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GTD Mindsweep

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How To Do A Mind Sweep

The idea behind the mind sweep is that you identify everything that requires your attention or has the possibility of seeping into and affecting other parts of your life.

These include things that are stealing your focus, not letting you get your work done properly, etc.

When you identify these things, you will realize that there are things in your head that you haven’t been doing anything about. More often than not, this is related to some level of incompletion or procrastination. As long as things keep accumulating, there’s no way they will get done. But fear not! You can start to progress through these actions with a mind sweep.

To start:

  • Find the right place: In order to do a mind sweep, you must first find the ideal place to do it. Choose a spot or a room or a place that’s quiet, can let you think, and doesn’t offer any distractions.

  • Write it down: Making a list can often be anxiety-inducing, but it can also be a great way to clear your mind. You could start with a single sheet of blank paper, set a timer for 10 minutes, and write down every unfinished task that’s making you anxious at the moment. Begin with the project that you’re the most behind on. Scribble down every little thought that’s making you cringe, pause, ponder, etc. Since these are the processes responsible for the issues in your brain, you need to let them out. You can even write down every thought on a different piece of paper, and consider this as a complete brain dump. Not into writing this manually? You could even record yourself on a digital device.

  • Put everything in your in-tray: The in-tray is where you can keep all the lists or any other articles you’ve gathered or created. This could either be a physical tray or folder, or even a digital project in Hive. The most valuable function of an in-tray is that you don’t have to think about a particular task until you’re ready to do it. The in-tray also allows you to have a clear idea of the things you need to do, so that you don’t forget about them.

Once you’ve collected things in your in-tray, you can figure out how to action items with a few key steps. If the items aren’t actionable, you can move it into the “Trash” section. If it’s a task that will take less than two minutes, it’s best to start right away, and if it’s longer, you can sort into a few other categories that will help guide approach.

  • Getting Things Done
  • 3-Resources/Highlights/Readwise 1/Articles/How to Get and Remain Organized During Chaotic Times

External Resources

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list from [[GTD Mindsweep]] AND -"Changelog"