The Law of To-Do List Inertia
Objects in motion stay in motion. So do humans.
Newton’s First Law applies to more than just physics.
An object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.
In other words, objects in motion stay in motion. Objects at rest stay at rest.
These words ring true of humans as well.
The man on the couch watching Episode 1 of Tidying Up will stay at rest…and watch Episode 2.
The woman that drove to the gym and just took her first few steps on the treadmill will stay in motion…and keep exercising.
A college student that just wrote the first paragraph of a paper that’s due tomorrow will continue writing. Their friend, who just took the first tequila shot of the night…will continue taking shots.
When I have a long to-do list, I like to put insanely small, easy steps as the very first items. It makes a daunting set of tasks easier to start. And once I’ve started checking things off, I don’t want to stop.
Placing incredibly easy tasks at the top of your to-do list will set you in motion. After checking those off, the Law of (To-Do List) Inertia dictates that you’ll stay in motion and keep checking the…
