Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all you have on your mind that you find it really hard to focus on any one of the multitude of things you’re thinking about?
If you are trying to grow your business, feeling foggy or muddled can make you feel constantly exhausted, stressed and ready to give up on your goals. Add a good dose of health and money concerns when you are trying to navigate your way through the COVID19 crisis and this will only exacerbate your ability to think clearly and focus.
Our minds need to be organised and at rest if they are to effectively allow us to act purposefully and focus on our most important goals.
To get your mind ready to focus, it’s important to make some space. This is a bit of a mental reboot that I practise on a weekly basis (sometimes daily) to help me clear some of my mental clutter, avoid over complicating things and allow me to get more done by focussing on the activities that will have the most impact on my business and life. I call this technique the “brain dump & cleanse”
A “brain dump” component essentially helps you take everything you’re thinking about and put it onto paper! It enables you to respond to whatever’s on your mind more positively rather letting you fixate you thinking about it which eventually over time leads to burn out.
And you only need a few things to do a brain dump…
- Firstly, find a quiet place with no distractions. This could be early in the morning when your loved ones are sleeping or it at the end of the day. Whatever works for you.
- A pen and notebook. I prefer pen and paper. I associate work with my computer and am far more critical with my writing. I write more freely and without judgement when my only objective is to capture whatever is “up there” on paper…uncensored!
- The right environment also helps. Sometimes I like to sip on a hot beverage, have some soft background music and sit by a window. I feel it stimulates my creative flow and helps to release all my thoughts, idea, stories, lists, fears, wishes, feelings, worries, gratitude onto the pages of my notebook.
Keep writing until your mind feels quieter, until you start to feel a sense of relief. The writing will allow you to reflect and determine what is important without being distracted. It can also help you to identify what is holding you back or what your priorities are.
Congratulations, you have just completed your brain dump!
Next step is to sit back, review and decide what or if you want to do something with it.
You may decide to select a couple of things to action that will have the most impact on your business. For example, having a difficult client conversation or prioritising family relationships may be the single most important thing you do that day to free you up mentally to focus on your business.
Or you can choose to not do anything with what you have written! The simple act of putting it on paper allows you to create that much needed space to reset, refocus and think!
Congratulations , you have now completed your brain cleanse!
Make a commitment to do it all again, whether it’s the following day, week or month. Do it as often as you need too to keep you centred and focused on what is important in life.
By freeing up some space and emptying your mind on a regular basis it allows you to clear the clutter that blocks you from focusing on what is most important to you. It allows you to create the space and energy to think!
There are of course, other ways to help clear mental clutter, such as going for a walk or run which has the additional benefit of leaving you energised. You can also choose to thrash things out with a trusted friend, colleague or coach and get guidance on your priorities.
Do whatever works for you, schedule it in your diary and do it consistently.
More importantly, make it a habit.
What will your FOCUS be today?