What Is Mind-Wandering and How You Use It to Your Advantage?
durmonski.com
durmonski.com
My computer-free days feel a lot like the old days.
You’re welcome to try it: https://getamna.com
If you keep your task management system absolutely up to date, i.e., it stores everything you plan to do eventually, then you really can trust it and relax in the knowledge that you don't need to track TODOs in your head. It becomes an extension of your brain, leaving your primary brain free to relax and focus on whatever you're currently doing, even if -- especially if -- you're not doing anything in the present moment. But this doesn't happen if the system is leaky, i.e. you slip up and start tracking some TODOs in your head.
I finally found a todo system which worked for me, namely writing up every todo in a list. On Sundays I distribute the tasks to different days of my next week day.
If I don't get the task done for a weekday, it's completely fine. I just move it back into the long list, so it gets distributed next sunday.
If I notice a task has been cycled like that a few times, then I delete it, it wasn't important enough for me to overcome the guilt associated with the task.
I'm not sure if the system I came up with was what actually fixed my todo anxiety, but in case it was I figured I would share it.
What works for me now is writing my most important TODOs on a whiteboard and not erasing it until I complete it. The limited space forces me to prioritize. It's also obvious which items have been there the longest, either indicating lower priority or mental blockages. It helps that the ink is harder to erase the longer it sits there too :)
Identifying which "projects" you have lying around in your to-do list (to-do items that will require more than one atomic task to complete), and the weekly review process were particularly valuable takeaways.
Feedback appreciated: https://www.getamna.com/
I've been using Headspace[1] as an introduction to meditation and it only took a few weeks of regular meditation, working up from 5 minutes a day to 20, for me to feel a real difference. I didn't know what to expect going in—I was a bit skeptical of the whole idea, to be honest—but I'm glad I stuck with it.
In my case, it turned out to be undiagnosed ADHD. In fact, "Do you have trouble focusing on conversations you're having?" is one of the regular screening questions psychologists use for it.
When my therapist first suggested I might have ADHD, I actually didn't believe her. It took a bunch of reading about ADHD to change my mind; in hindsight, my understanding of ADHD—based on popular culture—was pretty far from reality. Doing a bit of research and reading about ADHD from the perspective of people who had it (as opposed to the perspective of, say, teachers dealing with ADHD students) really helped. I found Driven to Distraction[1] a particularly good overview, with a lot of insights and stories that resonated with me 100%.
Since getting diagnosed, things have gotten much better. Just knowing about it was a real relief and let me start building habits to deal with it more effectively. Later on, stimulants and meditation have both helped even more.
[1]: https://smile.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Revised-Recogniz...
I often wonder what the lives of people without ADHD are like. What is not mind wandering?
I hope other people have a better experience.
Have ADHD? Just try focusing.
/s
A Suggestion for a New Interpretation of Dreams: Dreaming Is the Inverse of Anxious Mind-Wandering.
HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19143590
[I am the author]
Think bigger! I prefer to think that the primary goal of increased focus/mindfulness is increased happiness, joy, and life satisfaction. Any work-related productivity increase is a convenient side-effect. Work will come and go, but you have to live with your brain every day for the rest of your life. Imagine what it would be like to be able to happily focus on spending time with your child, or reading a good book, and really be present in that moment.