Many times, I took pride in my ability to juggle multiple, often unrelated, ideas, strategies, and plans in my head. But the reality was that my thoughts often felt like a tangled mess. The more I tried to make sense of everything mentally – both in width and depth – the more overwhelmed I became.
Once, during a vacation to visit my parents, I noticed something simple yet powerful that I had often overlooked. My mom, who manages a wide array of topics, from household tasks to groceries, utilities to finances, and family events, wrote everything down in small diaries. This seemingly ordinary habit carried a crucial piece of advice: “Write it down”. At first, it seemed almost too basic to be effective, but I decided to give it a try. I started by jotting down my ideas, concerns, and plans – just to get them out of my head. What happened next was eye-opening.
As soon as I put pen to paper, that chaotic swirl of thoughts began to take shape. I could see connections I hadn’t noticed before, and my ideas started to organize themselves. Suddenly, what felt overwhelming in my head became manageable on the page.
This small change had a huge impact on how I lead and plan. Writing things down not only helped me clarify my own thoughts, but it also made it easier to communicate with my team. Clearer thoughts led to clearer directions, and that made all the difference in our collective efforts.
I often share this advice with my team and mentees: If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, try this simple technique:
- Start small: Don’t worry about writing perfect sentences. Just get your thoughts down.
- Review and refine: Once it’s on paper, you’ll see the gaps, connections, and solutions more clearly.
- Share your thoughts: Use what you’ve written to communicate more effectively with your team.
Take a moment to write things out. It’s amazing how much clearer things can become when you give your thoughts a chance to breathe on paper.
