It's 10:00 am and you are sitting at your computer, coffee in hand, ready to work. But instead of starting, you just stare. Your mind is racing with fifty things you should be doing. Why is this happening? I know I don't lack motivation, I know I need to do this, and you say to yourself I need to focus. Has this ever happened to you?
Ever heard of the Mental Open Loops? Me either, but think of it this way, your brain is like a computer. Every unfinished task is a website tab left open. Even if you aren't looking at it, it is still draining the battery.
For example, that unreturned email, the laundry you need to fold or wondering what's for dinner, so early in the day, these tabs that are left open stops your creativity.
So then we created this to-do list, yeah I have done that many times, but the problem its a long list of what I call the 'Guilt List' seeing so many things to be done make you feel like a failure before you even start.
What if we take that list and put it in a holding tank, where we park those ideas so that our brain can stop 'hissing' those annoying thoughts and start focusing. For the next 15 minutes, do the most difficult thing: put your phone in another room, that is the first step to buying back your time and reclaiming your focus from the noise.
The 2-Minute Brain Dump
I’ve been where you are—sitting at the screen, mind racing, doing nothing because everything feels like a priority. To buy back your time, you first have to find the Mute button for the noise. How do you do that?
It's called a data dump, meaning getting your thoughts out of your brain and onto paper. Once it is on the paper your brain begins to relax enough to let it go.
Examples from my own life: Check if that solar inquiry replied," "What was that font for the cocktail collection?" "Drink more water" etc. you get the idea.
The Hand to Paper Solution
Use a physical pen or pencil. Writing by hand helps calm your thoughts and clears the mental fog better than using a keyboard ever will. Try it! Set a timer for 2-minutes, then begin to write down every single thing that is making noise in your head, from business goals, grocery items. Do not filter.
The Power of 3 Filter
You can do anything, but you cannot do everything today. If you try to chase ten rabbits, you won't catch any. The Power of 3 is how we stop chasing and start catching.
- The Trap of Choice Overload
When you have 20 items, going on at the same time, you default to Busy Work, (it's like scrolling for inspiration on social media) because it becomes easier. Busy work feels like progress, but it doesn't move your business forward. If you want to continue....
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