Improve Productivity by Keeping the Chaos Out

I’m always amazed at how easily we grow accustomed to things.  Years ago my husband and I removed an air conditioner from a window.  We didn’t have anywhere to put it, so we stowed it under a clear glass table in our living room.  Even though it was completely visible we didn’t see it and amazingly, neither did our guests.

I was at the chiropractor the other day, he touched my shoulder and I winced in pain.  I hadn’t realized anything hurt until he touched it.

My neighbor had a new roof installed a few weeks ago.  All day long the contractors were running generators and banging right outside my office window.  I knew it was loud but didn’t realize just how much it bothered me until they shut down the generator and my whole body noticeably relaxed.

In many ways it’s a good thing that we acclimate so easily.  I forgot the word my chiropractor used to describe what was going on but the way he described it was that, being constantly aware of every single sensation we feel, see or hear would overwhelm us.  All of the sensations we would have to process would make it completely impossible for us to do or think about anything else.

It’s wonderful that our brains are great at compartmentalizing like this but these stimuli have an effect on the way you function and how you run your business and life. 

In your daily business you are exposed to tons of input.  There’s the constant barrage of email, phones ringing and things that “must get done.”  Then there are the ideas that you’ve already started working on and want to follow up on or finish.  Of course there are also ideas that have come across your desk which look interesting or promising. Read more