7 Kick-ass Steps to Getting More Done

In all the personal development literature, probably the hottest and most read category is productivity -  specifically about  finding ways to deal with procrastination and getting things done.

This week I came across an excellent article written by Carolyn Rubenstein of A Beautiful Ripple Effect about ways of getting more done. Make sure to visit her site as there are more top class articles and excellent advice to be found there. Carolyn is also the author of Perseverance – True voices of cancer survivors.

The article was split in a two post series which I would like to summarize here for your info.

Carolyn starts by explaining how one of the main reasons of having our work flow blocked or even procrastinate about starting is because we get engulfed in a mind pattern sometimes referred to as the ‘Analysis-paralysis’. This state is when we get overwhelmed by the details or by the weight of projects and deadlines looming in our brains.

This is where we get debilitated. We get detached from the flow process and the more we struggle the deeper we whirl in the analysis-paralysis mind trap. Cheer up though cause there are also really effective ways of steering away from these self-limiting patterns. I would like to list them down in point form for you here:

Pt #1 – Weakening the analysis paralysis

1. Change your perspective: More often than not, getting stuck in a rut is more an issue about our internal perspective rather than an external obstacle that we face. The mind sometimes gets in a loop while trying to solve a problem and hence we end up spinning wheels. Carolyn suggests taking a wider, different view of the issue. It’s like having your nose stuck to a painting & you’re only seeing certain details. You move back you see the whole painting afresh. Very important. See the problem from a different angle and question whether your expectations are  realistic or overshot. If not try to realign them to middle ground.

2. Engage your right-brain: Now this is a point I totally liked. Being a right-brainer myself, I could fully dig  into it. Analysis is the domain of the left-hemisphere of the brain. It’s linear, logical analysis while the  right-brain is more intuitive, synthesizing ideas and joining the dots in a larger picture. And yes, it is more  creative. When you get stuck in analysis-paralysis, you have to switch activity from left to right and stop what  you’re doing to engage in more playful & creative tasks such as brainstorming & mind-mapping ideas on a whiteboard  with colourful markers (something I love and really works for me!!!), drawing for a few minutes with crayons or  pastels or jot down some fun & crazy ideas.

3. Move that body!: Simple, amazing & can only take a few seconds. Just move away from your chair and do any  movement and exercise – stretch, jumping on the spot, aerobics, Tai Chi, walk, etc. Moving the body is like a  portal to a more relaxed, aware and clear state of mind. This is why you feel that sense of well being after a walk  or a run. That is also why people get entranced by dancing or moving their bodies to a rhythm.

Pt #2 – Re-connect with your over-arching goal

4. Re-frame your work into something exciting: use your imagination to find a compelling and exciting reason to  hook you into starting or continuing your work. Try to think about how you would excite and convince someone else  to do what you do. This will re-spark your commitment and refocus your energies and will into your work.

5. Write a goal statement: This is where you set your specific goals. Carolyn suggests using specific dates in your goal statement like “Today is September 1, 2010. I am confident and calm now that my research proposal is complete.” This is a very good goal statement. In fact I have read elsewhere that is very important to self-talk  your brain in the present tense. This is where the trick is. It’s not “I will finish X by Y” but “I am now writing  the report” or “I am now cleaning the garage”. This ‘tricks’ your brain into believing that you are already doing  it so it gets on the fast track towards the task you want to complete.

6. Create a mind-map: Break down the actions into mini-action for better management. Mind-maps are an excellent  way to organize and map out your ideas. That is another way of saying “sorting out your own head and getting more  efficient at realizing a complicated series of tasks with ease and focus”. You can use free mind mapping software  like Free Mind or The Brain.

7. Focus on Action: After all the preparation you are ready to set off. One last thing – Below is a 2 minute focus  exercise in the form of an affirmation to keep get you revved up and ready to go. Carolyn quoted it from the book The Now Habit and it is described as “a two-minute procedure for shifting rapidly to the flow state by replacing  guilt and stress with stress-free focus on the present.”

“With each breath I am tapping into my creative self, opening more and more of my brain power to approach my task.  My conscious mind may not know yet what to do, just as it doesn’t know how a puzzle will look until it’s finished.

I may not know how I’m going to do this, but soon something will come to me, and then a little bit more will come. I will find the process very interesting, because while I don’t know yet what the solution will be, I do know that  I will do it, and that part of me already knows how to do it. It will also be interesting to see how time feels  different at this level of the mind and to discover about how much I will accomplish in such a short period of  clock time.

Counting up from 1 to 3, I am becoming more quietly alert, and I am now ready to work in a focused, concentrated  way, rapidly going from not knowing to knowing how to start: 1. I am more alert, relaxed, and energized, ready to  use the superior wisdom of my subconscious mind. 2. I am ready to come all the way up to full alertness with my  eyes open, eager to work in conjunction with the creative faculties of my mind. 3. By taking action, you will begin to create momentum by weakening the resistance you feel between you and the  finish line. Moving forward, you will likely confront analysis paralysis again, but each time you do, you can  approach it with strength rather than letting it seize your control.”

Related posts:

1. 5 Steps to Boost Self-Confidence & Self-Esteem