Taking imperfect action to boost focus

- Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by possibilities or options that you feel completely stuck staring at your screen? Whether it's too many choices or not enough, too little time or not enough energy, feeling overwhelmed can keep us from making any progress at all. Or, we convince ourself that no matter how much we try, it'll never be enough. This can leave us feeling helpless or hopeless, it can trigger anxiety or panic, and it can cause us to get caught in the cycle of overwhelm. But research shows that taking any sort of action, no matter how small, can give us a sense of accomplishment, and this triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, which helps us to feel better and helps us to create more consistent habits. Even if it's not directly related to the cause of our overwhelm, taking an action releases the pressure build-up to feel like the problem is more manageable, or to feel like we're more able to cope. There are three simple action steps that consistently reduce overwhelm, and there's a lot of different approaches to how to get them done. Personally, I call the process download it, divide it, and do it. First, the download, otherwise known as the brain dump. Take some time to write down everything that's on your mind related to tasks and timing. Get as clear as you can about what's really required of you right now, just in the next few minutes or the next few hours. Whenever possible, break down projects into their smallest parts, so that you can get crystal clear on the most meaningful tasks. I find it helpful to write these things down on Post-It notes, so that I can move them around to categorize them or to combine them. This way, I can also put some of them out of sight and out of mind for a while, knowing I can go back to them later on, and then, when I'm not overwhelmed and I actually want to see everything all at once, I can use the Post-It notes together to create a bigger picture. Second, divide up the Post-It notes or tasks based on priorities and probabilities. First, look at what's most important to you, and then what's most realistic to get done in the timeframe that you have. As you identify things that are less urgent or less realistic for this short amount of focused time, you can put them in a pile or post them on the inside of a door, maybe a drawer, or a folder, and revisit them later on. So once you have your tasks written down and organized, pick one task or note to take action on. It doesn't need to change or solve the situation, but it should give you a sense of making progress towards a goal that matters to you. Now sometimes the goal is actually checking something off a to-do list, and other times, it's doing something energy enhancing to recharge your own battery like taking a walk or doing something nice for someone else. When we choose progress over perfection and get comfortable with taking imperfect action, we can reduce overwhelm and gain momentum to move forward in a better direction.