Distraction Demons

Distraction Dragons

We talked in our last newsletter about ninja-ing your calendar to regain control over your schedule and tasks. Why? Organization gives you time to get your most meaningful stuff done, not just address the squeakiest wheel.

Let's say you've selected the organization management tools you think will work for you, your goals, your habits and parameters. It's Day 1, you have a window of time to work, and you've chosen the top task or "next right move" to tackle (as Oprah refers to it). How do you get started?

If you're like me, just before beginning is when the distraction dragons show up. 

Visuals can help you channel your inner ninja (let's imagine ninjas can train dragons!). Here is a simple drawing exercise that can help us free our focus from the distraction dragons. I tried it today, as a matter of fact, and it helped me write this article. 

Getting Started with Visual Warm-Ups: 

Visual Warm Up – Drawing

1. Take out something to draw on and something to draw with – plain paper and a pen is fine. Set a timer for 2 minutes. 
2. Ask yourself, what do you need right now? Focus? A title? A first line? Choose the one thing you need and simplify it to a word or short phrase.
3. Draw a simple shape as you say the word or phrase to yourself. Repeat the shape in various sizes and directions, each time repeating the word or phrase to yourself. 
   

Now that you've started doing SOMETHING, are you ready to tackle the thing you sat down to do? Great. If not, try sketching something more related to what it is you want to do. Set a timer for no more than 5 minutes.

Here are a few examples of simple writing prompts to get the words flowing. The goals for these warm-ups is to start writing something – anything. In order to steer an ocean liner, you need water moving past the rudder.

• Draft a super simple outline like the one above. What are the 3-5 key points you want your reader to take away?
• Open your photos and pick one at random. Write 5 titles for it, each hinting at a different story. 
• Write the letters of your name in a column with the first letter on top, last letter at the bottom. Write a word for each letter, then see how many you can connect in order in a silly sentence. Example:
  

Slinky is a fun toy that takes to great 
Height(s) 
Everybody who plays with it and
Rocks the toybox in every
Instance 

Hope some of these ideas help you gain momentum toward implementing your goals.

When the demons of distraction block your way toward getting where you need to go, VISUALS (and WRITING!) can help.