This one thing has been a huge help in my life and I wish more people used this. For a while I would kid Nicole about her list-taking… when we bought our house there was plenty of work to do and sometimes it felt like we spent more time listing the work we needed to do, than actually doing the work. And half the time the lists would disappear.. we would never even look at them again.
But eventually we did get it done. And not long after did I start to realize what Nicole figured out that I hadn’t. No matter what is on your mind, what you think, feel, what you need to do, whatever.. Write it down immediately!!
It doesn’t need to be neat, or organized. The best part is you don’t even have to look at it again.
But still when you write everything down. It clears your mind, allows you to relax and you end up accomplishing whatever you need to.
This works so well because more often than not our head is filllllllled with meaningless information. Even the seemingly important stuff we think about, is meaningless WHEN we think about it. If all day at work I am thinking, “ I think we’re almost out of garbage bags at home…” It might be true, but it is pointless to think about that at work when I can’t do anything about it. I write it down and forget about it. And even if I never look at my note about garbage bags, I remember to buy them.
We are all very smart, and have plenty of brain power to accomplish anything.. But because our mind is so powerful if we let it run with every thought, idea, and task that comes up.. It will run, and run, and run.... Because our mind wants to find answers, and solutions, and make progress.
Instead write down everything that pops into your head.. You are smart enough to remember anything you actually need to. The silly thoughts you don’t ever have to look at again, and you’ll have way more time and energy to focus on the important tasks that your brain can be truly utilized for.
Learn more on this:
Article: 7 reasons to write things down
Article: Life hack writing things down