Transform Your To-Do Lists and Get More Done with Less Stress!

Control To-do lists. Not vice-versa!

The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey

Juggling multiple things in life?

And you also want to run a side hustle that can become a full time income source?

I can understand the struggle.

Sometimes I hear these productivity hacks from kids who are 26 and 27 years old

• Wake up at 5 AM
• Go for a Walk
• Focused work from 6 AM till 8 AM
• and so on..

All of that sounds great, but for a 26 year old!

I would like to see productivity tips from a 38 year old working mother, who has 2 kids to manage and her house.

For her waking up at 5 AM is probably a norm.

But before she could take the first breath of the morning, she might have to get into the kitchen to plan on sending her kids to school, her husband to work and then she will have to get ready to go to work herself (that is, if she is working).

Productivity tips are cliche!

It is hence that I don’t prefer such cliched productivity tips.

For me productivity is about getting done with the items on my to-do lists.

And frankly I always struggled with that before finding something that worked for me.

You see, I had multiple things on my plate:

• A 9-5 role in a leadership position
• A side hustle that involved managing
  • a YouTube channel
  • 3 podcasts + client shows
  • 5 niche websites
  • 3 blogs
  • social media accounts
• and a family to manage

There was a time I’d wake up, look at my endless to-do list with 50+ tasks, and feel a knot in my stomach.

By the end of the day, I wasn’t crossing things off.

I was adding more.

Instead of feeling accomplished, I felt defeated.

It was like I was running on a treadmill but getting nowhere.

I am sure a lot of you can relate to it:

1. Juggling priorities
2. Managing personal commitments
3. Work deadlines
4. Errands
5. and the random surprises life throws in.

It’s not a productivity problem. In fact, it’s an overwhelm problem.

An overwhelm isn’t a sign that you’ve failed; it’s a sign you need a better system.

And today, I’ll walk you through the system that transformed how I manage tasks, reduced my stress, and helped me finish each day feeling satisfied.

The Problem with Long To-Do Lists

The bigger my to-do list, the more it controlled me.

I felt like I was spinning plates, constantly running between urgent tasks and minor details that didn’t matter.

At the end of the day, I wasn’t focused on what truly moved the needle—I was just busy.

That constant busyness?

It wore me down.

I realized that the longer my list got, the harder it was to focus, which led to procrastination.

It’s a vicious cycle: You feel overwhelmed by the volume, and that overwhelm makes you freeze.

I knew I needed to change.

That’s when I began experimenting with productivity frameworks to find something that worked.

The solution didn’t come overnight—it was a process of trial, error, and refining.

But I finally found a system that helps me feel accomplished, every single day.

And that is what I want to share with you today.

Before that a little context on the frameworks I am using.

The 3 Productivity Frameworks I Combined!

When it comes to getting organized, I’ve found that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But these three frameworks have given me structure and clarity:

PARA Method: Organizing Your Life into 4 Simple Buckets

Created by Tiago Forte, the PARA method helps you structure your work by sorting everything into four areas: Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives.

It’s a great way to manage not only tasks but also information, ideas, and responsibilities.

Here’s how to use it:

How to Apply the PARA Method

• Projects: These are short-term tasks with clear outcomes and deadlines.
  • Examples: “Finish Q4 Sales Report,” “Prepare for Tuesday’s presentation,” or “Organize birthday party.”
  • Action: Write down the 3–5 most pressing projects you’re working on. Track them regularly until completion.
• Areas of Responsibility: These are ongoing, maintenance-based activities that require attention over time. They represent key areas of your life and work, like “Health,” “Career,” or “Family.”
  • Examples: Staying fit, managing finances, maintaining good relationships, or overseeing your team.
  • Action: Make a list of these areas and set recurring reminders (monthly or weekly) to check on your progress in each area. This ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
• Resources: This category includes useful information, tools, or reference material you might need in the future. Think of it as a library of resources.
  • Examples: Saved articles, course notes, or templates.
  • Action: Use folders (digital or physical) to store reference materials so they’re easy to find when you need them.
• Archives: These are completed projects and resources you no longer actively use but want to keep for future reference.
  • Examples: Last year’s tax documents, completed project files, or old client notes.
  • Action: Move completed projects into the “Archives” folder regularly to keep your workspace clutter-free.

Why It Works:

PARA creates clarity by giving everything in your life a “home.” This way, you know exactly where each task, responsibility, or piece of information belongs. It reduces cognitive overload because your brain doesn’t have to hold everything at once.

Here’s how it looks in my Notion app.

Eisenhower Matrix: Prioritizing Tasks by Urgency and Importance

The Eisenhower Matrix, named after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, helps you separate the urgent from the important.

Often, we confuse the two, leading to reactive decisions that keep us “busy” but not productive.

How to Apply the Eisenhower Matrix

Draw a simple grid with four quadrants:

Here’s how to use each quadrant:

1. Quadrant 1: Important and Urgent (Do it now) These are tasks with tight deadlines or pressing consequences. Handle these immediately.
   • Examples: Submit your tax returns, respond to an urgent client request, or address a family emergency.
2. Quadrant 2: Important but Not Urgent (Schedule it) These tasks contribute to long-term goals. They’re critical, but they don’t require immediate action—perfect for scheduling.
   • Examples: Writing a blog post, learning a new skill, or planning your next vacation.
3. Quadrant 3: Not Important but Urgent (Delegate it) These tasks need to get done, but they don’t require your personal attention. Delegate them if possible.
   • Examples: Scheduling meetings, answering routine emails, or managing social media.
4. Quadrant 4: Not Important and Not Urgent (Eliminate it) These are distractions disguised as tasks. Identify and eliminate them.
   • Examples: Scrolling through social media, attending unproductive meetings, or binge-watching Netflix.

Why It Works:

The Eisenhower Matrix keeps you from falling into the trap of doing “urgent but unimportant” tasks.

It forces you to focus on what truly matters and helps you cut out time-wasting activities that don’t add value.

Getting Things Done (GTD): A system developed by David Allen

David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) is a structured framework that helps you clear mental clutter by capturing all your tasks, ideas, and commitments in an external system.

Once everything is out of your head, GTD teaches you how to organize and act on it efficiently.

How to Apply the GTD Method

GTD follows five simple steps:

1. Capture: Write down everything that’s on your mind—big or small. Don’t filter or organize it at this stage. This step helps you unload mental clutter.
   • Example: Use a notebook or an app (like Todoist or Notion) to jot down all tasks and ideas as soon as they pop up.
2. Clarify: Go through the list you captured and ask, “What is this?”
   • If it’s actionable, decide on the next step.
   • If not, it goes into trash, a reference list, or a “someday/maybe” list.
   • Example: “Email Puja about the project” → next step: “Send email tomorrow.”
3. Organize: Sort actionable tasks into specific lists or categories based on their nature:
   • Projects: Multiple-step tasks.
   • Next Actions: Tasks to do as soon as possible.
   • Waiting For: Tasks you’ve delegated but are waiting on someone else to complete.
   • Example: Create a task called “Follow up with Nitin” in the “Waiting For” list.
4. Reflect: Review your lists regularly—weekly or daily—to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. During this time, re-prioritize and update your lists based on new information.
   • Example: On Fridays, check if there are any “Waiting For” tasks that need follow-ups.
5. Engage: Now it’s time to do the work. Look at your organized tasks and decide which to tackle based on time, energy, and priority.

Bonus Tip: GTD’s 2-Minute Rule

If a task will take less than 2 minutes, do it immediately rather than adding it to your list. This rule helps prevent small tasks from piling up and overwhelming you.

Why It Works:

GTD ensures that you always know what to do next. It clears mental clutter by keeping everything organized in lists outside of your head, so you’re not constantly worrying about what you’ve forgotten.

How to Combine These Frameworks Effectively

• Start with PARA to organize your responsibilities and information. This gives structure to your entire workload.
• Use the Eisenhower Matrix when deciding what tasks to prioritize daily. Ask: “What’s urgent and what’s important today?”
• Incorporate GTD into your routine for managing all the small tasks and ideas that arise throughout the day. Capture everything, organize it, and take action using the 2-minute rule.

When you combine these frameworks, you get a system that not only helps you stay organized but also ensures you’re working on the right things at the right time—without getting overwhelmed.

My 3-Step System for a Streamlined To-Do List

Using elements from these frameworks, I created a simple, three-part system that works for me—and I think it’ll work for you too.

1. Immediate Tasks: The 5-Minute Rule

If a task takes less than 5 minutes, don’t think twice—just do it.

This simple rule has changed everything. Whether it’s sending a quick email, booking an appointment, or replying to a message, I knock it out immediately.

These little tasks can pile up fast, creating unnecessary mental clutter. The sooner you clear them, the more focus you have for the bigger tasks ahead.

Procrastination feeds on hesitation. If something takes a few minutes to complete, avoid the trap of overthinking—just get it done.

2. Urgent Tasks: Prioritize What Moves the Needle

These are the tasks that have the most significant impact. They might not always feel urgent, but they are the things that matter most—those that move your personal or professional goals forward.

Each morning, I ask myself: “What are the 1-3 tasks that, if completed today, will make me feel accomplished?”

This is where the Eisenhower Matrix comes in handy.

Instead of getting distracted by small tasks, I focus on high-priority work that brings meaningful results. It could be writing an article, closing a deal, or making progress on a big project. Whatever it is, I make sure to tackle it first, when my energy and focus are at their peak.

3. Everything Else: Reschedule or Delegate

Here’s a truth I’ve learned the hard way: Not everything needs to be done right now—or by you.

Tasks that aren’t urgent or impactful either get moved to a later date or handed off to someone else. Rescheduling or delegating isn’t about avoidance—it’s about smart prioritization. It allows you to focus on what truly requires your attention today, without feeling guilty about postponing or offloading tasks that can wait.

Here’s a bonus tip: Create a “someday” list for ideas or tasks you want to explore but that aren’t immediate priorities. This way, they won’t clutter your current to-do list, and you’ll still have a place to revisit them later.

The Result: Accomplished, Not Defeated

Since adopting this system, I’ve felt more in control of my day.

I no longer feel like I’m drowning under an endless list of tasks. I know exactly what needs my attention now, what can wait, and what isn’t worth doing at all.

At the end of each day, I take a few moments to reflect on what I accomplished.

And you know what?

It feels good.

I no longer judge my success by the number of tasks completed but by the impact of the few things I prioritized.

“You don’t need a longer to-do list. You need a better way to prioritize.”

Final Thoughts: Your Turn to Take Control

Overwhelm happens to the best of us.

But remember—being busy doesn’t mean you’re productive, and crossing off a long list of tasks doesn’t guarantee progress.

When your to-do list feels endless, take a step back and ask: What truly matters today?

Use this simple three-step system to cut through the noise, focus on what’s important, and delegate or reschedule the rest.

You don’t need to be perfect—just intentional. Start small, experiment with what works for you, and keep refining your system over time.

Recommended Newsletters

Here are few newsletters that I would recommend that you sign up to if you are interested in learning the art of running a side-hustle:

• Write, Build, Scale – https://sparklp.co/p/40cf6480e8
• Why we buy – https://sparklp.co/p/6d27bbcf8b
• The Book Bub – https://sparklp.co/p/3bcef5f1d4
• The Stacked Marketer – https://sparklp.co/p/5c2039bc2c

Sign up to these and follow them. You will get a lot of information and content for your blog posts, podcasts and even social media posts.

I will share more such ideas in my future newsletters.

I put in about 18 hours every month to create this newsletter, starting from researching to writing and editing it.

So, If you enjoyed reading this Newsletter, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could recommend it to others. You can send them to https://theloudspeakeronline.com to subscribe to it for FREE!

What am I reading?

I absolutely love books and I read a lot.

In fact, I don’t just read a lot, but I also take notes on every book that I read.

I have pages and pages on information in my Notion Second Brain, so that I can find them and use them when ever I need.

Want to know more about the books I read. You can check it out here!

That’s it for this week!

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