Stop Feeling Guilty About Your To-Do List

Do you often feel guilty or frustrated at the end of your work day for not getting as much done as you had hoped? These emotions are neither useful, nor healthy. What can you do about them? Practice self-compassion. Recognize negative ruminations for what they are: a story you’re telling yourself. Seize the opportunity to reframe and reappraise the situation. You might realize that: “I did my best today and I hope to get more done tomorrow; my colleagues probably understand because they’re busy, too.” Getting pragmatic about your to-do list is also important. Be realistic about what can be reasonably accomplished over the course of your day. Try making peace with the notion that you’ll never be caught up, and you’ll always have things that you really wished you’d gotten to. If you can accept the constant state of non-completion, the guilt will eventually fade.