I love this quote from David Allen, creator of the Getting Things Done productivity system. He says:
“Your head is a crappy office. It’s for having ideas not keeping them.”
We can all relate to that moment of impending doom when you realize you’ve forgotten to submit something on time or respond to an important email. To me that is the epitome of stress. Thus, the antidote to stress is putting those things down on paper (or in an app) and setting aside the time to go item by item and accomplish them.
When I get in trouble starts when I don’t write things down. Like Allen says, your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. When you notice an item pop into your head, take a tiny action. Start the email draft. Create a to do.
Clear your mind to kickstart productivity.