Get It Together

How to get organized at work and at home-and why you'll be more productive once you've simplified.

Atlanta-based organizing expert Monica Ricci is the author of Organize Your Office In No Time, a busy person's guide to tackling clutter and disorganization at work. See full bio

May 21, 2009, Anxiety

Give Your Brain A Break!

Does your brain feel FULL sometimes? Empty it and sleep better too!

Doesn't your brain just want to explode some days? Between keeping your own schedule (and your kids' and your spouse's and maybe even your boss' too), remembering all your internet passwords, tracking tasks and projects at home and at work, and managing your home -- life can feel overwhelming. Your brain is an amazing little machine with unfathomable capabilities, but sometimes the poor thing just feels FULL! Give your precious brain a break by...

creating a simple process to capture the information that swirls around in your head, taking your attention. How can you be fully present to watch Idol on Tuesdays if you're all distracted??

The reason your brain sometimes feels filled up at at the breaking point is because it's trying to remember so. Many. Little. Pieces. Of. Data. And it wants you to ACT on that data NOW, so it can release the thoughts. But since you aren't acting on them right now, it doesn't want you to forget, so it keeps throwing the thoughts back at you to remind you to remember. Over. And over. And over again! Arghhh!

Much like when you remove yourself from the noisiest room at a party, (and isn't it always the kitchen?) all you have to do to silence the annoying chatter in your brain is to remove the distracting thoughts and put 'em somewhere else. You can store them on your computer, your PDA, a voice recorder, or good ol' fashioned paper and pencil. It doesn't matter WHAT you use as a thought repository -- just use something -- and use it consistently. Pretty soon you'll find yourself more peaceful, your brain more quiet, and I bet you'll sleep better too! Even better, (although not much is better than great sleep), you'll free your brain so you can more effectively be present in the moments of your life, and so you can focus and give attention to whatever is important and makes you happy!