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Small Disclaimer Before We Begin
I have to make this disclaimer before I begin. I’m writing this article to help me focus on completing tasks. I hope it helps you too! If so, that makes me happy. Also, I have no scientific proof, just life experience to figure out how to get beyond myself. The only thing standing in my way, is ME!
What Type of Person Are You?
How do You Focus Best?
First you have to determine what type of person you are, my husband’s brain and my brain work completely differently. Thank goodness we figured that out early on in our marriage! Otherwise, I don’t think we’d have made it 36 years as of next month. He is a creative thinker, a sales person, very focused on the goals. My husband makes a list using the whiteboard. He structures his work carefully, tackles each task, and completes it. If something happens and he doesn’t complete a task, he only blames himself. He holds himself totally accountable. Wow, that is true will power, and I hope to get to that point someday! I am sure I have an excuse for that too!
I am more of an analytical thinker, or slow as I work through details in my mind. Whereas my hubby can figure out somethingin minutes, map it out and start on something, it can take me days. I am being totally honest here, so let me continue on this path. Typically, I have an idea, then I take myself through all of the steps. Today I knew I wanted to get back into actively writing on my blog, why haven’t I been? Because I have been really busy with health issues, moving, and now renovating a house. (Excuse #1). I need to focus more and make less excuses!
A Perfect Example of How I Self-Sabotage
My daughter suggested listing the recipe ingredients and directions side by side on my blog. Instead of taking that feedback and working on a solution, my brain does the following:
- “I really need to get back to writing posts on my blog.”
- “What do I need to do to go back through all of my recipes to change this, today?”
- “I’m so exhausted, this is too hard to do?”
These thoughts are completely unrelated to her suggestion: (Self-Sabotage) (Grandiose plans) (Totally derailed myself, yet again).
Block This Caller – I Need to Focus
Luckily, I have learned to recognize my “Avoidance Strategies”. First I block them, and try to regain my focus. It’s not easy, and you have to learn to recognize these in your world. So, let’s meet my brain’s “friends”: Excuses, Avoidance Strategies, Overwhelmed Easily, Too Analytical, Too Detailed, Over the Top. My brain loves to go hang out with these guys.
The Beauty of My Brain, Spotlight Goals
You know that saying, “putting the cart before the horse?” That is my brain in action. I tackle every project by trying to completely figure out each step by step. (As a side note, that is also how I tell my “Sherri Stories”, that’s a topic for another day!) In theory, it’s not a bad trait to have, it just exhausts everyone around me. And always causes me to become completely overwhelmed. So, what do I do to prevent my brain from going there? I have learned to recognize when my brain is being too analytical and stop myself from going there.
Analysis Paralysis – Focus on the Goal
To keep myself from falling out of focus and staying on task, I have a strategy. I think to myself, “Whoa now, you are exercising “Avoidance Strategy #59”. Or, whatever number I decide it is for that day. It’s not easy, but it does get me out of the loop my brain wants to put me through.
Case in point, to write this article and publish it, I told my brain to “knock it off”. I don’t need to fix the recipe today. I can be deal with in the future. And, it has nothing to do with writing this post today. Set a target to get your focus back on track.
I could provide many more examples of how I sabotage myself. My blog is a great example of me going way over the top! For example, I have so many different categories on here. But, I am okay with that. Working on several things at once is how I function the best. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself! I perform best when I juggle a chaotic array of projects!
However, I have discovered that I tend to start small and build a huge mess. For example, when I create a spreadsheet, I make this huge table with all the bells and whistles. But when I take a moment to look at it, I realize, no one will understand all of the “noise”. So, I break it into a smaller, easier to read format.
One thing I learned in the corporate world is a CEO doesn’t have time to decipher a massive spreadsheet. They just need the rolled up view – or snapshot of the information.
One More Target Slightly Missed
I wrote this article on Monday and published it on Friday.. In the meantime, I have managed to effectively complete several other tasks – to avoid completing this one. Like, reorganizing my Christmas Card Mailing List, Alphabetically, even though it is January. I added two extra shelves to my office closet. Which I should have done last week. Bought a new mop to clean the overly dusty floors! My hubby has been working on rebuilding the kitchen he tore out by himself! And, yeah, he is a total taskmaster! The list goes on and on….. but I keep trying, and somehow, I manage to get it all done.
I hope this post helps you – it has helped me tremendously! (In Theory!)
