Welcome to Day 1 of the Club 12 Productivity Challenge.
Over the next 7 days, we’re going to build an air-tight productivity system that helps you regain control over everything you’ve got going on in your life, so you can stress less, focus more, and start making genuine progress on your most important goals, projects, and tasks.
Each day, I’ll give you one short lesson, one simple action step, and one check-in prompt.
By the end of this challenge, you’ll be clear about how to structure your days so you actually follow through and be as productive as possible, each and every day.
Many people try to keep track of everything they need to do in their mind, which is a big mistake…
Because our brains are optimized for having ideas, not holding them.
Trying to juggle too many things in your head at the same time is a major reason we get stressed out when there’s a lot going on:
We’re using the wrong tool for the job.
When you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious about the stuff you need to do, it’s not because you’re not capable of making it happen…
It’s because you’re mentally overloaded…
Respond to this. Handle that. Call Mary. Pick up the kids. Clean the house. Finish the report.
And on and on and on…
It’s no wonder nearly half of the adults in the US report being stressed at least once a week. And 1 in 6 adults say they’re stressed every day.1
Folks are stressed about what to do about their finances, their work, the news, social media, and on and on.
And here’s the worst part: all that stress—along with everything they’ve got to do—lives rent-free in their heads.
But here’s the thing: there’s a limit to how much stuff your brain can carry around.
And if you’re carrying it with you everywhere you go, you’re hurting yourself in more ways that one.
The best way to stop the stress and start being productive is to spend a few minutes getting everything out of your head and onto paper…
By conducting what I call a Mind Cleanse.
Actionable insights
Here’s your Day 1 Productivity Challenge:
Set aside 10–30 minutes to conduct a Mind Cleanse—which is when you get everything out of your head and onto paper.
Download the Mind Cleanse worksheet I’ve provided for you below (You can type directly into the fields, or print it out and do it by hand if you’re old school like me).
You can also use a blank sheet of paper, or the notes app on your device of choice. Use whatever works for you, all that matters is that you can see everything you’ve written when you’re done.
Once you’ve got everything out of your head, it’s far easier to figure out what to do with it.
Conduct a Mind Cleanse as often as you need to—when you feel like you’re losing control over everything you’ve got to do; when you’ve got a lot on your mind; when you’re stressed or overwhelmed.
Once you’re done with your Mind Cleanse, pause for a moment and notice how relieving it feels NOT to have to carry around ALL that mental baggage anymore.
Up next…
Footnotes
https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediaroom/pressreleaselisting/nearly-half-of-americans-are-stressed-at-least-once-a-week-and–1-in–6-are-stressed-every-day
