I use To Do lists all the time - they help me structure my day, prioritise my work, and ensure I do what needs to be done.However, To Do lists can be overwhelming. When there are a lot of tasks that need to be done over a period of time, and the big tasks or projects consist of 10's of small tasks, the list can become a seemingly impossible demand on my time and energy. Demotivating and counter productive.
I'm currently in one of those patches - when both work and personal life have masses of tasks waiting to be done. The sheer scale of my To Do list is scary.
So I have 2 lists. The 'mastercopy' - with everything. (it's online so I can move things about, add things, make tasks part of bigger projects etc.)
And then I have my Today list.
This involves me going through the big list and choosing a limited number that is just below what I think I can manage. This includes picking up simpler tasks for rough days and leaving the more 'brain intense' ones for other days. And then I end up with a list which I can work through and feel I'm achieving - and I might even manage to do a few extra things - but all without being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the big list.
It's made a huge difference - enabling me to work effectively at whatever level I'm able to, but without being overloaded by tasks for other days.