The mind has an incredible ability to refine ideas in our subconscious. We need to use it to its fullest potential! When we’re busy thinking about our to-do list, we steal the mental capacity to contemplate big ideas.
Put your to do list on paper so you can keep difficult problems stored in your head. As you automate away the little things, more time arises to think about big questions. That is the root of interesting work. Holding conflicting theories in your mind forces you to think outside the box and reconcile differing opinions.
A to-do list is a waste of space in your mind. Put it on a piece of paper, or a note in your phone. That mental space is irreplaceable and crucial to complex thought.