Task planning that saves my sanity (and my spoons)
- Lindsey Linton
- Oct 18
- 3 min read
How Microsoft To Do and a little task planning helps me navigate life with health challenges
If you’ve ever stared at a blinking cursor on your screen, overwhelmed by everything you should be doing but too exhausted to start, you’re not alone.
Living with chronic illness means my energy is unpredictable. One day I’m functioning like a human checklist machine, the next I’m sidelined by fatigue, flares, or mystery discoveries (like the mass recently found on my ovary). In the midst of juggling doctor appointments, tests, and trying not to spiral emotionally, the one thing that keeps me grounded is a simple digital task planning tool: Microsoft To Do.
Yep, a to-do list. But not just any list.
Why Microsoft To-Do (and Planner) works for me
I use the Outlook To Do tool alongside Microsoft Planner to visually organize my life and my brain. When my body won’t cooperate and brain fog feels like my default mode, having tasks grouped by simple statuses like Not Started, In Progress, or Completed is a total game-changer.
Instead of a massive wall of text that shouts “DO THIS NOW,” I sort my to-dos into categories that reflect my capacity that day. If I’m flaring or recovering from another test, I shift my focus to low-spoon items like a follow up email or organizing ideas. On higher-energy days, I dive into creative work or planning content. It gives me structure, without pressure.
Bonus: Microsoft To Do syncs across devices, so whether I’m on my laptop or horizontal with my phone, I can check in on my day without feeling overwhelmed.
Spoonie-friendly task planning tips
What really helps? I organize my tasks across three main categories: Loubelle, Personal, and Clients. From design deliverables to doctor calls, everything lives in the same system — but I use color-coding and custom tags to keep things clear.
For example, I’ve got a tag for health-related to-dos like “Call doctor,” “Log symptoms,” or “Schedule radiology,” so they don’t get buried under content drafts or invoicing reminders. That way, I’m not constantly switching mental gears between health brain, business brain, and client brain. It’s all visible, just filtered in a way that supports how I actually function.
Planner lets me drag and drop tasks as my capacity shifts — which, let’s be honest, happens a lot. It gives me the flexibility I need without forcing me to abandon structure altogether.
Not a Microsoft user? Google has one too!
If you’re more of a Google guru, Google Tasks is another great option. It’s built right into Gmail and Google Calendar. You can set due dates, organize by list, and check things off with the same sense of “I’m still in control even if my body is not.”
It may not be as visually customizable, but it’s lightweight, simple, and effective, especially if your Google Calendar is already your lifeline.
Final thoughts
When chronic illness turns life upside down, planning tools like Microsoft To Do help me hold on to the pieces that still make sense.
They don’t fix the pain, stop the flares, or magically solve my health mysteries. But they do help me show up — for myself, for my work, and for the life I’m still building, one task at a time.
With grace & grit,
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