Reddit's best strategies for breaking through task overwhelm, cognitive overload, and the paralysis of too many obligations.
Last updated: January 2025. Based on discussions from r/productivity, r/ADHD, r/getdisciplined, r/selfhelp.
"I have 247 tasks in my todo app. I haven't opened it in 3 weeks because looking at it makes me want to cry. I just... can't."
This sentiment appears constantly on Reddit. The tools meant to organize us become sources of dread. Here's what actually helps.
Too much planning and tracking can drain cognitive resources. Ultimately, this cognitive overload decreases efficiency by making it harder for the user to think clearly. Your brain can only hold ~4 items in working memory at once. A list of 100 items doesn't help - it paralyzes.
Productivity advice says "capture everything" - every thought, idea, and task goes into your system. But this creates lists that grow faster than they shrink. The inbox becomes a graveyard of good intentions.
Each day, pick: 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, 5 small tasks. Maximum. This forces prioritization and prevents infinite lists. Apps like Rocket 135 enforce this.
Archive or delete everything. Start completely fresh. If something truly matters, it will come back. Most items on a 200-task list are no longer relevant anyway.
Instead of listing tasks, block time for categories. "2 hours for work projects" instead of 15 separate tasks. You do what you can in that block.
Most Important Tasks. Pick 1-3 MITs each morning. Everything else is bonus. If you only do MITs, the day was successful.
Use apps that organize by life area (like Funtasking's 8 areas). Seeing Work vs Play vs Health helps prioritize what you're actually neglecting.
Plan by week, not day. More flexibility. A task doesn't fail if you move it to Wednesday instead of Monday. Less daily guilt.
Most todo apps only track WORK. They don't show that you have zero tasks for health, fun, or relationships. Apps like Funtasking that track 8 life areas help you realize: maybe the problem isn't that you need to do MORE - it's that you're trying to do everything in one category while ignoring the others.
Those tasks sitting for months? They're already "deleted" in practice - you weren't doing them. Making it official just stops the guilt of seeing them. If it's truly important, add it fresh when you're ready to actually do it.
It isn't. Your brain is lying. Use the Eisenhower Matrix: Urgent AND Important = do now. Important but not urgent = schedule. Urgent but not important = delegate. Neither = delete. Most "urgent" things are neither.
Keep work tasks in a work system. Don't mix life admin with project management. Use different tools or views. The overwhelm often comes from mixing contexts.
8 life areas help prioritize what matters. Visual timeline prevents infinite lists. See balance, not just tasks.
Start Fresh