Holy Thrashing, Batman! Task Paralysis & Prioritizing, AOC Style

Hello friends, today's newsletter will cover task paralysis, prioritization, and an overview of next week's Accountable Otters Club Soft Launch!

Let's dive in!

What is task paralysis?

In short, it is a form of procrastination that has us WAITING for the perfect conditions to materialize before diving into a task or task list, or the feeling of overwhelm that floods our nervous systems when faced with too much to do.

It can be a real thorn when we've done everything RIGHT in setting the environment, going through our routines, and getting into that mindset to work. There are several reasons why this happens.

We may not be entirely comfortable with what's on the list. If we are working on a big (sometimes scary!) thing like taxes or navigating a challenging work project, some emotion may be tied to it. Negative self-talk and poor decisions in our past may be sneaking into the picture, telling us that we are just going to mess up and do a lousy job. This is one reason you freeze when you sit at the computer and stare at the piles of papers, not knowing where or how to begin.

Our avoidant behaviors of the "big scary thing" lead us to complete more mindless and unrelated tasks. You may be productive, but you're spinning your wheels on what you know must be completed for that day. This is something in the software development world called "thrashing," in which some highly sophisticated robots and programs may work on seemingly unrelated and random tasks due to the algorithms not telling the robot succinctly what to do.

A great example of this was on MARS! Yes, the planet! Remember the Sojourner rover back in the 1990s? This rover was faced with a mission-ending problem; it was not actually honing in on its mission tasks but instead completing more randomized functions that didn't have to do with what was more time-sensitive and important. The engineers rewrote their algorithms to tackle the issue, and Sojourner completed its mission!

Your task list may be too long. I try hard not to overwhelm myself with my tasks, but sometimes it gets the best of me. This is where something like a prioritization matrix can be extremely helpful, as I better understand what NEEDS to be on the list for any particular day. Let's look more in-depth at the Eisenhower Prioritization Matrix, introduced to me by the fabulous Julia Mullins, ADHD Leadership Coach and friend of mine!

Start with an X-Y axis, and label one side IMPORTANCE and the other URGENCY.

What falls under the urgent and important quadrant should be the tasks you can only do and have a time constraint. Make sure to get them on your to-do list for that day.

Next, if a task falls under the important but not urgent quadrant, schedule it on your calendar for later in the week. Yes, open your calendar now and time-block an appointment for yourself to complete these tasks.

If a task is not important to complete but has urgency, look to delegate it to someone else. This could be a coworker, utilization of a delivery service, or delegating chores to family members. This is where you ask for help without guilt.

And finally, under the last quadrant, we have tasks that qualify as unimportant and not urgent, meaning they can be eliminated from your list. Do not worry about these tasks for your day.

As we move about the matrix, tasks can change their position depending on time. This is normal, and I like to use post-it notes to label my tasks before putting them up on the matrix. I get a visual representation of what I've got to complete and what can wait. We can often achieve greater peace when we KNOW what we can control.

Taking care of your body and mind is paramount, and you won't feel motivated to get anything done if you aren't able. I invite you to create the space for these opportunities to materialize. One day at a time.

I hope these tips have given you a greater understanding of task paralysis and a helpful strategy for tackling thrashing and prioritizing.

Let's talk about the Accountable Otters Club!

I've had about 20 testers inside the club, looking for issues, testing out the functionality, beginning conversations, and using the spaces within the group. I've received some excellent feedback from our testers, and we are excited to open up the AOC for our Soft Launch! One more week!

As a reminder, our Soft Launch Event is happening next Thursday at 7:30 pm CST/ 8:30 pm EST, and you can register below to attend. We will walk through the platform, discuss its purpose, and share a special discount coupon code to lock in your membership rate! You don't want to miss it. It will be recorded, so if you cannot join live, feel free to register for the replay and coupon code. The code will ONLY be valid for sign-up for three days following the event, so make sure to prioritize watching and signing up if you’re compelled to do so.

Until then, take some time to try out the Eisenhower Prioritization Matrix and see how you can make your ROMP days (action days) count. If you want to share a photo or snapshot of your matrix in action, reply to this email! I love getting replies from readers!

Warmly,

Izzie

P.S. Know someone who could benefit from the awesomeness of the Accountable Otters Club?! Forward them this email. Be sure to follow us on Instagram too! We have fun there.