3 Strategies to Shift from Thinking to Doing

Are you considering what to do next or how to get a task done? You may be, since you’re reading this post rather than working on something else!

It’s easy to convince yourself that time spent thinking is actually time spent in planning or preparation.

At times this may be true. I’ve discovered, however, that pondering the doing often becomes the undoing. As a recovering perfectionist and over-thinker, I’ve discovered that if I take time to consider every possibility for every single task because I want to get it “just right,” I use up lots of time. Then I get discouraged when items aren’t finished.

Despite many technological advances, there are still only 24 hours in a day! When I don’t manage my 24-hour time allotment well, overwhelm takes over.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of being stuck in a state of overwhelm! Hence, I have to monitor the time and energy needed for each task. This requires designing my day with intention rather than simply “letting the day happen.”

So how can you move from “thinking” to “doing”?

#1 Determine the importance of the activity. Is it a bill that’s due this week or an item a customer is expecting tomorrow? Is it a response to an email you received a month ago or a gift that’s already late?

In your mind, each obligation may feel equally crucial. Yet when you look at consequences, you’ll find that one or two assignments are of higher importance.

Are you having difficulty determining the importance? First, consider which tasks might be delegated, delayed, or deleted altogether. Then it’ll be easier to rank the rest.

#2 Diagnose the issue. Beyond the importance factor, what else is causing your stuckness or even avoidance?

• Uncertainty. Do you need to clarify the task or the expectations? You might require additional information.
• Overwhelm. Perhaps one endeavor feels like it will take “forever.” Maybe the total number of obligations feels like they’ll never end.
• Dislike. Maybe you don’t like or aren’t interested in the work. It could be that the project requires skills that you feel you don’t possess.

Once you understand the issue(s) that are holding you back, it’s easier to figure out how to move forward.

#3 Decide to take one small step. We often confuse tasks with projects. A task is one small, incremental action. It takes a limited amount of time. A project is comprised of multiple tasks. Sometimes these activities must be completed concurrently in a limited time-frame. Other times, you can work on these tasks over a longer time period and in an order of your choosing.

Your turn: it’s time for you to shift from thinking to doing a responsibility you’ve been procrastinating.

Let’s recap the strategies:

1. Determine a task’s priority.
2. Diagnose the hold-up.
3. Decide which one small step will inch you forward.

Which tactic would help you tackle a task you’ve been “thinking about” for a while?

Typing your preferred strategy in the comments below will make you more likely to take action! Feel free to share the task you’re choosing to apply it to…or not.