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When's the best time to do a mind sweep?
- Thread starter TimBourne
- Start date
gtd solo-studente
Registered
@TimBourne
Great question
Best 'time' is seemingly subjective ?
Whenever confused, overwhelmed, etc.
Perhaps for the more proactive GTD type:
Anyone who is going to be good at GTD . . . meaning "Mind Like Water" then how is it possible to have "Mind Like Water" without doing a daily Mind Sweep, until one's mind is completely emptied, without capturing . . . and . . . organizing; in relatively short order the mind is appropriately emptied to a state of being "Mind Like Water" ?
Be Good . . . Do Good . . . life is too short for anything less ?
As you see GTD fit. . . .
TimBourne
Mr
I get "confused, overwhelmed" more than the average person because of my disorder
you could try do daily mind sweep?
but most peoples minds are not organized? what are you trying to write?
Do?
TimBourne
Mr
"I was thinking right now - how I wrote to someone about the topic of a mind sweep?
I - and something I feel like in real life - is I struggle entirely with "knowing what to do? or topic of priorities , time management
' - have fluctuation attention
"myself Tim wants - to learn to do do the things which make myself personally feel better the most - like my " things which I am passionate about, - my passions
' I find - myself during the day with type of "idle like thinking
51 "George K - once said you can only be thinking at one thing at a time"
mark T - said that George would - had the skill level to do 8 hours of yoga a day
And - I NEED - TO LEARN HOW TO GAIN SKILLS IN LIFE
" people who are less skillful are less healthy
don't you agree there must be a better way I can organize my computer screen - please help
Robert5911
Registered
As often as you need to. I find when my mind is not like water it is time to do a sweep.
gtd solo-studente
Registered
@TimBourne
Daily mind sweep can be very appropriate . . . in fact, every time we extrinsically capture an intrinsic thought, it can be deemed as a one item 'conscious' mind sweep to avoid being distracted by 'uncontrollable' intrinsic thoughts objectively extrinsic to make one's intrinsic focusing that much easier . . . which can be very difficult at different times throughout every beautiful day ?
We are all chugging along doing our imperfect GTD best and are all gratefully better off for having done so ?
As you GTD see fit. . . .
TimBourne
Mr
"to my knowledge - I also made a previous post about creatine
"which has a next action
"which has a next action
'so could try to do one 1once per day would that be possible? said
TimBourne
Mr
that is what I just wrote to above user @Robert5911
what?
"Daily mind sweep can be very appropriate . . . i"
- but immediately my reaction would be - I wouldn't know how to properly do a 'mindsweep everyday'
what or where do I start?
by writing - that
I saw the 'mindsweep ' podcast audio a previous user shared on this fourm I think was @Mrs-Polifax .
or I printed a 'trigger list for mindsweep' were two ideas.
P.S.
I don't understand all your other writing here
gtd solo-studente
Registered
@TimBourne
Thank you very much for your good post
Was hoping you, or another good GTDer like yourself, might perhaps find something of GTD value in the imperfect best forum post mustered
Peace and thank you very much for your GTD reply and have a great GTD day
As you see GTD fit. . . .
TimBourne
Mr
"
might perhaps find something of GTD value in the imperfect best forum post mustered
Peace and thank you very much for your GTD reply and have a great GTD day"
i have problems functioning because of mercury voice said
gtd solo-studente
Registered
@TimBourne
On this end, very grateful to GTD and fellow GTDer's like you for their good collaboration to overcome the seemingly continuous inherent challenges of life, thank you for your goodness
Thank you very GTD much
As you see GTD fit. . . .
In order to not get to the overwhelmed stage, I add a mindsweep to my weekly Sunday night weekly review. Often I find that the review triggers ideas and memories.
Mrs-Polifax
Registered
@TimBourne
Hi, Tim.
I hear that you are not sure how to "properly" do a mindsweep every day.
If it is not yet a habit to do a mindsweep, you might not realize how much it
will help you to get everything off your mind and into your capture tool, so
you can later clarify and organize it into your system. People say it is a relief to
have all that STUFF off their minds!
Remember that doing a mindsweep is not the same as landing a space ship on
Mars. A precision job is not required. Instead of attempting to do a mindsweep
"properly," just do a mindsweep as you now understand it. That will be just fine.
It is a good idea to do a mindsweep every day, as you mention, but I think it is
better at first to start less frequently, so you can develop a successful habit. Pick
a convenient day and time once a week to start doing your regular mindsweep.
I keep learning that there is no "proper" or "right" way to do GTD. The important
thing is that GTD is flexible enough to be used in whatever way works for you
Do you remember that animated video you liked about doing a mind sweep?
You were excited because the idea of a mind sweep had been hard to grasp,
and suddenly, when you saw the animation, it was clear and seemed simple.
You discovered by experimenting that your brain may understand things more
clearly after watching certain animations. Clarity of thinking matters, so this is
very valuable information to know about yourself.
I want to caution you about what happened to me, so you do not fall into that
difficulty. As I have mentioned, I do not yet have a GTD system in place. One of
the problems is that I need to set up a home office first.
An essential David Allen recommends is an efficient reference file system where I
can write things down on paper or in a program, and I have a place to put them.
I am not equipped to do that yet, and things are getting lost, which is frustrating.
And that is only part of what is needed in a system, such as project files, and all the
lists needed for the system, and a place to put them, as discussed in the GTD book.
I was doing frequent mind sweeps, and I was collecting a lot of "STUFF" on pieces
of paper, but I could not begin to clarify or organize because I had no place to put
anything. When there is no reliable place to put things, a system cannot be created.
I finally ended up throwing out my hundreds of captured notes because I could not
process them. In addition, my mind knew I was not processing the things I captured,
so it did not have trust in the capture process.
You want your mind to be free of clutter, so you can think creatively, and so your system
can do the work of remembering for you. To make sure this happens, I suggest that before
you start doing mind sweeps, read the GTD book and decide how to set up a your GTD system.
Then get the digital or physical containers and supplies your system needs, so you have all the
proper places to put things you clarify and organize where you can find them. That's what I am
or will be working on until I can get that done.
Take care!
Emily
Hi, Tim.
I hear that you are not sure how to "properly" do a mindsweep every day.
If it is not yet a habit to do a mindsweep, you might not realize how much it
will help you to get everything off your mind and into your capture tool, so
you can later clarify and organize it into your system. People say it is a relief to
have all that STUFF off their minds!
Remember that doing a mindsweep is not the same as landing a space ship on
Mars. A precision job is not required. Instead of attempting to do a mindsweep
"properly," just do a mindsweep as you now understand it. That will be just fine.
It is a good idea to do a mindsweep every day, as you mention, but I think it is
better at first to start less frequently, so you can develop a successful habit. Pick
a convenient day and time once a week to start doing your regular mindsweep.
I keep learning that there is no "proper" or "right" way to do GTD. The important
thing is that GTD is flexible enough to be used in whatever way works for you
Do you remember that animated video you liked about doing a mind sweep?
You were excited because the idea of a mind sweep had been hard to grasp,
and suddenly, when you saw the animation, it was clear and seemed simple.
You discovered by experimenting that your brain may understand things more
clearly after watching certain animations. Clarity of thinking matters, so this is
very valuable information to know about yourself.
I want to caution you about what happened to me, so you do not fall into that
difficulty. As I have mentioned, I do not yet have a GTD system in place. One of
the problems is that I need to set up a home office first.
An essential David Allen recommends is an efficient reference file system where I
can write things down on paper or in a program, and I have a place to put them.
I am not equipped to do that yet, and things are getting lost, which is frustrating.
And that is only part of what is needed in a system, such as project files, and all the
lists needed for the system, and a place to put them, as discussed in the GTD book.
I was doing frequent mind sweeps, and I was collecting a lot of "STUFF" on pieces
of paper, but I could not begin to clarify or organize because I had no place to put
anything. When there is no reliable place to put things, a system cannot be created.
I finally ended up throwing out my hundreds of captured notes because I could not
process them. In addition, my mind knew I was not processing the things I captured,
so it did not have trust in the capture process.
You want your mind to be free of clutter, so you can think creatively, and so your system
can do the work of remembering for you. To make sure this happens, I suggest that before
you start doing mind sweeps, read the GTD book and decide how to set up a your GTD system.
Then get the digital or physical containers and supplies your system needs, so you have all the
proper places to put things you clarify and organize where you can find them. That's what I am
or will be working on until I can get that done.
Take care!
Emily
fooddude
Registered
Don't let perfect get in the way of good. GTD is getting things done. What is the very next action you can take to set it up? And you really don't need an office. All you need is a note with projects and several notes with contexts for very next actions and you're done. All that other brain crushing stuff can be done later. If you wait for all the pieces to be in place you'll never get anywhere. All the best.
Mrs-Polifax
Registered
Hi, @fooddude, I know you wish me all the best. Thanks!
That is a helpful question: What is the very next action I can take to set up a system that does what I need it to do? My desired outcome is to have homes for each item, whether actionable or not, so I know where to put it and where to find it. I want to feel relaxed and peaceful and in control. Instead, things are getting lost, and I am feeling discouraged and frustrated.
I am not saying that nothing I am doing is working because I do have several effective systems in place. For instance, I file my state and federal income taxes by year, and if I need anything related to taxes, I can find it. I also keep my credit card statements and purchase orders in a binder for each statement due date, and I can reconcile and confirm these charges before I pay them. I know I can create useful systems because these systems are working well enough.
Nonetheless. I am having trouble with most other things. Wthout places to put things and find things, I am losing things and feeling discouraged and frustrated. I have put a lot of time and energy and not a little money into trying to work this out. I have tried hanging file folders, manila folders, project boxes, three-ring binders, document protectors, disc-bound notebooks, project sleeves, mini-binders, thin binders, wide binders, bullet journals, presentation notebooks, and maybe 30 or more software programs.
Nothing fits for me, so far, and that matters to me. I want to enjoy and feel comfortable with my system and to start out with the equipment and tools and supplies I need. David Allen does recommend this. He even takes people he is coaching out to get the supplies they need, so they have places to put things. Well, our mileage may vary.
I'm not sure now what my next action would be, since nothing has worked for me yet. If perfectionism is the problem, as you suggest, that could be tested as a hypothesis. My next action could be to choose from the things I have already tried some things that would work okay for me, even if they are not ideal, and commit to using them for a few months, and see whether that helps me get started on my GTD system.
Emily
That is a helpful question: What is the very next action I can take to set up a system that does what I need it to do? My desired outcome is to have homes for each item, whether actionable or not, so I know where to put it and where to find it. I want to feel relaxed and peaceful and in control. Instead, things are getting lost, and I am feeling discouraged and frustrated.
I am not saying that nothing I am doing is working because I do have several effective systems in place. For instance, I file my state and federal income taxes by year, and if I need anything related to taxes, I can find it. I also keep my credit card statements and purchase orders in a binder for each statement due date, and I can reconcile and confirm these charges before I pay them. I know I can create useful systems because these systems are working well enough.
Nonetheless. I am having trouble with most other things. Wthout places to put things and find things, I am losing things and feeling discouraged and frustrated. I have put a lot of time and energy and not a little money into trying to work this out. I have tried hanging file folders, manila folders, project boxes, three-ring binders, document protectors, disc-bound notebooks, project sleeves, mini-binders, thin binders, wide binders, bullet journals, presentation notebooks, and maybe 30 or more software programs.
Nothing fits for me, so far, and that matters to me. I want to enjoy and feel comfortable with my system and to start out with the equipment and tools and supplies I need. David Allen does recommend this. He even takes people he is coaching out to get the supplies they need, so they have places to put things. Well, our mileage may vary.
I'm not sure now what my next action would be, since nothing has worked for me yet. If perfectionism is the problem, as you suggest, that could be tested as a hypothesis. My next action could be to choose from the things I have already tried some things that would work okay for me, even if they are not ideal, and commit to using them for a few months, and see whether that helps me get started on my GTD system.
Emily
Mrs-Polifax
Registered
fooddude
Registered
Look don't make it so complicated. Use Parkinson's law in reverse. (I think that is the one I mean) Here is an example of my reference system and actionable system. Actionable includes input (pad and pen), In basket and current working files I want at hand. Notice the reference system is a certain size. When it gets full, I curate and toss files. Thus Parkinson's law in reverse. My GTD system is in apple notes and I think is in this thread. And there has to be one next action that you can do. Have you done a mind sweep of projects? A project has more than one next action. I have one: "Add upcoming sales to website" NA @Melissa. Get addresses for upcoming sales. See one project and one next action.
