How to Get Out of Your Head and Get Things Done Today

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Do you want to get out of your head when it comes to thinking about all the things you need to do?

Are you looking to boost your productivity levels and get things done today? 

You’ve been meaning to get things done this week, but for some reason, things aren’t quite happening the way you’d like them to.

What’s more, your calendar is empty, so you actually have enough time to work on all those items on your to-do list.

Turns out, you’re thinking about the bills you have to pay, the appointments you need to make, and those receipts you need to process…

What’s the problem here?

You may be living too much inside of your head.

Overthinking tasks or actions can hinder your ability to get things done.

All the more reason to break free from overthinking by taking some good old-fashioned action!

In this post, you’ll find several helpful pointers to help you get out of your head and complete tasks, to-dos, and more.

These quick pointers will help you reset your day and get back on track.

Stop for a moment and take a deep breath.

Okay, so you haven’t yet made those phone calls, opened the postal mail, or scheduled those doctor’s appointments.

No problem!

You’re going to take a few moments now to calm down, and stop thinking about your work or responsibilities.

Close your eyes, and breathe in and out slowly for at least a total of five times.

Repeat as many times as necessary until you feel the edge has worn off.

You should feel refreshed and refocused after you do this.

Another approach to this is to change-up your current activity.

You could listen to some music or a podcast, watch a little TV, or go for a brief walk.

The idea is to get you out of your head, and temporarily focus on something else.

Select one item from your to-do list.

Now that you’ve refreshed yourself, it’s time to get down to business when it comes to getting things done today.

You should have a pretty good idea when it comes to the items sitting on your to-do list.

That being said, take a brief look at your list.

Got it?

Now, select just one item to work on, right now.

Not two, not three, just one item.

It really doesn’t matter which item you select from your list, so long as it is only one item.

If it helps you, you make want to turn over your list so you can’t see it.

Or you can tuck it inside a drawer so you’re not focusing your attention on it.

Turn your to-do into an actionable step.

This is where the rubber hits the road.

What you’re going to do now is take your to-do, and turn it into an actionable task.

The easiest way to do this is to simply place a verb in front your to-do.

Doing so makes it crystal clear as to what you should be doing, right now.

Here are a couple of examples to get you started:

Original To-Do

Dentist Appointment

Pharmacy

Sunday phone call with Rosie

Action-Based To-Do

Call dentist office to schedule appointment

Drive to pharmacy to pickup prescriptions

Email Rosie about Sunday phone call

 

Put your body in motion.

The last step is to take action and complete your selected to-do.

No sitting around thinking about what you should be doing, or how it might play out.

You are now going to get your body up and moving!

The trick is to simply focus on the verb at the front of your to-do. This will give you the boost you need to get going.

So, in the examples above, you’d focus on the words, “Call,” “Drive,” and “Email,” respectively. Try it!

Should you feel yourself wandering back to your thoughts, ask yourself two brief questions:

“Am I putting my body in motion?”

“Is what I am doing right now helping me to finish my to-do?”

Think about that for a moment.

Are your hands picking up the phone and dialing the dentist’s office?

Are you getting out of your chair, putting your sneakers on your feet, grabbing the car keys, and driving to the pharmacy?

Are your hands on your computer’s keyboard and mouse, opening up your email program, and typing a new message?

Be honest with yourself. If the answers to both questions are “no,” you know what specific action(s) you’ll need to take.

And of course, you can repeat this technique freely, as needed.

Once you’re finished with one to-do on your list, cross it off, and continue onto another.

Congratulations! You’re on your way your to getting things done today.

How about you? How do you get out of your head and put your body into action? What have you found to work best for you? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!

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About the Author

Rashelle

Rashelle Isip is a New York City-based productivity consultant who helps successful entrepreneurs and business owners manage their time and energy so they can reduce stress, work less, and make more money in their businesses. She has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, NBC News, The Washington Post, NPR, and The Atlantic. Get her free guide, 5 Unexpected Things You Need to Organize a Work Notebook, by clicking here.

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