There is no reason ever to have the same thought twice. At least, not boring thoughts like, remembering to call Bob when you are trying to go to sleep, or stressing out about that unsent email when you are trying to play with your child. Indeed, if we were to add up all the thoughts that intrude on your mind every day, we would be shocked at how much time we lose on a day to day basis.
Worse yet, all that time is the time taken away from what really matters to us, from being instead of doing, from thinking creatively instead of reactively, to feeling free and spacious in your own skin. Consequently we feel trapped and pressured by endless intruding thoughts of shit we’ve got to do.
David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done, the Art of Stress-Free Productivity, calls these types of thoughts Open Loops. Open Loops are anything left undone or unorganized; professional, personally and existentially.
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At Stress School, I teach a class about mastering the Open Loops in our lives. Therefore we can free our minds and bodies from the tyranny of shit left undone. We can stop obsessing about the dishes we didn’t finish and the messages we need to respond to. As such, we can delegate our time to what matters most.
You cannot overestimate the impact that Open Loops, big and small, have on your energy levels. They contribute to our stress load, and our clarity of thought. Nevertheless, with some mindfulness and preactice, you can conquer the repetitive thoughts in your life. And finally get back to enjoying the things that make you happy.
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