Tailspin

Sometimes the day is really focused, and I have a grip of things. Other times, it feels like this staircase:             Am I up or am I down? Do I really want to follow this as it seems to be pulling me in? Why can’t I get started on anything? When this happens, the best advice I have heard from the writings of Seth Godin and Stephen Pressfield is… just start something! It may sound trite, but those moments when your mind is all of a whirl, you can’t get focused and you find yourself reading, drifting through your email inbox or otherwise just aimlessly heading through the day. Stop. Yes, stop. Pace around a bit, then take something you need to be working on – start writing or typing. Journal about what you need to do. This is all about finding the trigger that will get you beyond the resistance and underway. Don’t listen to the inner critic voice that is telling you that you are too tired, not at your best, or not skillful enough to do what is required. This is about momentum. It doesn’t matter what you produce, refinement comes later. Just do it!

And if that doesn’t work, if you are still drifting through the day, try this. I get a notebook and write out what I want to focus on, then split the time up that is available into small chunks of, say, 20 minutes with a 5 minute break. Then I use a timer – there’s a neat software one called “Instant Boss” which can be set to work periods and breaks. I set the timer and start. This creates real pressure to deliver. It’s an artificial deadline, but it works. Before I realise, I am being productive again and getting things done.

[PS You might find my book, “Values Count“, useful for getting a clearer understanding of what motivates your work. You can find out more about it here.]

Also published on Medium.