Over Planning, Over Thinking, and Over It!
There is always a point of diminishing returns on investments, and that includes planning
Welcome to All the Tasks Fit to Print, my weekly newsletter on all issues productivity-related for authors (and other solopreneurs)!
The trouble with being so emotionally invested in planning for the future, though, is that while it may occasionally prevent catastrophe, the rest of the time it tends to exacerbate the very anxiety it was supposed to ally. ~ Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks
I have spent an untold number of hours over the years planning out in minute detail things I will be doing in the future. And things I will not be doing in the future. And also thing I might do in the future, if 100 other things fall into precise order...and…
Have you ever stood in your kitchen, running down the rabbit hole of a conversation you might/maybe/should have tomorrow with a co-worker the same way you are watching water run down the drain? Then you understand what I'm talking about. Your brain goes completely "off-line" as it digs deep into that distraction…and we call it "planning" to feel better about it.
There is always a point of diminishing returns on investments, and that is as true of planning and time management as anything else.
The simple answer to this issue is (of course!) the timeless advice given by every great spiritual leader ever: mindfulness! Just pay attention to yourself and when you are going "down the drain" pull up and focus on the present moment.
Easy peasy!!!!
…okay but what are the rest of us mere mortals actually supposed to do?
First, there is some behind-the-scenes logic in being self aware, because the solution to this problem (outside of enlightenment) will depend on the cause.
For me, lingering cPTSD symptoms and generalized anxiety disorder are extra flavor on top of a mind that is naturally inclined to unspool all possibilities out in front of me like an Marvel Comics Universe franchise. Perhaps your issue stems from childhood expectations of perfection, or even trauma. Are you neurodivergent? How does that affect your ability to focus, or alternatively your ability to switch tasks?
So yeah, knowing where you are coming from is often 2/3 of the battle.
Once you know, though, the second step (outside of enlightenment!!!) is compassion.
Yes: Compassion.
It really is the "secret sauce" to productivity.
You might not believe that, but it's true. We are trained long and hard by our society that any distraction from The Goal (whatever the goal might be today) is a personal failure, a sign of moral weakness. I cannot deny that distractions can cause us great distress by getting in the way of accomplishing whatever we are trying to do, but I don't think that the answer is to drown ourselves in anger, shame, and discontent. By laboring over your mistakes or lack of progress as some kind of moral failure you are exacerbating the conditions that led to that behavior in the first place.
When you find your brain spiraling down the drain of "everything that could go wrong", pause and take a deep breath. Be compassionate to yourself and your brain. You might be overthinking something because of deep internal fears you have about failure and helplessness. Overthinking in the form of "invisible arguments" is a way to wrestle control in the moment, even if it is not helpful in the long run.
The third step is to exorcise your brain gremlins. (No, I don't mean exercise! Although if you can leash them and take them for walk, that might help!) This is easier than you might think, because all you have to do is acknowledge them. You can do this by having a conversation with your fears, or offering gratitude to them, or by doing some free association writing.
Mel Robbins developed a great exercise with her staff that is perfect for exorcising invisible arguments from your brain. I highly suggest listening to the podcast where she talks about it (and does it in real time) but it is very simple:
In a cheap notebook, write at the top of the page, "How can this be easy?"
Free associate write for two to three pages about whatever is filling your brain with overthinking, invisible arguments, or worrying. You don't have to answer the question at the top of the page, but refer to it when you feel stalled in your writing.
Read over what you have written (I sometimes re-copy pull quotes I find meaningful into my primary journal).
BURN IT! Yes, really! Burn it all to ash! Because the goal here is to understand, acknowledge, and let go!
I have a small cast iron cauldron I used to use for incense that I keep outside now specifically for burning my "How can this be easy?" pages. (It's on my front porch and I delight in the idea that my neighbors are probably creeped out by it! Mwaaahahahaha!)
You will be amazed at how efficiently this exercise clears out your brain gremlins. If you find yourself obsessively overplanning to the point where other things are not getting done, or you are feeling anxious about any project management you are trying to do, give this exercise a try. I do it about once a month, and it has given me clarity on so many issues where I had simmering anger or fetid helplessness derailing my thoughts.