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The Visit and Reaching the Edge of Action

The Visit and Reaching the Edge of Action

Forcing ourselves to get started, through deadlines, shame, or asking others to push us can leave us feeling exhausted.

But when we use a Visit-Based approach, rather than one based in force, we support ourselves. Many of my students have described a sense of relief and amazement at how they get more done and still have energy at the end of the day using it.

What is a Visit?

A visit is probably something you’ve done before and not even realized. But once you become conscious of its components, it can make a tremendous difference in how you approach many aspects of life. *Waves of Focus* delve into how it can become a central basis for arranging their days, weeks, and beyond.

A Visit is simply this:
– Being with something, whatever work you’ve chosen to be with
– Preferably with distractions set aside
– For at least a single deep breath of time.

That’s it.

You don’t even have to do any of the work.

Another way of phrasing it more succinctly is:

“Show up, then decide.”

You get to keep your sense of agency, your sense of decision, at all times. You never have to fool yourself. You never have to force yourself.

It may not seem like much, to show up and do “nothing”, but every visit you make creates a *Wave of Focus*, each with a beginning, middle, and end – whether its a difficult trudge, choppy waters, or smooth sailing.

When we see it this way, too, we recognize the effort of approach and we can consider how can we make that easier, smoother?

At some point, simply being there, we reach that Edge of Action, where it is as easy to nudge the work forward as it is to walk away. It’s completely your decision.

If you can be there, if you can reach that single deep breath at the Edge of Action, you may even discover a little curiosity.  That little, “what if I did this?”  You might even feel that rollercoaster beginning to tip into full work session.

But you can also do nothing at all, ending at any time.

Each wave is infinitely more than no wave at all, where your conscious and unconscious mind has begun to process the actual work, rather than leave it in some vague state.

What’s neat, too, is that you don’t have to “feel like it” to be there. You tune into the work as you are there. And if you still don’t feel like it, that’s fine. So long as you were there for a single conscious deep breath of time, you’ve done the emotional work which is the core of the visit based system.

Certainly, there’s more to consider: like What do you do when the work’s not done? How do you avoid rabbit trails? How do you reliably wind down so you’re not trapped in a flow? How do you set things aside so they are ready for return? How do you return?

All of these are possible, all of them relate to these phases of a wave of focus, and can each be practiced.

Consider a free PDF “Your First Step to Breaking Free from Force-Based Work”

 

 

What is Productivity?

Productivity is many things. For some, it is about doing a lot in a little time.
But, truly, productivity is so much more. It is about:

  • Setting yourself up for success.
  • Being focused where you want to be.
  • Doing things that you find meaningful.
  • Being creative, sometimes even in harsh environments.
  • Forging your own paths.
  • Finding your voice and delivering it well.
  • Knowing and actively deciding on your obligations.
  • Knowing where and how to say “no”.
  • Avoiding procrastination.

Too often, many of us fall into just going along with and fighting whatever the world throws at us. “Go with the flow!”, we say. Meanwhile, we might think, “I’d like to do that one thing. Maybe one day I will.” The days go by. The goal never arrives, and then we wonder why or blame circumstance.

But when we learn to take charge of our lives and the world
around us, we start living life with intention.

“I should do that,” becomes “This is how I start”. Deliberately forging a path to our goals and dreams, we figure out what we want in life and then start taking steps there.

Of course, striking out may seem scary. It takes courage to live life with purpose and on purpose. Roadblocks and worries, fears and concerns show up everywhere.

This is my passion. I want to help you to find that sense of your own unique play to meet the world so that you can:

  • Create a life that is yours.
  • Find and follow an inner guide in a way that works for you and those you care for.
  • Decide on your obligations and meet them while building the world you want.

Productivity Journal

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Forgetting the Most Important Part

Forgetting the Most Important Part

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Being able to concisely describe the essence of something is not simple, but it can be powerful when you know how

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These products use or are based on Getting Things Done® or GTD® Principles. They are not affiliated with, approved or endorsed by David Allen or the David Allen Company, which is the creator of the Getting Things Done® system for personal productivity. GTD® and Getting Things Done® are registered trademarks of the David Allen Company For more information on the David Allen Company’s products the user may visit their website at www.davidco.com.

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