3 must haves for attention management

What "must-not-forget" thoughts tend to pop into your head throughout the day?

How can you capture them in a way that you know you won't forget to avoid distraction as you work on other important tasks?

Read on to discover 3 must-haves for attention management

To reduce stress and get more important work done, here are three structures to help manage your attention:

1) Create a "Parking lot"

To keep your mind clear and focused on your task at hand - that one you committed to working on right now - decide on a "holding space" for other tasks that pop into your mind.

Designate a space - a sheet of paper, a certain page in your planner, or a section in your digital tool where you jot down miscellaneous tasks and ideas that surface during the day. Anything that does not require you to take action right now.

2) Create a Regular Review Ritual

To make sure you can fully release those random tasks - and not worry about remembering - decide on a regular time to "review parking lot."

For example, you might "park" things throughout your day and review the "parking lot" at the end of each day, or, if you prefer, twice a day. As you review, make sure to determine exactly what the first action is and when it's needed. Insert it into your task-tracking system, whether that's a Kanban board, your planner, or a digital tool.

3) Create an Alert System for Recurring Tasks

To avoid diluting your attention to remembering recurring tasks, meetings, or other responsibilities, create a system where you are alerted when it's time. It needs to be a system you trust and one that you will not ignore...

For example:

• Create a recurring meeting (for yourself) at the end of each day to review your parking lot

• Create a recurring task to pay property taxes every November and February

• Set a recurring alarm on your phone to "call mom" or "create weekly grocery list"

Over to you:

What creative ways do you have for your "parking lot?"

What frequency and timing do you think will be best for you to review your parking lot?