This tip originally appeared in The Simplifier #36.

How to add some whistle to your work

When your brain isn’t clear about what, when, how, or for how long it should be doing something, your attention scatters. This lack of clarity triggers frazzled and frantic feelings. Here are some strategies for keeping calm while doing your work.

Mono-tasking gives your mind big relief—plus, the activity at hand benefits from concentrated attention. Focusing on one task at a time provides the opportunity to be present with whatever you are doing. It allows you to relax into an activity once the goal and parameters are set: “Why am I doing this?” and “How will I know when I’m done?” (For more on mono-tasking, see “Multi-tasking: the Cost” and “Mono-tasking tips”.)

Separating planning from doing acknowledges that multi-tasking is a necessity at times. It also acknowledges that planning and doing activities utilize different brain functions and that jumping back and forth between the two is practically inviting your brain to short-circuit. When you catch yourself not knowing what to do for an activity, stop! Take a few minutes to define the goal, and only then switch to doing mode. (For more on planning vs. doing, see “Planning Time vs. Doing Time”.)

Routinely using a work flow productivity system, like David Allen’s Getting Things Done, provides huge relief for your head. This clears your mind from trying to keep track of unfinished and unscheduled tasks and projects. Not to be underestimated!! I say routinely because it does take discipline to maintain.

Doing the important stuff first prevents frantic scrambling at the end of the day. We also enjoy more fulfillment from making progress on what’s important.

Scheduling make-up time in your busy weeks allows you to keep up with your high-priority ToDos while being flexible with unexpected demands. You decide when this would work best for you. One client dedicates one hour Wednesday afternoon as well as three hours Friday afternoon just for catch-up.

Working with your biorhythms encourages you to align activities with the time of day that works best for you. Match peak brain time with mentally challenging projects and slower brain time with repetitive or auto-pilot activities. (For more on biorhythms, see “Scheduling with Biorhythms”.)