The most important work you'll do today is planning what you'll do. Here are some key strategies for staying proactive -- and one step ahead of stress.

No matter whether you are an intern or a CEO, all of us have moments where we feel overwhelmed at work. The trick is to know what to do when you feel this way so that you can make smart decisions that are intentional and not based merely on alleviating your discomfort.

I invite you to think about what deserves to be a priority on your to-do list so that you can be the best version of yourself for you and for others. Doing this requires proactive planning and some introspection.

I invite you to determine those things that help keep you sane, and not only put them on your list, but make them as important as the things that have a hard-and-fast expiration date. Making sure you have to-dos for yourself will help make you more productive, focused, and effective.

Think about what you could do with an extra hour or two each day. Would you be less stressed? Finally get around to that passion project? Maybe start a garden or have more nights out with the girls? Perhaps extra time is what you need to finally get to the gym?

Our to-do lists may not always be as carefree as a game chasing bubbles, but it certainly does not have to overwhelm us if we know how to approach things. There are four things we need to do to keep this game running smoothly.

I used to have very long "to do" lists. My energy would drop when I looked at them, because they reminded me of all the things I hadn't had time to get done. And because I didn't feel like finishing the things on my list, a heavy feeling quickly spread through my body.

I was enchanted to see Phil Patton's piece in the New York Times on "Our Longing for Lists." The piece was illustrated with the image of Johnny Cash's to-do list (which, by the way, reportedly sold at auction in December 2010 for $6,250).

As you slough the items off your to-do list and get closer to your goal of completion, be sure to notice your clear head, renewed energy, and increased momentum and focus. There is truly peace in completion -- enjoy it!

Did you know that doing nothing, in the true sense of the word, can be overwhelming if we attempt to do too much nothing at once -- so we're supposed to do small nothings at first? Five minutes a day seems reasonable.

Take some time to just be in your own head whenever you're walking to or from your next destination. You just might be surprised what wonderful, beautiful and (sometimes) top secret message the universe has in store for you.

It's not what I do -- the item on the list -- that ultimately matters. What matters is why I put the task on the list in the first place. That's the energy that drives intention.

After a moment of desperation, I laughed out loud. Hopeless! The list is getting longer, not shorter. Do I really have to do everything I think I have to do? And my inner wisdom whispered, "No."

I've found a way to tame the "to-do list" beast. It came to me a few years ago, when I was trying to establish a better balance between work and whatever else.

In other words, you have your gift, your offering, your divine instructions. Don't screw it up.

We all have to make ourselves do things that we just don't want to do. Here are seven tricks to help you power through those unwanted tasks.

Changing gears ever so slightly (that's code in my family for completely and utterly), let's turn our attention to something that matters a bit more t...