Throw out the matters from your head!
Why throwing out from your mind as many matters as you can and writing them down in one place make you feel better?
Why do you feel more relaxed and have a sense of control over what you have to do?
Handing over all things, that need to be done only to your head forces you to remember all at the same time. Do you remember that unpleasant feeling “And what I have to do now? Oh, I’ve probably forgotten something!”? Definitely it is more efficient to focus the brain on finding creative solutions rather than on storing the entire directory of problems. Moreover finishing a task from the written list gives you a sense of success and satisfaction with the work done so far, and the inventory list available at any time releases you from the nervous thinking on what step should be next.
Storing the tasks on the list has also another great advantage: every time when you are browsing it, you can decide if you still want to resolve the matter. Maybe it has already lost its value for you, or you can delegate it to someone else? When you have the whole list in your head the matters, which are not resolved occupy your mind and you can easy feel overwhelmed by the excess of tasks. Your brain, following the previous decision made, concluded that there is an open issue, and when you do not cancel it consciously you will be exposed to the subconscious pressure from your mind.
But how can you change your decision, if do not consciously remember that you’ve decided to do something? And here comes the helping hand from the honestly gathered and updated list of tasks.
Do you have an old wardrobe somewhere, which you wanted to clean up some time ago? Or maybe a room where you store things? When you’re passing by such a place you probably remind yourself that you have to clean it. Then you go further, because now you are busy with something else, and the open matter of cleaning is still in the mind demanding your attention. This is very tiring! What can you do in this situation? You can consciously decide that you do not want to make the cleaning at all. You can start tidying up at once. Or you can put this task on your list (you can also add the deadline date there!) freeing your mind from the duty to remember it.
What a greeeat relief!