Productivity depends on planning. You need to create the right kind of to-do list, add context and deadlines, and find time to dig into the work to get it all done. One detail we don’t think about as much, however, is when to create your to-do list. It can actually be helpful for you to do it in two parts: once before bed and then again in the morning.

Many productivity methods ask you to start any type of planning with a sort of brain dump, where you write down everything you need to do so that you can then organize it into more manageable chunks. This is a simple but important starting point that serves to transfer all the things you’re stressing about from your brain to a piece of paper (or digital document) and help you feel a little freer.

Instead of doing your brain dump in the morning, spend five minutes before bed writing down everything you need to do the next day. You don’t have to break it down into action steps, prioritize it, schedule it, or anything like that. You just have to get it out of your head and onto paper. You’ll feel more motivated and at peace knowing that you already know what you need to do the next day, like you already have a framework of a plan in the making. To make this even easier, keep a notebook or journal next to your bed and make it a habit to do it every night.

Don’t just take my word for it: Research shows it’s helpful. A 2018 study found that this habit can be beneficial, easy to implement, and can counteract other productivity behaviors that cause “negative affect, anxiety, and worry” before bed, provided you have the health, environment, and personality for it. Like any productivity hack, this is all subjective; what works for someone else might not work for you, but it’s always worth a try.