I think we manage our tasks and intentions better when we approach the process with empathy. Empathy begins with three realizations:
The future is intrinsically unknowable; all predictions and promises are assumptions
We are all capable of saying yes to more things than we have capacity to fulfill
Other people don't know exactly what we have on our plate or how long things take
When we work from these three principles, we are less stressed by the delusion of getting everything done on the endless churning of emails to return, things to read, dreams to realize, calls to return and tasks needing attention. With less stress, we do better, and often more.