We face an abundance of choice in life which is truly amazing. But if you’re anything like me, you sometimes find yourself a tad over-committed – at both work and home. On that note, I have a system I use to manage overload, while still pursuing the things I love. And it all comes down to my MAP – my Main Action Plan.

A MAP is essentially your to-do list – but so much better than the typical hand-written, often incomplete note. Your MAP is where you capture our goals, deadlines, dreams and aspirations. And most importantly, it is where you decide what to focus on now versus later. This part is critical. After all, we can’t do everything today. (I often need to remind myself of this fact.)

I always say when life gets busy, we have three ways to simplify: streamline; scale back; seek help. Our MAP helps us identify which tasks we can defer, automate or delegate to others. All of this helps us to overcome the cult of busyness which has become far too common.

There are many systems you can use for your MAP. I use Evernote. But many other options work well: Outlook Tasks, an app such as Todoist and even a simple Word document. Need more help? See this article for more details and check out our helpful video on the key functionality of Outlook Tasks to help you develop a consolidated, complete, categorized, committed and consulted to-do list.

I truly hope this inspires you to corral everything you are trying to do, so you can address your priorities in a strategic, proactive manner. Your MAP is relatively quick to set up but it has the power to transform your life.

You are capable of doing amazing things in your life. Let your MAP guide you.

Learn more about how to create your own Main Action Plan (and more) in the Own Your Time online course: 6 powerful courses designed to give you the tools you need to restore balance at work and home, manage your energy, own your time – and thrive.