Sometimes, it’s the little adjustments that can make a significant difference in reducing stress and improving performance. This one I have experienced first-hand and can testify to its value.
I don’t know about you, but my life is full of projects. There are the curriculum projects. There are the video projects. There are the speech development projects. And then there are the writing projects, like this one.
When I approach each project, my brain has to shift from what I was doing to what I am about to do. That can be easier said than done, especially if I have something else on my mind or I have not visited the project in a while. This produces a certain amount of stress as I search my brain for the details related to the particular project. In many cases, this can take several minutes or more. You’ve probably had the same experience.
The solution? Have a different table or workspace for each project. This is based on the research of neurologist and best-selling author Oliver Sacks. You remember him. He was the subject of the film Awakenings, starring Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro. Dr. Sacks found that when you place a set of stimuli, such as notes, illustrations and diagrams about a project in front of you, the brain does a better job of recalling the details and insights associated with that project. As with much of neurology, scientists can’t explain the exact process. But they know it works.
This does not work, however, if you have all your projects stacked in one spot or spread across a surface. Conflicting stimuli confuse the brain. Not everyone has the luxury of three or four tables in their workspace of course, including me. So, what do I do instead? I have a separate folder for each project and I am careful to keep the details from each project in its specific folder. I have found that this process works just as well. It also provides for mobility. Sometimes, I want to work in a conference room, library, meeting room or even a surface at an airport while I am waiting for a flight. All I have to do is open the folder and spread out the details.
I might have six to ten of these folders going at any one time. But I am deliberate in making sure that I keep the details for each project separated. If something occurs to me about a project when I am not working on it, I jot it down and immediately put it in the appropriate folder. Then I go back to what I was working on.
Now, this may not sound like rocket science. But the key is in the routine. Those who perform the best in any environment develop strict routines and processes they adhere to. Separate work surfaces or folders is an effective way to recall the ideas and details about each project without stressing about it. This enables me to work more efficiently, save time, and stop working at the end of the day in a peaceful state of mind. How about you?