CJ Chilver’s Brain-dead list
I originally captured this because something I’m really struggling with right now is feeling the urge to do something but also just not wanting to think about things anymore.
- Throw things away. There’s no better feeling. This can applied anywhere and is especially useful in the home.
- Do laundry. It never ends, but it’s also never been easier.
- Scan. This also never ends. Do you have piles of found photos and legal documents that were never digitized? I have mountains. If it’s not backed up offsite, you’re one flood or fire away from your own personal Library of Alexandria moment. Have a small pile nearby, ready to process at any time. Your family will thank you.
- Exercise. This takes a bit more energy of course. But if you’re feeling completely drained from a day of creative work, nothing beats 20 push-ups for lifting your spirits.
- Sleep. If you can get away with it, because you probably need more.
- Dust, organize, or tidy up your immediate area. You have no idea how bad it looks to someone who isn’t sitting there 8 hours a day.
- Play the guitar. I always have a new riff I’m learning that’s way above my pay grade. Whenever I have five minutes between meetings or drafts of copy, I try to nail that riff one more time. It usually doesn’t work but it’s worth the effort for the rare victories.
I don’t play guitar, but I bet I can find something similar. Part of how I deal with my executive dysfunction is keeping lists of things to do, because a lot of time when I feel stuck, I can’t think of what to do next. My system isn’t working for some reason; nothing on my list is gaining traction. A back-up alternate list of other things can help.