Do you ever feel like you spend half your life spinning around in circles without getting anything accomplished?
Please, tell me I’m not the only one who feels like this.
You pick something up in one room and lay it down in another, or you start to do something and something or someone distracts you and you can’t remember what your original intentions were?
It’s called getting sidetracked which is actually a term used by the railroad system to describe what happens when one train or rail car that has to be moved to a different track in order for another train to go by.
Despite our best intentions, we often get sidetracked as well. We start one task then realize something else needs our attention and suddenly, our “train” is off track. When this happens, it is easy for some to quickly re-group and get back on track while this causes the whole day to be “de-railed” for others.
Here are a few ideas to help keep your mind on track:
Make a list. Writing things, down reinforces the idea in your mind making it easier to remember. Keep a Master List where you write down every task/idea that comes to mind, and then transfer these ideas to your … To Do List.
Use your calendar. Don’t just count on your memory. Make appointments with yourself to accomplish certain things like paying bills and making important calls, then KEEP the appointments.
Know your own work patterns. Know how long you can work on a certain task before you get bored and start drifting off into la-la land.
Divide and conquer. Take a large project and divide it into smaller jobs. Who has hours and days to spend on one thing? Break it into smaller assignments. Instead of thinking, you need to clear out the entire file cabinet, tell yourself you will do letters A-C today and then D-F the next time.
Make a list of steps. If your project has multiple steps, making a list helps you stay on track. Post the list. Do step one. Do step two. Cross them off as you go.
Stop distractions. Determine what distracts you. Then banish the distractions. It might mean turning off your phone for an hour, shutting off the TV so you can concentrate better, or finding a babysitter for your young child so you can work more effectively.
Use every kind of reminder. Set an alarm to remind you. Team up with a friend and make each other accountable. Send yourself a reminder email. You can do this!
One baby step at a time.
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