Do you sometimes feel as if you have invisible gnats buzzing around inside and outside of your head? Are you so overwhelmed by possibilities that you start to work on one task, then set it down and switch your attention to another, and then another?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Welcome to the World of Overwhelm. It happens to all of us and it is happening more and more in our increasingly complex world. It affects everyone, but introverts, with our brains that are so sensitive to external stimulation, crowded with information, and accustomed to processing ideas and new input deeply, are most affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
According to Nir Eyal, Instructor at Stanford\u2019s Graduate School of Business, \u201c\u2026in the age of increased automation, the most sought-after jobs are those that require creative problem-solving, novel solutions and the kind of human ingenuity that comes from focusing deeply on the task at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eyal also remarks,<\/em> <\/em>\u201c\u2026in the near future, there will be two kinds of people in the world: those who let their attention and lives be controlled and coerced by others and those who proudly call themselves \u201cindistractable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some simple solutions that I, as an introvert, have come up with, besides simply shutting down for a day or so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Organize in advance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Make a list before you go to bed of all the things you need to do, in order, the next day. Tell yourself, \u201cThere, now my day is all organized.\u201d Then put it aside before you go to bed. Don\u2019t even think of taking the list into your bedroom, which should be a serene space where you can relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can help eliminate that helpless feeling you get first thing in the Stick to your organization<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Never, ever, EVER (did I say that enough), start up a computer without knowing in advance exactly what you are going to do next, and after that\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make a list (on paper, in real handwriting) and post it where you can see it while you are on the computer. When you get distracted by incoming emails, instant messages, and internet searches, return to your list for grounding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n