|
It’s About Time Ruth Wong |
Unload your brain and
be more productiveIs it all in your mind? Do you have too many mental Post-Its on your brain? One of the problems common to my clients is that they attempt to keep too much in their heads. Their brains are busy trying to remember appointments, meetings, people to call, things to do, status of projects, special events and such. I constantly must remind them to remove all those mental Post-Its by writing things down.
Productivity guru David Allen says, "If it's in your mind, it's in the wrong place." His observation is that there is an inverse proportion between the amount of things on your mind and the amount getting done.
He recommends collecting all the things in your life, personal and professional, that have potential "next actions" on them, and writing them down in a system you trust.
Now, many people do write things down, but on scraps of paper. This is not a good system. Looking for those scraps of paper can be a time waster and source of stress.
I recommend writing those "next actions" directly into your time planner system, whether it's paper, computer or PDA, on the day and approximate time it needs to be done. Once you've written it down, your system will bring it to your attention at the proper time. What could be simpler?
Because I am a right-brainer by nature and my thoughts are not linear but scattered and spontaneous, I've found it crucial to write things down. Whenever I think of something that I need to remember or when someone asks me to do something, I immediately pencil it in my time planner.
I know that I need to capture those thoughts, to-do's and ideas, for I don't know when they will pass through my brain again -- or IF they will pass through again!
By doing this I save time by not having to recall or reconstruct my thoughts. It's a good feeling to be free from the "I've got to remember this ..." anxiety. I also free up my brainpower for higher functions such as thinking, planning, motivating and creating.
Your assignment for this month: simply, to write things down -- as soon as you think of them, in a system that you trust and use.
Note: If you come up with a stray thought in the middle of a project and can't enter it immediately into your organizing system, just jot it down on a tablet ("distraction sheet") and enter it where it belongs when you have the time.
It's about time to get things off your mind and give your brain a break. Your brain will thank you! See you next month!
"It's About Time," by Ruth Wong, owner of Organization Plus, runs the fourth Friday of each month. Contact her at "It's About Time," care of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or e-mail features@starbulletin.com