A very stressful BAD HABIT is the having and setting of high unrelenting standards. For example, I just heard from one of my clients that he tries to clean up his email inbox on a daily basis and even set the target to never have more than 20 emails in his inbox. Imagine the mental stress this creates on a busy day or when he comes out of a longer meeting. It also navigates his focus away from what is important. Moreover, what value does such a target have? After all, it does not say anything about the quality of his work nor about the outcome of his business. It indicates how good you are in shuffling away emails. Hence, It does measure activity not productivity.
If apps or lists alone would work, then any new year resolution would make for a sustainable life changing decision. And we all know how those work out.
In my work with individuals and groups I help people to increase their awareness first. You need to become your own observer of what you do, think and feel. Only then you have a chance to change to better productivity. Instead of setting unhelpful and unrelenting standards you learn to develop a new attitude towards your goals. Having goals and setting targets is a good thing. BUT: There is a clear experiential threshold that divides aspirations and intentions from obsession and craze.
In my practice you will get coaching to transform your professional unrelenting standards; you will receive counselling to become a better person and to improve your relationships and you will benefit from my psychotherapy when these patterns of thinking and behavior cause greater dissatisfaction and harm in your life.