The Magic of a Blitz: How to Tame Your To-Do List in One Hour
Ever feel like your whole day is being eaten alive by tiny, nagging tasks?
Today, I found myself overwhelmed by my responsibilities. There’s only one of me, and it felt like I needed to clone myself to have a hope of getting it all done.
That voicemail from last week I hadn’t replied to.
That refund I needed to process.
That meeting I needed to schedule.
That small task I meant to delegate.
That social invitation I needed to reply to.
On top of the strategic, important work I needed to do, there was this growing pile of five-to-ten-minute tasks—nagging at me, draining my energy, and making me feel like the sky was falling.
I was tempted to spin out. Instead, I took a deep breath, opened my calendar, and scheduled a blitz for the afternoon.
What’s a Blitz?
A blitz is a focused block of time set aside to knock out small, annoying tasks in quick succession. I usually schedule an hour. Beforehand, I make a list of those little lingering items, then I dive in and knock out as many as I can.
Why It Works
Here’s the secret: it works with how your brain is wired.
If you’ve got ten five-minute tasks, you can either shove them all into one hour, or you can scatter them throughout your day and wreck your focus. Which is better?
Research shows our brains are terrible at switching tasks and regaining focus. That one “quick” phone call in the middle of deep work can take 20 minutes to recover from. By corralling all those micro-tasks into one block, you protect your focus the rest of the day.
My Blitz Story
By mid-morning, I was close to a panic attack about my obligations. At 2:30, I dove into my blitz. By 3:30, 80% of that nagging list was DONE. Suddenly my life felt under control again. My work felt manageable. Magic, right?
Try It Yourself
Often it’s not that we truly have too much to do—it’s that the way we’re doing it is stressful.
So next time you find yourself spinning out, try this:
Take a breath.
Make a list of your five-minute tasks.
Block an hour for a blitz.
I promise, if you dig in for an hour, you’ll feel worlds better.
Sample Blitz Tasks
Here are some great candidates for your next blitz:
Schedule the dog’s vet appointment
Book a dentist visit
Pay a bill
Check your accounts for fraud or recent charges
Reset a password
Reply to one email
Return one call
Add something to your calendar
Accept a calendar invite
Reschedule a meeting
Buy an event ticket
Make a donation
Check the school newsletter
✨ One hour. One list. A huge sense of relief. That’s the power of a blitz. Contact Me to Learn How to Blitz Your Tasks, TODAY!
