The Power of Writing Things Down

By Talia Charach, Publications Coordinator

Having too many tasks to do can feel so overwhelming that it feels impossible to complete any of them. There's too much going on all at once, and it's hard knowing where to start. Although different people experience different extents of this, I know it is a universal struggle. That’s why I want to share how I manage my mental to-do list as a second-year commerce student.

When I entered university last year, I often felt there was so much going on and didn’t know where to start or what to prioritize. There were so many new aspects of my life that I hadn’t experienced or faced in high school. Especially as a Commerce student, the pressure can be intense, whether that be academically, professionally, socially, emotionally, physically or all of the above.

In February 2023, I decided to create a Notion account to organize my to-do lists. However, it wasn’t just an ordinary calendar; instead, I wrote down in detail my daily plan from start to finish every day. Even the small tasks were included. This would be anything from driving to school, making coffee, cleaning my room, calling a friend, studying, or any plans I had, all updated throughout the day. I know this can sound trivial, obsessive or silly, but it really worked for me.

Like many things, I wasn’t sure if I would be consistent. Now, I can say I have used this calendar every day for over 1000 days, and it has helped me with my stress, workload and balancing life. Organization is something that keeps me calm, reduces stress, and gives me a place to visually plan out my days. While it doesn’t eliminate stress completely, it helps me take control over my life. I am grateful I found an organization method that works so well for me.

However, something I often forget when planning my days is making time for myself, beyond necessary tasks. Looking back on high school, one of my favourite ways to decompress was oil painting. I did it for several years and loved it, but at some point, I stopped. At that point in my life, I felt like I had too much to do. Now I realize I actually didn’t, especially not compared to my university life.

As I reflect on this, I am starting to understand that making time for hobbies shouldn’t be optional. Of course, certain priorities need to come first and be completed by certain deadlines, but even the little things go a long way. I still oil paint now whenever I can, and I’ve also started implementing other small hobbies, such as journaling again for just five minutes a day.

So, while my detailed daily calendar eases my stress and keeps me on track, I also try my best to remember to make time for myself.