"pick up supper tonight

Laurie Hayes, founder of The HBB Source, and creator from the Complete 12-Step Guide To Starting A Home-Based Business and also the HBB Survival Guide, helps freedom seekers fast track their journey from employee to home-based entrepreneur. Get her free ezine packed with helpful resources at thehbbsource

By: Laurie Hayes

Put A Lid On Your "ant" Farm And Boost Productivity You would not leave the lid off an active ant farm in your home or office would you?

Why not?

Because you realize they'd create a huge mess and eventually drive you mad once they've multiplied 100 times over and covered everything in their path.

For this very same reason, you need to have a lid on your mind's "ants."

Your mind's ants are those "action needed tasks" that connect valuable headspace and divert your focus from the best thing that needs your attention.

Mind ants are the ones constant little reminders you have in your mind of things you need to do like, "pick up supper tonight," "call the bank concerning the overcharge," "increase Ms. Jones' monthly order" or "set up a job interview with the media."

These mind ants are generated any time you create a task that requires an action, no matter how big or small that action is.

And the problem is -- these mind ants are like swarming insects within your brain, blocking productivity.

They cloud your focus and bring your attention from important matters.
So, how do you keep a lid around the ant farm?

With two simple rules...

Whenever you produce a new task that requires action, do one of two things.

1.If the action can be taken care of within two minutes, often it immediately. It might be as simple as delegating it to someone else. You've prevented the birth of a mind ant.

2.When the item requires more than two minutes of your energy, record it on an action list. By writing it down, you've spared yourself from needing to carry it around in your mind as a rampant ant.

You don't have to clutter your mind because you possess a list to consult when you're able to provide your attention.

Because your mind is apparent, you are able to focus on your most significant tasks and follow them right through to completion.

Follow both of these simple rules and you should observe an immediate increase in productivity.

Leave the ant farm in little Johnny's science class. ;-)

2007 ? Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source