by Mary Pankiewicz
Do you feel like your plate is too full? Are the things that are important to you being kept on the back burner? Letting the mind relax by capturing on paper a to-do list of all the projects stressing you is the first step toward developing an organized mind. Taking a few minutes to do this mind clearing process will help you reset your priorities so you can focus on important goals.
Mind clearing is like purging an overstuffed filing cabinet. Finding a secure place to park ideas brings a sense of relief. Suddenly there is clear space and freedom to think. This allows you to decide what is most important and to make a step-by-step plan to get it done. List all the projects on your mind. You may want to separate personal and professional projects in this process.
If some projects are like tangled webs, making a project action plan will get you moving forward. A white board can be used to untangle the issues. Relief is almost immediate, because the mind now has space to think and process what is important. Then you can decide how best to proceed and work out a realistic time frame.
As you look at your to-do list, I encourage you to give yourself the freedom to say about some tasks or projects, "This is no longer important," and scratch them off your list. Yes, you may have already spent considerable time and/or money on this project, but now it has become an albatross hanging around your neck. In reality, it is no longer important or has much less value than the other items on your list. Do you have some of those "albatrosses" hanging around your neck? If so, give yourself permission to let them go. This step alone will free up a lot of energy and mental space.
"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the nobler art of leaving things undone." Lin Yutang
When I'm coaching business clients, after they do a mind clearing, we go through each item and I ask the question, "Are you the only one who can do this, or can it be delegated?" We then discuss how delegating is not dumping. Delegating is giving another person an opportunity to learn new skills and also to have employment. One client realized half of what was on his desk was work that could be delegated, thus freeing him up to work on growing his business.
By doing a mind clearing you now have clarity on what your priorities are. Put key items on your calendar. Having them on your calendar will give you a visual reminder to keep your goals moving forward. Whenever you are feeling stressed and that your plate is too full, repeat the mind clearing process.
Mary Pankiewicz, CPO-CD,© is the owner of Exceptional Productivity Now! and Clutter-free & Organized. She conducts seminars and offers productivity training on-site and by phone to clients nationwide. This article is an excerpt from her recently published e-book Reduce Mind Clutter – Feel the Freedom.