Inbox Zero tactics apply for the brain
Tips Productivity / / December 19, 2019
For thousands of years the human brain is formed, it has not yet reached the desired size, and has not acquired all the possibilities. Now we know more than ever before. But in no particular order, our thought process turns into an incomprehensible mess of thoughts that provoke stress and confusion in life, and does not help meet the goals. How do I sort of thought, "clean up" your brain from unnecessary stuff and use it to the full?
Porridge 50,000 thoughts
Researchers claim that every day 50 thousand thoughts going through our heads. It can be quite any thoughts from the "oh, what a sexy guy / girl" to "I understood the meaning of life." And all these thoughts are spending energy of the brain.
To organize the chaos in his head and to direct energy in the right direction, it will need setting goals and creating plans. These two points of great help to clear your head from unnecessary thoughts and stress. And then the stress? I'll explain now.
Obnoxious thoughts cause stress
You have happened that one and the same thought constantly pops up in your head? For example, "I have to send a postcard to his uncle." However, you do not do it right away, because it is not urgent.
After that thought occasionally slips into your subconscious, forcing back to this again and again. Already one such thought provoking stress state of the brain, and if they accumulated a few dozen?
If there is no action, your brain is constantly reminded of the outstanding matters, and you will remember about his uncle as long as this will send a postcard or decide that you will not send it.
It turns out that every day you have 50,000 thoughts that must be carried through to its logical conclusion, that they are no longer periodically fall out of the subconscious.
In general, disassemble thoughts and bring them to their logical conclusion - it's probably the best way to be as productive as possible.
Inbox Zero for the brain
Have you heard about the e-mail Inbox Zero and an empty box different ways to clean up the pile of letters?
The same can be done with your brain, "clean" it and prevent the occurrence of chaos. Here are seven tips on how to do it.
1. Pour thoughts on paper
The first thing to do is to clear the mind and approach to their problems logically - is to write down all the thoughts that require action.
No matter how they are stupid and trivial, because they still need to go. If you record everything, it will provide greater control, and you'll see - no matter how much we do, all the same thoughts we want more.
Do not write down the thoughts that are not aimed at achieving the goal. For example, you can not do something in response to the thought, "Oh, this machine is a beautiful sky-blue", so do not write it. But if the thought came: "I want to paint your car in the same color," it should be written.
2. Organize by category
Every time a new business comes in your list, you have to give him two definitions:
- Urgency - when you need to do it.
- Priority - what business we have to finish first.
First, you'll have a hard time because it will be necessary to assign two definitions of each unfinished business, and they probably have accumulated enough.
After a couple of days of using this technique, you will be easier, because some things you fulfill, some considered unnecessary, while others assign priorities and deadlines.
3. Add thoughts organized in calendar
You already know when the task should be carried out, so that you can determine the date and add the matter to the calendar. At this point, the idea turns into a goal.
It will concentrate on the task with a clear deadline and postpone all other cases later. When you do this, the brain calms down, because he understands that the task will be executed. After this obsession will cease to emerge from the subconscious.
4. What if the idea is still repeated
So, your idea captured, determined and added to the calendar. Now is the time if it works as it is necessary to check everything.
Getting rid of obsessive thoughts helps you to think more creatively, your stress level is reduced, because you keep everything under control, and organize your life.
But if the idea does not even think to disappear even after you have added it to their calendars, you may want to reconsider its urgency and move other things.
The subconscious mind of man - a powerful and unmistakable machine, and if there continue to pop-up reminders, try to execute the matter as quickly as possible.
5. Fractions and perform
If you have any big problems, you will not be able to start their implementation, while not think of where to start. Big problems scare us big problems, and it is even more complicate its implementation.
To better understand what is being said, let's look at an example:
You have flashed the thought: "It is necessary to build a house," you have caught it, recorded, we put a high priority and timing - three years. After that, you need to put it in the calendar, on how to do it?
Such large problem to be split into many small ones, such things that you can do in the near future. For example, for tomorrow, you can set the task "See, what documents are necessary to register for the purchase of land under the house," or the "Calculate the approximate cost of construction of the house," etc.
This will help start the embodiment of purpose and not experience stress on its scale.
6. Rule five minutes
You often have tasks that can be done in five minutes, but, nevertheless, you have them set aside? Such minor things like wash the dishes, fill the bed or sweep the floor.
You think that the delayed simple matter does not change the picture, but in fact, your brain gets the stress and you are forced to spend its energy on useless reminders of reality itself.
To avoid this, apply the rules of five minutes. If you are having some business, ask yourself two questions:
- Can I do it in five minutes?
- When Do I now have five minutes to spare?
If the answer to both questions is positive, follow it without excuses.
7. Only the reality, without illusions
You know yourself better than anyone else in this world. You realize that you can implement at the present time, and what is not. So, do not tell lies currently in planning, it will only get worse.
If you can not do something, without regret completes the task, and not have to constantly move it for a longer period in the calendar.
That can be used
To record your thoughts and prioritize, it is possible to use different programs and applications, as you prefer.
I can advise Evernote - free electronic sticky notes for desktop or smartphone (notes synchronized and accessible from any device).
There is another option - Google Keep. Also completely free, runs on a different device, allows you to make color notes and rearrange them, which is perfect for prioritization.
Try to organize your thoughts, and you will see how much more you, in fact, can do.