You know that feeling when you see a grimy spot on the wall but you never get around to cleaning it?
What about when your stash of oats is running low, yet you always delay your trip to the supermarket?
Or my personal favourite, knowing you have work to do, yet somehow being able to fill your time with useless crap like YouTube and Instagram?
Welcome to the world of attention residue, or more specifically, the reason why you get that nagging feeling to complete unfinished tasks and why it can worsen your procrastination.
Open loops affect our psyche
Before we get started, let’s first talk about the open loop. You’ve probably experienced this in one form or another.
It’s the cliffhanger at the end of a show. The psychology behind a clickbait title. The ever-present question in your mind that’s not relevant to your life, yet still finds a way to crowd out all your other thoughts.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the open loop, and what it does is drain all your precious brain juice every time you spend too much time thinking what to eat for dinner, or which Netflix show to watch.
It’s not something that we can wish away though, and that may seem like a bleak prospect, but there are ways to control it. Better yet, open loops can even be useful, when seen in the proper context.
These loops make me happy. Photo: Sascha Bosshard
Our loops are our karma
Good news! You can close your loops. In fact, you should close as many loops as you can. This is especially true when we voluntarily pick up loops that we then proceed to procrastinate on, such as prepping healthier meals, or doing the chores.
The these loops ultimately shape our minds. You know how in Atomic Habits, James Clear says that each tiny action is a vote that takes place in your mind? I really believe that.
Each action you take or avoid—even down to the tiniest thing like not making your bed—shapes who you see yourself as a person. And you, are basically the average sum of all your actions combined, as seen by your conscience.
So to me, karma isn’t an all-knowing force in the universe that jots down your bad deeds—like that time you stole money from your grandma’s wallet—and dishes out your punishments to its whims and fancies.
Instead, karma is the vibe that we carry, one that’s not visible, but certainly detectable by others.
Yes, I do tend to get woo-woo from time to time. No, I won’t be selling you magic crystals or lucky pendants.
But let’s get back to loops.
My personal example of unending loops
I miss my days as a hairdresser sometimes. Back then, I only had to deal with whoever walked in the door. All my troubles remained at the salon once I left work. I didn’t need to worry about an unfinished report or an upcoming meeting.
Then I became a marketer. And boy, did my work drag on forever.
For instance, I could be rushing out a blog post, which would be interrupted by a meeting. In said meeting, I’d get handed seven more unrelated tasks, one of which requires some planning (like an interview), which would inevitably take precedence over my article. But wait! Another team now requires some proofreading and now I find myself not being able to focus on any one thing.
Even writing that paragraph is stirring the long-dormant well of fury within me, one that I’d tamped with false smiles and nighttime tears.
You know what’s worse? I think some of those habits have become part of me. Loops are my life now. The infinite loop, to be precise.
It is never going to end, is it? Photo: Reuben
Write it all down
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom! *flashes fake smile*
Maybe that’s why the productivity gurus from all walks of life always recommend journalling, morning pages, and to-do lists. Because the act of capturing your thoughts—much like Dumbledore and his Pensieve—frees up you mind to do what’s most important.
For me personally, just knowing that I’ve recorded my swirling thoughts somewhere—like wondering if I’m shorter than Kevin Hart, or if broccoli is spelled with double ‘l’s—gives me enough satisfaction to let go of said thoughts.
That’s also probably why the bullet journal movement has taken the world by storm. Because we’re all made of loops, and Pensieve-ing our thoughts help us navigate through a world that won’t let up.
And that’s going to be our first line of defence too.
Preparing your thought-capturer
Let’s set yourself up for success. It’s time to start capturing some thoughts.
You know what I’ve found to be most effective to close my loops? Having a one-stop place for my brain dumps. You might be tempted to have a to-do list that’s separate from your planner. I suggest recording everything labelled as ‘mind trash’ in one place.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a to-do, a to-read, that nice quote you heard, or that question you want to google. This will be your one-stop brain deloader.
I myself am super appreciative of the app Notion, because I get to sync the platform across my laptop and mobile, which is practically at my fingertips for the entire day (not sponsored I swear). It has wonderful organising features too, and best of all, it’s free.
This way, I don’t have to scramble for a device every time I want to log down my thoughts. Depending on your own workflow, this may or may not work for you.
I am considering keeping a notebook just for this purpose, but the downfall of it is that it’s never around when I need it. So yeah, do what works for you, as long as you have a single place you can dump everything in.
Or use an actual dream catcher if you want. Photo: Tengyart
What goes into this listibook?
You like that word? I came up with that myself. Sounds pretty stupid, but it has a certain ring to it. Helps you remember. Because it’s not as if you already have a listibook, right?
Anyway, you’ll want to list down anything that nags at you the entire day.
You’re doing the chores, but your mind just won’t let you forget that unfinished blog post? Write that down.
Feel guilty for not replying those e-mails? Write that down.
You have that big item in your to-do list but you’re not sure how to get started? Break it down into smaller tasks and, you guessed it, write that down.
Why does this work?
You know what? I may have jumped the gun here. Before we talk about why this works, let’s first talk about the Zeigarnik Effect.
Right… so what is the Zeigarnik Effect?
The most basic premise of this effect is that we tend to remember incomplete tasks more than we do completed tasks. This is why open loops tend to claw at our psyche with the urgency of us thinking we left the stove on.
Remember when I said that open loops could help us overcome procrastination? If you look at the Zeigarnik Effect as something that spurs us into action, you can actually see how this reaction could be useful in keeping us on top of all our unfinished tasks.
A common example of exploiting this effect to battle procrastination is by taking a very small step towards completing your tasks. This creates a cliffhanger—will you write the entire blog post? Or will you simply be content with that first line?—that your mind will constantly remind you of.
Of course, if you’d like to know more, I suggest you google it, because so many smarter people can better educate you than I ever can here.
Back to why listing works
Now we return to the flip side, which is doing our best to clear our mind from these pesky open loops.
Some goals, by nature, aren’t achievable within a short period of time. After all, tasks like ‘write a novel’ or ‘lose twenty pounds’ can never escape the clutches of the Zeigarnik Effect.
Which is why people like E Masicampo and R Baumeister have taken their research one step further, and they’ve found that the act of planning itself can help lessen the nagging pings that bother us throughout our day.
In other words, you can lessen goal activation by simply planning them towards completion, and based on the research, you’ll enjoy a clearer mind, even though you have tasks that still remain unfinished.
So, what do you say? Ready to have yourself a listibook yet?
It’s all connected
The more I study and practise new productivity techniques, the more I see how they’re all connected. Thanks to this knowledge, I can now appreciate smaller tasks that take me to my larger goals.
I realise now why it’s beneficial to I finish tasks that take less than a few minutes, or why committing thoughts to paper can be so important.
And now that you’ve reached the end of this post, I hope you also start to see things in a new light. This is not just an ending—it’s a loop that’s soon to be closing.
And with this final sentence, I now liberate you to go on ahead and tackle that next unfinished thing in your list.
You know what task you should add to your listibook? Joining the newsletter. In fact, close the loop and join now. There’s also a guide on how to grow your blog through the art of commenting. Do it. Click the button.
Your Friendly Malaysian Writer 
I’m coming to this post a bit late, Stuart. But its perfect for me today. I’ve spent the morning reviewing and reflecting on my, my productivity, my procrastination getting in the way- and I’ve realised I’m in the same boat you describe here – so many incomplete tasks … because I get distracted – but you’ve also made me realise its not 100% me. It comes from a job where you’re pulled in different directions … colleagues, managers looking for me to do something … plus students with their demands.
I had rules out using a bullet journal/lists to organise myself, but aside reada bit more about them, I’m changing my mind
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Some methods work better for some people that others, so I’d say keep using any systems that help you get through your day. I myself have yet to find something reliable, but to-do lists do help keep me on track somewhat.
Yeah, it’s hard to have clarity when you’re wearing multiple hats, which can be a problem for life in general. But here’s to finding your path. And thanks for visiting this blast from the past!
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Great tips! Love the term listibook
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Now I just need to repeat Listibook™ a few more times and turn it into a product :P
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😆
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Hey there,
Great advice. Now I also use lists to keep track of my work Progress because lists are so helpful, especially when One forgets every task given to him/her. HA HA!
Great work I really appreciate your effort, it was a good and easy to read.
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Lists are so underrated. I get more done when I make lists for the day versus when I don’t. There must be some magic to them. Anyway, thanks so much for your lovely comment!
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Hi there! I love the way you write. You have a good flow of writing that makes reading your articles easy.
I use the bullet journal method- and no, my notebook is nothing close to the aesthetic-looking ones that you can see on the internet. I try to keep it as simple as possible and I use only the pages I need. I have also added my own way of bulleting them as well. I use only pencil as it makes it easier to erase any meeting date/time make any changes in the notes. I use google notes when my notebook is not around, but I try my best to carry it with me as it is small.
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I have been freewriting for the longest time when it comes to journal entries, but I’m always experimenting in different ways I can record the day, and I must say, bullet journalling as thoughts come up (instead of treating it like a to-do list) is a pretty nice way to differentiate my days from each other!
Thanks for your kind words, RJ! It does make the writing grind seem worthwhile, because it can get pretty routine sometimes.
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Hey Stuart it’s so nice to read your post after a really long time and look at the one that I happened to read, somethings I like doing myself and I like the term ‘mind trash’ so real right? I visited a book place but didn’t really see your book, is it selling in only certain countries? Hope you’re doing well otherwise and I always like how you refer to your hairdresser days.
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Wow, first of all, thanks for even making the effort to look for my book! When it comes to distribution, I have zero power over what the publisher does, and right now, it seems like it predominantly exists in Singapore and Malaysia, with international versions only being sold in e-book form on Amazon. Other than the website http://www.epigram.sg, I can’t say where else you could find the physical version, especially if you’re international.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by, and I shall try my best to bring up more hairdressing stories :P
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That’s fine Stuart, I will have a look at the ones you mentioned. On a side note, my book also might be out soon. Of course you can include your other stories as well 😜
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I love how you described unfinished tasks as loops and karma! Very fitting. I’ve always loved to-do lists and planners because it’s the only way I know to keep all these random thoughts and tasks – loops – from turning into a swirling mess in my head, and there are few things more satisfying than closing these loops. You can almost feel them fading away, like a spirit exorcised, drifting into oblivion.
Anyway, wonderful article. I think it helped me realise something, too – that my current planner is missing a brain-dump page, which is probably why it feels incomplete somehow. I used to have one in my old bullet journals, but this year I’ve decided to go with a ready-made planner so I don’t have to set the pages up myself, and somehow the lack of a brain-dump page has slipped under my radar and is presently eating at my psyche… Need to fix that!
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That’s a great choice, really, because the thing that turns me off most in keeping a journal is having to prep the spreads beforehand. Which is why my journal now is just a running daily logger and nothing else. All transient thoughts go into the same book, but in a scrap piece of paper before it’s vetoed or added.
Love meeting fellow journallers here, because it really is a great habit, isn’t it? Thanks so much for sharing your lovely thoughts!
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Great post! Would definitely consider that listibook. I also love learning new things when I read, so being introduced to the Zeigarnik Effect was also great. I will be reading up more on it.
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To be honest, I’ve found that simply having pen and paper to be a good way to streamline and record my thoughts. Doesn’t matter if it’s in a book or a piece of scrap paper. The important ones will be transferred somewhere more valuable. I appreciate your comment, Leona!
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Again, too funny… are you sure you’re not a stand-up comedian-in-disguise-as-a-blogger? My ‘listibook’ is a pad of sticky notes. Yep. I make short lists and stick ’em to my desk top. I get to them or I don’t. I cross off completed tasks (and throw away said note if all checked) or move uncompleted tasks to a new sticky note (my never-ending listibook).. Never really thought of it this way until I read your post. Hmmmm…. now I can’t get this off my mind and writing it down on a sticky note won’t help… :(
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Lol. You’ve caught me. This is where I practise my material before I bring them up on stage.
But for real though, I actually feel quite satisfied going through my completed tasks in an archive of sorts, even though said tasks may be repeated over and over.
I actually don’t really care about keeping records, but it feels nice to be able to look back at the days I’ve lived.
And I hope you’ve found a way to get that out of your mind, because I don’t have any other techniques for that, lol.
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This was super helpful for the content but more importantly for the relatability. Thank you so much for sharing
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Heck yeah. Always aiming to be as relatable as possible. Because as separate as we all are, we also have more in common than we think. Thanks for stopping by!
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This is nice….very interesting to put to work. 👌
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Thanks! Hope it works well for you!
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Hoping too.
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I used to use a website (can’t remember the name, don’t even know if it still exists) that allows you to do exactly what you said: just write whatever comes to mind, but then it disappears as you write it. I always liked doing that in school as well in writing classes.
I think this is a reminder for me to do that again.
Great post! It’s an enjoyable read :)
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Heya! I actually do this in morning pages form. I basically write longhand (whatever comes to mind), then recycle or throw away the paper after. I believe it has the same effect, but writing instead of typing gives me more connection to the words.
Definitely do that more. And thanks for sharing too!
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Oo this is a really good topic that’s not discussed a lot despite being so common an experience. I definitely suffer from this. It’s like one particular unpleasant task doesn’t get done, for whatever reason, and you feel like you can’t do anything else until that one is done. Lists are indeed a great antidote. I like your other tips too.
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Ugh yea. Sometimes I get a ‘block’. Like whatever tasks I do won’t feel right unless I complete a certain thing that’s been bothering me. Yet I can’t bring myself to do it. I have to actually lay the smallest tasks out sometimes to get started. Weird thing is, once I get started, it’s all fine. Anyway, great to see you again, Hetty!
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It’s a very odd psychological phenomenon that one task takes it upon itself to bestow worthiness upon the others.
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Yes, the loops of life; infinite in number and yet always a joy when they are closed. I really do get a lot of satisfaction when I completed a writing project, too. Like a great weight being lifted off the chest or a brief moment of peace of mind. I know with “Aarde”, that has been an open loop since my high school/college days, so closing that one will be a huge deal for me, and allow me to comfortably and more efficiently work on closing other loops.
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Lovely thoughts. Heck, I even feel so much accomplishment from finishing a blog post, so that has to be a sign that I need to do more of it. It’s freaking hard though, because I usually end up preferring the chores, lol. Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by, JB!
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I started using a bullet journal two years ago as a creative outlet. I absolutely hate that feeling of having a to-do list that’s a mile long but it comes with the territory of having and maintaining a farm. Sometimes I get so stressed and overwhelmed that I literally cross things off the list and make time for myself so I can decompress. It also helps to keep a running list in the notes section of my phone. I jot down random thoughts, bullet points, and write about how overwhelmed I feel. Suddenly the weight of it all doesn’t seem quite as heavy and of course the moment I’m actually accomplishing things makes me feel like a million dollars. It’s tough when animals are relying on you but it’s also the best job ever. Springtime is the WORST for running lists of things to-do. gardening, feed chores, hauling hay, schooling my kiddo, keeping up with house work… make-shift greenhouses when a spontaneous frost hits and is about to wreck all my hard work… phew! It’s a lot! At this point I’m use to it 🤣
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I like how you cross things off just to make time for yourself. Because at the end of the day, a bullet journal is to help us reflect on all our activities, and to make us ask ourselves if the things we’ve set for ourselves are worth doing. And yes, it’s amazing how jotting things down lessens the power of the thought. Thanks so much for sharing your love perspective!
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That’s for writing such thought provoking words!
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I need to get a listibook!! Have too much crap to dump, but the discipline comes with closing the loop! Your posts are always so informative and useful. I wonder if other people do it too… but I always find myself reading other people’s comments after your blog #weirdoalert haha!! But I’m liking what everyone is saying about the morning papers… I feel like it is something I ought to try!! 😊
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Hahaha, glad you’re hopping on the listibook train. At this rate, I can start writing it as thus: Listibook™.
And yeah, the comments are sometimes better than the posts themselves, so you’re actually doing the right thing. In fact, the comments section is often populated by awesome bloggers—such as you!
And definitely try morning pages in its intended way (three sides of A4 paper, longhand, for at least a month) to see if it works for you.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Janey!
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I think we can make procrastination positive, by thinking of it as ‘incremental progress’. Not everyone vomits their story ideas immediately…I have used WP drafts to just write my titles down when out of the blue they appeared in my crazy mind…I don’t delete these titles even when I thought they were cool and when I wanted to develop them, became stuck…they just sit in WP drafts…then there are some I write paras incrementally….that is the fun of writing…and with technology now, no more crushed papers in waste baskets…
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Ah, the incubation method. It’s super awesome to get ideas out of the blue—mine usually come when I can’t conveniently record them down, lol—but for some reason, I find it much harder to go back to something I’ve left for a while. It’s almost like playing a game, taking a break, then returning to it forgetting the controls, or what the story was. But that’s just me, and it’s great that you get your ideas to grow subconsciously. Thanks for sharing your process, Jeanne!
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Oh, wow, the incubation method. That’s what it’s called is it? Good to know! Have a nice day!
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This reading is quite heavy for me. But that’s what I really like about the posts on the Stuart Danker Blog. That’s why I always visit and read here. I love your slick writing style.
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And I thank you for always being so supportive, my lovely neighbour! Your comments mean a lot to me, and it’s always great to see them!
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The mind dump is exactly what I do on my notes page on my phone. I do get the whole ‘would be nice not to reach for my phone every time I want to do a mind dump’ but the fact of the matter for me is, I always have my phone on me. Having a listibook :) is a great idea too, I like the idea that I could make lists, write new words that I learned or words that I hope to use in future posts and blog ideas down (even drawings etc) in one space… I just have to remember to take it everywhere with me and risk someone else finding this! lol…
I tried bullet journaling once… what I found was (and this is just my take) that it was just more therapeutic than functional… esp the types of bullet journaling tutorials I was watching lol… like the act of drawing and colouring a calendar for every month and making it pretty then filling it in for aesthetic purposes didn’t really jive well with my practical/efficient personality… but to each their own! :)
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Haha, I’ve started incorporating bullet journalling into my freewriting one, because like you said, for me it’s therapeutic and helps me reflect on my day. Even the creator, Ryder Carroll, said that bullet journals are best used as a ‘recorder’ more than a planner. So your method was pretty good too.
Not gonna lie though, Notion for brain dumps just wins in convenience and functionality. Just like Scrivener, this is another app I’ll continue touting for writers.
Thanks for your amazing back-to-back comments! They’re lovely.
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This reminded me of a great book, “Getting Things Done” By David Allen. He focuses a lot on systems to close loops and, I can see a lot of similarities here!
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Oh yeah, his book definitely did crop up during research. I now think I should get it and read it end to end. Thanks for the lovely recommendation though. I’ve added this to my listibook (heh).
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It’s worth it. It can be dense and repetitive at times, but applying it was very helpful to my personal systems!
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great post! 👏👏
“Or my personal favourite, knowing you have work to do, yet somehow being able to fill your time with useless crap like YouTube and Instagram?”
wait I thought this was on our must do marketing.. oh the wading through and time.
Great post.. I Feel like my loops are so intertangled and they all take so much time right now.. i’m just looking for beach.. i miss those hairdresser days too.. and I wasn’t even a hairdresser. lol
how is it you ask a busy person to do something and it gets done?! alright.. I’m gonna go sleep for a hour.. and get up. hahah
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Hahaha. Every time I type this, I become more aware when I’m spending my time procrastinating. Yet that doesn’t stop me from continuing scrolling through whatever social media I’m on. Infinite scroll is such a bane on my attention span.
Haha, hope you had a great nap, because there’s so much energy in this comment it feels like you were running on tons caffeine. But I love it. Thanks for stopping by as always, Cindy!
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seriously i truly just do the bot thing but i got move to being a human at some point and if not now when: . Honey, i never did get to sleep but going to bed NOW. I did get tons done today though.
It’s always my great honor and fun to chat you up… but you’re welcome!💖
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Thanks Stu! Important reminder indeed, to catch the thoughts that appear like those momentary bubbles in your vision just after standing before a camera flashes! Snatch them fast or they’re gone. One of my problems though is that I’m often in places where I can’t capture them haha….like when I’m swimming. I actually must tell myself NOT to think when I swim. Funny but also tragic huh?! But ya you’re right; unfinished open loops do bug and annoy me a lot. And while you’re also right that we can take a small step towards finishing the task, I find that on bad days, I’m still coming back to square one, procrastinating and then have to literally heft to take another small step! Sighhh…just hoping for more good than bad days! LOL!! Thanks again as always Stu *clap clap*
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I read somewhere that oxygen deprivation does stimulate thinking, and there was a Japanese writer (not sure if it was Murakami) who used long bouts of not breathing (because swimming) to generate his ideas. Perhaps you’ll benefit from something like a waterproof Field Notes notebook and a Fisher Space Pen, lol. Then you’ll be able to write ANYWHERE. Even underwater.
I like those bad days. In fact, I’ve been having back-to-back days, and every day, they teach me something new about myself. Sure, I may not have the solution for my problems, but that’s what the listibook is for, to flesh out my thoughts on the problem, so that I’ll be better equipped to face them the next time Mr Procrastination appears.
And thank YOU as always, Kelvin!
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Good advice. I also use lists to keep track of my work because lists are so helpful, especially when one forgets every task given to him/her. HA HA!
Great work, it was a good read.
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Lol, lists are doubly important for work, I feel. I mean, personal duties will always stick with us, but it’s so easy to forget work duties, especially if you work in a ‘fire-fighting’ environment. Anyway, thanks so much for your lovely comment!
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Great post! I work from a list every single day – I find it hard not to although I’m not a procrastinator by nature. Unfinished tasks drive me mad though! My boyfriend is in a job where there’s very much a LOT of unfinished tasks every single day and I don’t know how he does it.
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Lol yeah, unfinished tasks bother me enough that even appointments I have for the day start to take away from the enjoyment from everything pre-appointment. But it’s not problematic, just meh. Thanks so much for sharing, Jenny!
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I carry a notebook with me in many places now. I always keep one in my car and by my bed. One of the most convenient is simply to whip out the phone and make notes there. I have to write things down. I don’t trust myself to remember. The simple act of writing a thought down feels productive.
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“Even writing that paragraph is stirring the long-dormant well of fury within me, one that I’d tamped with false smiles and nighttime tears.” Another terrifically written sentence! And probably very few among us have not found ourselves in similar job situations. As you suggested, I often do take very small steps towards completing tasks, and that works remarkably. And on other occasions I’ve learned to delete tasks from my list entirely. Yet the world keeps spinning on its axis! Thanks so much for reminding us how to manage our over-busy, over-multi-tasked lives.
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I actually respect Ryder Carroll’s (Bullet Journal) philosophy because of this. He always reviews the things he’d listed down, and ask himself if they’re really necessary. Doing this on a daily basis does give you a clearer view of what’s really important to you, and you seem to be on the right path too!
And thanks so much for the compliment too! You know I can’t get enough of that, lol.
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This post is great Stuart. I feel energized when I feel accomplished. I feel accomplished when I get jobs done. Genuinely, everything is in our mind. If we feel good about doing what we intend to do by following through that feeling makes you productive, effective and energizes you in amazing ways. But not finishing work can have a bad-feeling effect on the mind. Powerful reminder here.
Ryan
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Oh yeah, the snowball effect works both ways indeed. The less I do, the LESS I do, and vice versa. Momentum is very much a thing for me, and my feelings only compound with each action—or inaction—I take. Thanks so much for your wonderful thoughts, Ryan!
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A lot of great advice. Lists are so helpful for sure. They’re definitely what helps keep me on task especially during the school year when college tasks continue to pile up.
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You know what lists aren’t great for? Very little. So little until I can’t come up with an example right now, lol. Thanks so much for stopping by, Brooke!
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I like the ideas of closing loops in a listibook – love the new word :). I agree, writing everything down, even how you’re feeling in and of itself can make you feel better. Excellent food for thought.
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Amazing, Stuart! A great read as always!
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And I always appreciate your support :)
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lots of great advice here, Stuart. I just downloaded Notion based on your recommendation; look forward to checking it out.
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Lovely. Hope you like it! There’s a learning curve attached to it if you haven’t tried it before though. But that shouldn’t be a problem for you. Let me know how it goes! I have everything from recipes to calendars in there, even though I have a bullet journal.
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I’ll give it a shot for a week, and see how it works for me…
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I’m also a fan of Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages. I keep a notepad nearby to quickly write tasks that come up in my pages.
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Oh yeah. It’s almost woo-woo when it comes to sharing the benefits of morning pages, but I maintain that it’s the best way to listen to the thoughts in my head. Thanks so much for sharing your own list habits!
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This is so helpful to me right now! Thank you Stuart. I have also been studying Atomic Habits and finding his teaching really powerful. I want to say so much I am overwhelmed. I really love this post. It is both informative and personal. I think you are awesome and I am excited when you have a new article. I am going to try writing more stuff down!
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It’s comments like yours that make my day. I can feel the sincere vibes and I truly appreciate your support. I appreciate you as well! Thanks so much for making my day!
p.s. You may need to update your new URL
(eaglecrowowl) into your Gravatar account, since now it points to your old domain (sidewalkface), which is gone.
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I thought I fixed that! Always something to work on!
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You know, you might have a point about unfinished tasks bothering us. When I have an idea of a blog post, it often bothers me a lot until I write it down. Once it is written, it stops bothering me.
Then, my brain goes on to another idea, and the infinite loop continues, because there’s no ending condition. Couldn’t resist the loop joke, as a programmer it is funny to me. I believe it would stop being funny once I reach 40.
Also, what do you think about an interview for my blog? I can give you the list of questions, and you can write the answers, and send me that again. my preference is over the email, but I’m open to other platforms if you want.
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Lol. Then once you reach 40 and programming jokes start losing their lustre, perhaps you can branch out to dad jokes instead.
Anyway, I like to think that thoughts in general have the capacity to bother us, and that’s where the power of lists or even journals come in. Once we put our thoughts down on paper, they either don’t seem that scary or important, which allows us to move on to the actual important things.
Sure thing, Tanish! You can reach me at stu@stuartdanker.com and I’ll get right back to you :)
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Can’t forget that you started me on journals, right when I was just starting my blog.
In general, this has been a theme in my 7 months long blogging career. Running into interesting people, and learning what they can teach me. It also help that a lot of people are willing to share their knowledge, instead of putting it on some expensive video course.
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I write three morning pages every morning. It’s a great mind dump and I get all the little tasks and open loops written down. When I sit down at my laptop, I have a scratch pad and I write out a simple list of things to do. When I’ve completed a task I mark it off with a red pen. It’s very satisfying.
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Right? People think I’m getting paid by Julia Cameron at this point, but there’s no better way to work out even the thoughts you never knew you had than by doing morning pages.
Lovely. I’ve found that sometimes even looking at my old task lists does bring satisfaction and a good idea of my previous days, even though they aren’t typical diary entries. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
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I agree with you about Julia Cameron. I started my blog after reading “The Artist’s Way” and landed steady writing freelance jobs as a result. My best friend from college gave me the book and said “This will change your life.”
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Looking at my notebook and now thinking I definitely need to upgrade to a listibook.
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Aw yis. Say goodbye to the commonplace book. We now have a more powerful (albeit haphazard) version which is the listibook. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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A much needed (and totally relatable) read!
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And thank you for your much needed comment. I appreciate you :)
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Loved the mind trash concept! Will be trying that! Thank you and as always, great read!
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I’ve since stumbled across a much cooler phrase, which is ‘catch all’. I wish I’d used that instead, lol.
Anyway, have you deleted your site, or moved URLs? Because your Gravatar account seems to point to a broken link. Would love to check out your stuff if you have it up!
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haha no no mind trash was perfect! Yes i did, it’s now herscripturientmind.wordpress.com
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