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When You Don't Know What to Do Next, Finish Something
Here are the 3 steps I take for the shortterm
items to get un-stuck: STEP 3 – ACT: I take action on the first item immediately. Here’s a helpful hint: since I start with the thing I least want to do, I usually give myself a time limit so I don’t feel overwhelmed. For instance, I’ll look at the first item on my list, and then think, “I’ll spend 30 minutes on this and stop whether I’m done or not.” Often when I commit to 30 focused minutes, it is enough time to accomplish the task or at least get a good bit done on it. And most of the time, if I don’t finish the task by the end of the 30 minutes, I just keep on going until I’m done. I’ve also used 15 minutes, or even 5 minutes as my time limit, depending on the task. Using these simple techniques creates momentum. Momentum occurs when we take action, and that momentum can carry us forward. When I finish item #1, I’m usually so relieved and energized that I dive into item #2. When I finish item #2, I go as quickly as possible to item #3. Taking action, then, becomes a chain reaction that enlarges my life and helps me to achieve any goals that I have. Here are five things that I’ve noticed when I take action: 1. When I’m being honest about it, procrastination actually takes more energy than just getting things done. Avoiding things takes a lot of time and energy, and in the end wastes time and energy. As silly as it would be for a flower to try to procrastinate it’s growth and avoid blooming, it’s just as unthinkable that we humans would try to procrastinate our own growth and avoid living our life as fully and joyfully as possible. 2. Sometimes I’ll start a new project because I’m inspired, but there are also times I’ll start a new project to avoid something I need to get done. For example, when I want to avoid finishing something, sometimes cleaning the kitchen suddenly seems like the most appealing and important thing I can do. When I reflect on it, I realize that cleaning the kitchen (or whatever it is) was just a way to avoid working on my unfinished projects or goals. 3. Taking positive action creates positive energy and forward momentum. One of my life mottos is “energy follows action.” This means that rather than wait for the moment that I feel like doing something I know I should be doing, I instead decide to take action on it, and create that positive feeling by doing it. Don’t wait for good outcomes before taking action; take action to create good outcomes. 4. Taking positive actions is a form of positive self-care. Taking positive actions creates flow and joy and success in our lives. Avoiding actions or leaving goals unfinished keeps us stuck and stagnant and small. 5. There are times when the positive action I most need to take is to relax and “be” rather than “do.” As the saying goes, we are human beings, not human doings. While we do need to take positive actions toward our goals every day, we also need to create balance by relaxing and playing. If you are feeling stuck or unsure, allow yourself the gift of taking yourself and your life seriously enough to take at least one positive action today. Commit to just 30 minutes today finishing up a project, and have fun while doing it. Play your favorite music while doing it, or give yourself a reward when you finish, or call a friend to come and help. Do whatever it takes today to move forward. You’ll be glad you did! Joel Fotinos is the author of the book My Life Contract: 90 Day Program for Prioritizing Goals, Staying on Track, Keeping Focused, and Getting Results (Hampton Roads). He is also a vicepresident at Penguin Random House, and publisher of the Tarcher/Penguin imprint. For more information, go to joelfotinos.com. |
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