What if we slowed down a little?

Fewer endless lists and unrealistic expectations. Just three essential tasks per day and an invitation to draw for 10 minutes.

I begin every day with an almost touching confidence.

I wake up convinced that today — finally today — I will complete every single task I wrote on my list. I will belong to the 5 a.m. club, reply to all my emails, get ahead on work, organize paperwork, go to my 5 p.m. gym class, attend my English lesson after dinner and, as if that weren’t enough, go to bed at a decent hour — skincare done, kitchen tidy, conscience clear.

Then 11 a.m. arrives.

And with it, the realization that I’ve spent the entire morning wiping down counters, filing old invoices that could easily have waited until 2027, and mentally reorganizing my whole life while making coffee. When I finally look up, I’ve done “one or two very basic, very simple things,” but none of what truly mattered. My list stares back at me with a mix of judgment and disappointment.

That’s when the anxiety begins to creep in. The feeling of not living up to my own expectations. Of not being productive enough. Of not doing enough. And the day, which began with so much promise, turns into a race against the clock — one I rarely win.

For a long time, I thought the problem was a lack of discipline. Or focus. Or perhaps some structural character flaw. But when I started observing my morning routine more closely, I realized something simpler and more honest: my list was chaos. I wrote tasks as I remembered them, with no order, no criteria, no priorities. It was more of a brain dump than a plan.

And working at the kitchen table doesn’t help. Between one task and another, there’s always a counter to wipe, a dishwasher to empty, a paper to put away. Small domestic and administrative tasks that provide a delicious sense of immediate productivity — but are, in truth, just elegant distractions.

So I decided to try something different.

In my planner, I began dedicating two full pages to each day.

On the left page, I do that random collection of everything that comes to mind. No filter. No guilt. Just a dump. On the right page, I select what truly matters for that specific day, organizing it by theme, level of difficulty, or time required.

or example, if I need to write or reply to emails, I create a themed to-do list just for that and gather all the recipients I need to contact. That way, when I sit down at my computer, I can execute the task in a smooth, continuous flow. I also started setting very specific time blocks for each task. For instance, I set a 30-minute timer on my phone: I can work longer than that, but never less. When the alarm rings, I have a choice — continue and finish the task, or take a strategic break and move on to the next one. Whatever remains in that section moves to the following day. The decision is conscious, not impulsive.

Another essential shift was setting a minimum of three fundamental tasks that absolutely must be completed before the day ends. Three. Not fifteen. Not “all of them.” Three.

And all of this without interfering with my non-negotiables: breakfast at 7 a.m., coffee with friends at 1 p.m., gym at 5 p.m. Those are the pillars. Everything else is organized around them.

Interestingly, once I stopped trying to squeeze the maximum out of every minute, I started using my time better. By replacing the obsession with productivity with a clearer, calmer intention, I reduced my 11 a.m. anxiety.

There are still days when I get lost between counters and paperwork. There are still mornings that slip away through domestic distractions. But now, at least, I have a plan. And perhaps more importantly, I have room to fail without feeling like I’m failing myself.

Because there are three (important) tasks that will always be completed by the end of the day.

In the end, it’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing what matters — and being able to go to bed at night with the feeling that the day was lived, not merely managed.

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Note:

From now on, you can follow me on Substack.

If you enjoy these reflections on real productivity, 11 a.m. anxiety, and honest attempts to live with more intention, I’d love for you to subscribe — with more organized lists and expectations a little better suited to real life.

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And there’s one more beautiful news coming.

Very soon, registrations will open for The Nature Sketchbook Workshop —a free 7-day course designed to help you build the habit of drawing in a sketchbook.

10 minutes a day.

3 simple tools.

Nature objects.

No perfection.

No pressure.

That`s all.

Simplicity is the keyword.

If you feel the desire to slow down, observe more deeply and create a small daily ritual with yourself, this workshop is for you.

Registrations open soon — join the interest list here and receive all information first-hand.

Register your interest here: https://www.laracoutinho.art/naturesketchbookworkshop