...
If you’re ready to feel brave and powerful enough to make real changes, it’s okay to ask for help!
I have a 5-Day Audio course, Less Overwhelm - More Life, designed to help you feel calmer, clearer, and more confident. You'll learn to calm your nervous system, create and hold boundaries, grow your confidence, and create a success plan; all without taking up more time in your already busy life!
And if you're ready for a more robust, personalized experience, let's talk about how I can help you through one-to-one coaching.
Don't let another summer (or any season) zip by without seizing the day, my friend.
💜 Megan
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