Get trapped in your head a lot? Think too much? Here's the solution

[ChrisGav]

I'm thinky as hell. Before I act, I think. Try to predict what the outcome will be. Will this work? Will that work? Think about what all I have to do and get overwhelmed. I think about an industry I want to get into and instantly think about the whole road ahead and get discouraged. We all do it at one point or another.

The good news? I have found a solution that is way too simple to seem real, but it works.

The moment I get trapped in my mind thinking about something. Whether it's the future, past, obligations, how I'm going to build a business etc, instantly I snap my fingers and say I'm back then instantly engage the environment around me. Engage people I'm around, if no one's around I say "what needs my attention right now?". Something almost always needs our attention at any given moment in this day and age.

Why does this work? It seems way too simple to be true?
Because guess what, NO 2 THINGS CAN BE ENGAGING YOUR MIND AT ONE TIME. That's it plain and simple. You can't have 2 thoughts one time. You can't be consciously engaged in an activity and be simultaneously thinking about that girl that just broke up with you.

Consciously engage your mind in what is right in front of you. Stressed cause you aren't sure what to do? Pick one and roll, save yourself hours and hours of headache, stress, and BS and just pick and act and ACTIVELY ENGAGE YOUR MIND IN STRICTLY THAT TASK. If your mind wanders as it naturally will, snap your fingers and say I'm back. It takes practice and must be trained but try it and believe me it works.

Would love to get feedback from you guys! Best of luck

 

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[Chx]

Thanks for sharing, will try this. I'm definitely guilty of being overanalytical at times.

Here's a similar trick I picked up somewhere:

When you're having trouble "buckling down" and taking action on something, start doing a play-by-play commentary of yourself.

You have to say it out loud.

Literally explain what you are doing, step by step. As if you're talking to someone.

By doing this, you can drown out the little voice in your head that prevents you from taking action. It also makes it very obvious when you aren't doing anything and haven't done anything for a while.

For example, let's say I'm adding testimonials to the copy for a product:

"I'm searching for the product on amazon"
"I'm looking at the reviews"
"I'm filtering it to 5 stars only"
"I'm picking out one of the best reviews"
"I'm adding it to my document"
"I'm underlining the most important parts"
and so on...

This technique is based on some weird trick Japanese conductors use to focus during their job, if I remember correctly.

 

[ChrisGav]

Thanks for sharing, will try this. I'm definitely guilty of being overanalytical at times.

Here's a similar trick I picked up somewhere:

When you're having trouble "buckling down" and taking action on something, start doing a play-by-play commentary of yourself.

You have to say it out loud.

Literally explain what you are doing, step by step. As if you're talking to someone.

By doing this, you can drown out the little voice in your head that prevents you from taking action. It also makes it very obvious when you aren't doing anything and haven't done anything for a while.

For example, let's say I'm adding testimonials to the copy for a product:

"I'm searching for the product on amazon"
"I'm looking at the reviews"
"I'm filtering it to 5 stars only"
"I'm picking out one of the best reviews"
"I'm adding it to my document"
"I'm underlining the most important parts"
and so on...

This technique is based on some weird trick Japanese conductors use to focus during their job, if I remember correctly.

Actually sounds like a really neat trick I will try also thanks! Would be sort of funny when you catch yourself not doing anything and you say "I'm not doing anything currently". Or do you tend to come up with an excuse like "I'm resting so that I can function at a higher level in 10 minutes" kind of thing?

 

[Chx]

Actually sounds like a really neat trick I will try also thanks! Would be sort of funny when you catch yourself not doing anything and you say "I'm not doing anything currently". Or do you tend to come up with an excuse like "I'm resting so that I can function at a higher level in 10 minutes" kind of thing?

Well I work in periods of 30 minutes followed by 10 min rest/review (pomodoro). So the purpose of the "commentary" is to make sure I'm taking action on something for all 30 minutes.

Always better to go back and fix something than to have nothing to show for your work at all.

 

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[JordanS]

Well I work in periods of 30 minutes followed by 10 min rest/review (pomodoro). So the purpose of the "commentary" is to make sure I'm taking action on something for all 30 minutes.

Always better to go back and fix something than to have nothing to show for your work at all.

Not sure if on topic but you talking about pomodoro's made me think about it. I've recently found this thing called "cycles". it's basically a pomodoro but you specifically write out what you are doing for that session and you have a post session review where you can put where things went wrong. I have found it really helped me call myself out in these moments where I am not taking action.

You can see it here: https://www.ultraworking.com/cycles

If any of you are interested but don't want to give in to their email list I can directly send you the google doc as I have nothing to do with the actual company

 

[ChrisV]

Consciously engage your mind in what is right in front of you.

This is known as being present. or being 'in the moment' or 'in the now'

You'd probably like Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now

 

[Chx]

Not sure if on topic but you talking about pomodoro's made me think about it. I've recently found this thing called "cycles". it's basically a pomodoro but you specifically write out what you are doing for that session and you have a post session review where you can put where things went wrong. I have found it really helped me call myself out in these moments where I am not taking action.

You can see it here: https://www.ultraworking.com/cycles

If any of you are interested but don't want to give in to their email list I can directly send you the google doc as I have nothing to do with the actual company

Sounds similar to what I'm already doing but much more streamlined. I'll give it a try, thanks

 

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