How to Make Focus Easier by “Clearing to Neutral”
A ritual where whenever you finish an activity, you move everything so its is in neutral position.
When you walk into the kitchen and see 50 dishes in the sink, you’re much less likely to cook.
The same holds true when you come back to your computer and there are a ton of windows open, when you wake up and there are things to get ready before you head out for a run, or when you have to clear a pile of stuff off your desk before you start working.
Enter the idea of “clearing to neutral”.
💡 When you return to an environment that is neutral, you are much less likely to put off what you want to accomplish. It eliminates all of the friction you would have otherwise had to get started later.
Here are a couple of examples:
Resolving issues with family, friends, and your partner
Setting everything up for the next morning after you finish your morning ritual
Getting enough sleep tonight be ready for tomorrow
The bottom line:
If you find yourself procrastinating, it might not all be in your head – it might be that you don’t return your environment to “neutral” to be ready for the next time you need to get stuff done.