In previous posts (Thought Slot and Bingo Brain), we saw how thoughts run through our minds like bingo balls running out the slot of a tumbler, one at a time.
When we understand how our “thought slot” works, we can better manage our thinking. And better manage our lives.
Here are some practical ways to manage the thought slot.
- Forget about multitasking. It’s impossible to think more than one conscious thought at a time. So we might as well stop trying. Focus on one task at a time. Put down the smart phone and lean in to the conversation. Block out time to finish a task before moving on.
- Demolish distractions. Get rid of everything that interrupts the smooth flow of the bingo balls. Disable email reminders. Silence the phone. Close the door. Lock in your focus and see how productive you can be (in short bursts, of course. Remember the Twenty Minute Rule of Hard Thinking).
- Lock and block. Remember that when we lock on to one pattern of thought, we instantly and automatically block out all other competing thoughts. Lock on to the task at hand, block out the rest.
- Don’t resist. Replace. Whenever we try to resist temptation by telling ourselves, “Don’t think about FILL IN THE BLANK,” we sabotage ourselves, obsessing about whatever’s in the BLANK. Instead of resisting, start replacing. Divert attention to something else, and it naturally blocks out the unwanted temptation.
