Burnout Productivity Time-Management

Overcome Task Overload with This 3-Step Write Habit System

Today, I’m going to show you how to beat the overwhelm when life piles on and threatens to derail your writing and productivity.

Coming back from a holiday with my kids this week, I found myself being completely overwhelmed with all the unfinished tasks.

Even opening my email or looking at my calendar felt daunting, and I recognised the familiar tight chest and tension headache that hinted at burnout—a place I’ve been before (see this recent podcast episode) and don’t want to revisit. 

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by writing deadlines, work commitments, and the demands of family life, today’s email can bring you immediate relief.

We’ll focus on a simple system to help you organise your tasks and protect your mental energy—all while building a reliable write habit that keeps you on track.

Often, people fail at task management because they try to tackle everything at once, which leads to procrastination, stress or even burnout (I’ve been there).

Clear the chaos instead of freezing

Let’s dive into the steps you can take to reclaim control over your tasks.

 

Step 1: Make a Brain Dump


Start by getting everything out of your head and onto paper.

  • List every task, deadline, and reminder that’s swirling in your mind. I filled a whole A4 page with my to-dos this week, and it was a massive relief to have it all in one place.
  • As you go, keep adding to this list; let it be a complete, unfiltered dump of everything you’re carrying. It’s ok if it looks ugly!

Step 2: Prioritise with Symbols


Now it’s time to bring order to the chaos with a simple prioritisation system. Mark each item with a symbol:

* = prioritised task with imminent deadline

2M = “2-min” quick wins (e.g. send a specific email)

MM = medium-energy 30-min tasks

FF = full focus hour or even day-long tasks that require you to think (At first, I marked them them “BIG” but that stressed me out, so I renamed them “Full Focus” for you/)

This list gave me an overview of my chaos. And immediate relief because it was OUT OF MY BRAIN.

Then, I made a conscious decision of what needs to be done this week, and what I can do later.

–> = tasks will to to next week

Step 3: Start with Small Wins


The quickest way to feel even more relief is to get a few things done immediately.

  • Set a timer for your 2-minute tasks. Emails, a website tweak, or drafting an advert with a quick slogan took me just minutes, but each one lifted a weight off my list.
  • Cross out each task as you go. It’s incredibly satisfying and gives you that boost to keep going.

Do that for 15 minutes, and then go and slot in all other tasks for this week (don’t overdo it) into your calendar or planner.

This was my exact process this week, and it helped, which is why I turned it into a newsletter for you.

With this approach, you’ve now got a map of your week, aligned with your energy levels and your top priorities. You’ve tackled small tasks, freed up mental space, and taken a first step back into focus.

I teach how to write regularly without overwhelm in my live 7-Day Write Habit Booster (Nov 4-10)—it’s all about tiny tasks and building momentum.

There are a few spots left.

Grab Your Spot Now Before Places Are Gone!

That’s it for this week. See you next Thursday!

Your coach, 

Recommended Articles