Close The Circle: Strategy for Completing Your “To Do” List
Challenge: Too Many “To Dos” That You Have Not Finished
Do you find yourself starting something…then get distracted and start another mini project…then another, and another? I am convinced that this is a way of coping to avoid the priority project you need to complete, and many times avoid our own self-care. What better excuse than “I’m busy”? I would do this all the time; however, I have recognized this as a pattern of mine and can do something to regain clarity of my next step, to stop getting distracted, and to stop starting so many little tasks. I hope this helps you, too!
BONUS Reason Why: Because when we have so many things that are unfinished, it impacts our energy and focus. Every time you see that stack of papers, unfinished home project, laundry pile, open internet tabs…your thoughts go to that unfinished task, literally pulling your thoughts away, then you feel bad or irritated because it is unfinished, and either you take distracted action or leave it for another day which causes this ongoing cycle—which is yet another open circle! This cycle happens with every open circle in your space, how exhausting!
Solution: Close The Circle
Close The Circle is a mindset strategy to control your compulsion to start little distracting tasks, and is one of my favorite strategies to help me stay focused.
Why a Circle? Circles are beautiful shapes and have so much meaning behind them—for this strategy the meaning is wholeness and completion of a task. To be complete, they need to be closed shapes. However, if you prefer other shapes, go for it!
How To:
Think of each project as a circle
Every time you start something new you are opening a circle
With intention, say, “I am opening a circle.”
Goal: To Close The Circle
Option: Draw, say, or write your open circle and let this be your reminder
When you are tempted to open another circle stop and say “No, I need to close the circle.”
Stay focused and finish the open circle
Breathe and smile knowing that it is closed
Tips:
Yes, when it says to “say” it out loud—actually say it out loud because when we speak out loud, we need to keep it as truth. It holds us accountable.
Share this as a strategy with your family (and students or colleagues) to help those around you stay focused and close their circles. It can be a simple reminder to say, “close the circle”.
You can also create a circle with your hands as a visual reminder or prompt to yourself and those around you of open and closed circles.
Sometimes you will have simultaneous circles and that is OK. Be aware that you are intentionally opening a few circles and intentionally be focused on closing the circles.
Already feel like you have 1,000,000 open circles? That is OK, make “Circle Boost” time to close as many circles as you can. Set a timer (even for 5 minutes) and turn this into a cleaning meditation, focus only on closing the open circles.
See my “Hack Your Schedule” Blog Post and consider budgeting time to close circles each week.
Start Today!
The Butterfly Within me sees, honors, and values The Butterfly Within you,
Lindsey
