cindy@cindycavoto.com
It’s 9:30 p.m. and you’re finally closing the laptop. Your to-do list is a half-checked war zone. Sticky notes are scattered. A dozen tasks are still swirling in your head that never made it to paper.
You crawl into bed, but your mind keeps going. You’re mentally rewriting tomorrow’s to-do list before your eyes even close. Sleep feels like something you have to fight for.
That used to be me. As a productivity coach, I was great at planning for other people. But when it came to my own day, I was dragging yesterday into today and starting every morning already behind.
I knew something had to change. Not just for me, but for my clients too. We needed a way to close the loop. To tell our brains, “You can rest now.”
That’s where the Daily Reset Ritual came in.
This ten-minute habit changed the way I end each workday. It’s simple, repeatable, and reliable. It clears the mental clutter, restores a sense of control, and gives you the chance to start tomorrow with clarity.
And the tool that makes it effortless? Todoist.
If you’re thinking, “That sounds like one more thing to add to my plate,” keep reading. This ritual doesn’t add pressure. It removes it.
Why The End Of Your Day Shapes The Start Of The Next
If you skip your reset, you start your morning with a foggy brain, no direction, and too many open loops.
You don’t ease into the day. You stumble into it. Your brain is still processing what didn’t get done yesterday, and you spend the first 45 minutes trying to remember where you left off.
Here’s what you need to know:
Your brain craves closure. Unfinished tasks take up mental space, whether or not you realize it.
Decision fatigue hits early. If your day begins with 27 tasks and no priorities, you’ll burn out before lunch.
Clarity builds momentum. If you know exactly what you’re doing when you sit down to work, you start faster and with more focus.
If this sounds familiar, you’ll want to check out What is Decision Fatigue With ADHD? where I break down why your brain is more tired than it should be — and what to do about it.
I used to think I could just deal with everything tomorrow. But tomorrow-me was always drowning because today-me didn’t tie things up.
The Daily Reset Ritual put an end to that. Now, when I start the day, I already know what matters most.
How I Use Todoist To Power My Daily Reset
Let me walk you through what my Daily Reset actually looks like. This is the exact five-step process I use, and it’s what I teach my clients too.
Step 1: Open the Today View
This is where it all starts. Todoist showed me exactly what I had planned for the day. I can see what I completed, what I skipped, and what still needs attention.
It’s a quick scan, but it gives me a clear picture of how the day went.
Step 2: Reassign Anything That Didn’t Get Done
If something didn’t happen, I don’t judge it. I move it. Todoist makes this easy. I can reschedule a task to tomorrow, later this week, or even next month.
This step is about releasing guilt and making intentional decisions. It tells your brain, “I’ve got this handled.”
Struggling to manage task piles like this? Managing Multiple Projects may be the next thing you read.
Step 3: Celebrate Small Wins
Even the smallest tasks deserve credit. When I check off “reply to client” or “send invoice,” I take a breath and acknowledge that it got done. That’s momentum.
A list of small wins becomes a day of progress. And that matters more than we often give ourselves credit for.
Step 4: Add Tomorrow’s Top Priorities
I ask myself one simple question: What are the three things I want to be true by the end of tomorrow?
I type them into Todoist using natural language. Something like “Review campaign strategy at 9am tomorrow” is all it takes. Todoist auto-schedules it. Done.
This is where Mastering ABC Prioritization comes in handy. Knowing which A, B, and C tasks deserve your time tomorrow makes this step easier.
Step 5: Delete or Archive What No Longer Matters
Not everything needs to be carried forward. Some tasks lose their urgency. Others weren’t that important in the first place. I either delete them or move them to the archive.
Letting go of non-essential tasks is freeing. It gives you space to focus on what actually moves the needle.
A Real-Life Example
One night, I was running on empty. I wanted to skip the reset and just crash. But I opened Todoist anyway and spent ten minutes walking through the five steps. The next morning, I opened my laptop and felt clear, calm, and ready.
That day was one of my most productive all week. And it started the night before.
Why My Clients Push Back On This (And Why They Eventually Love It)
Whenever I teach this to new clients, I almost always hear the same thing.
“I don’t have time for a ritual.”
But here’s the truth:
If you don’t make time for this ten-minute ritual, you’ll waste far more time tomorrow trying to get your bearings.
This isn’t about creating more work. It’s about creating less chaos.
One client, we’ll call her Sarah, came to me overwhelmed. Her desk was buried in sticky notes, and she constantly felt like she was forgetting something. We set up a simple Todoist routine for her Daily Reset. She resisted it for a week. Then she committed.
A few days later she said, “Cindy, I’m sleeping better. I don’t wake up already stressed.”
That’s the goal. Peace of mind. Clarity. A smoother transition from one day to the next.
If you’re trying to figure out where this habit fits into your workflow, Time Management for Entrepreneurs lays out the bigger picture.
Create A Repeatable System In Todoist
Want to build this into your own routine? Here’s how to do it:
- Create a new project in Todoist called “Daily Reset.”
- Inside that project, add the five steps:
- Open Today view
- Reassign unfinished tasks
- Celebrate small wins
- Add tomorrow’s top priorities
- Delete/archive what’s no longer needed
- Open Today view
- Set a recurring task that says “Daily Reset every weekday at 6pm.”
Now it’s no longer a decision. It’s a system.
Need help organizing systems like this? You might love Essential Project Management Tips for Beginners.
Why Todoist Is The Perfect Fit For This Habit
You can absolutely do a reset with pen and paper. But Todoist makes it easier and more sustainable.
Here’s why it works:
Recurring Tasks
Todoist reminds you automatically. Once the task is set to repeat, it becomes a habit that nudges you at the right time.
Natural Language Scheduling
You can type “Call Sarah next Friday at 3pm” and Todoist knows exactly what to do. No extra steps. No clunky calendars.
Priority Flags
You can flag your most important tasks so they stand out. Tomorrow’s top three get a red flag so I know where to start.
For more on prioritization, The Eisenhower Matrix is another method that works well inside Todoist.
Filters and Labels
Want to see only what’s due tomorrow? Or only what’s urgent? Todoist filters let you customize exactly what you see.
Quick Add Feature
Throughout the day, if something pops into my head, I drop it into Todoist with Quick Add. That way I’m not trying to remember it later.
What’s more, Todoist syncs across all devices. I can review my reset on my phone while I walk the dog or from my laptop at the kitchen table.
What This Ritual Really Gives You
It’s not about the checklist.
It’s about the pause.
This ritual is your opportunity to slow down, reflect, and reset. It gives your brain a break and sets the tone for tomorrow.
You’re telling yourself:
I don’t need to keep this in my head.
I’ve got a system that works.
I’m allowed to end my day, even if the list isn’t perfect.
Todoist isn’t the hero here. You are. Todoist is just the partner that makes it easier to follow through.
Give It 7 Days And See What Changes
I’ve given this challenge to hundreds of clients. Now I’m giving it to you.
For the next seven days, spend ten minutes at the end of your workday doing a Daily Reset. Use Todoist or your favorite task manager. Follow the five steps.
Notice how your evenings feel. Notice how your mornings start.
If you need a little structure to keep going, I’ve outlined a personalized time management coaching process designed for this exact kind of consistency.
There’s no downside here. You’re giving your brain a break and your future self a head start.
Ready For More?
This ritual is one small piece of a larger system I teach to help people create more calm and consistency in their work. Whether you’re running a business, managing a team, or just trying to stay on top of life, you don’t have to wing it.
If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and want a structure that sticks, let’s talk.
Together, we’ll build simple systems that support your goals and your peace of mind. Because real productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most, without burning out in the process.