The Top Three Tangibility Tactics That Trigger Triumph

AcademicAlly, LLC: December 25, 2024

Snow, holiday joy, celebrations, gatherings with friends and family, gifts….these are the images so often associated with the holiday season. In recognition of the gift-giving frivolity, we decided to gift you with some of our most effective strategies. Wishing you and yours a meaningful, peaceful, and full holiday season.

Sometimes my clients just want to cut to the chase. They don’t want to think about anything. They are so over problem solving. Self-reflection is not in the cards. They just want some easy, tangible tactics that will work in a micro-minute to take off the edge of their stress.

Well, my bruised and battered clients, look no further! Here are three of our tried-and-true tangible tactics for getting the job done!

Building a Bridge: Hold up your hands shoulder distance apart and make two fists. Now imagine your left fist represents the task that needs to be done, and your right fist represents that task completed. What do you notice? There’s a huge gap between them, right? That space represents the path you must forge from wanting or needing to get something done and actually accomplishing it. So, how do you bridge that distance? We must lay down some planks. What planks you ask? The planks will help you to build your bridge of successful completion. Where do we get these materials? The things that motivate you, and the strategies you can implement to get you from one end of the bridge to the other will serve as your building blocks.

Example: Let’s say you need to study for a test. Here are some suggested “planks”.

Study with a friend.

Use Quizlet AI to help you review.

Meet with a teacher to review the material.

Organize your workspace so all of your materials are accessible, and you don’t waste time and energy looking for them.

Have fun snacks and drinks with you when you study.

Work somewhere you can focus – your room, a quiet room at the library, the coffee shop, outside on a nice day.

Study in chunks of time and reward yourself after each chunk is completed.

Have fun rewards in place.

These options are mere suggestions, and I am sure we missed some. But the point is, using a combination of these strategies to string together your plank bridge will enable you to get from one side of the gap to the other in no time!

Body Doubling: It stinks having to work alone sometimes. The noise we encounter in our minds is enough to pull us away from the best laid plans. If you can find someone to body double-keep you company while you work, you may be golden in the end. Your body double is not there to interact with you or to help you with your work, nor are you there to assist them with theirs. They are just present to help facilitate accountability. Interestingly, you can be their body double at the same time! Having someone to work alongside promotes a sense of productivity, which in the end can lead to accountability and the successful execution of your plan.

Proximity Prep: We alluded to this idea earlier in the post when we talked about making sure your materials are in close proximity. Part of what goes into the proper execution of a plan is the preparation process. And part of the prep is making sure you not only have what you need, but it is located exactly where you need it.

Example: You have a dog, and it is your responsibility to ensure he is properly cared for. Placing his food items in a drawer or cabinet near his food and water bowl will make feeding Rocky so much easier. You won’t have to move from one end of the kitchen to the other, and you won’t run the risk of spilling his kibble all over the floor. Open drawer, open kibble container, scoop, and dump. Done!

Example: You’re writing a research paper about Gloria Steinem and the feminist movement. Five of your sources are books; two are journal articles you printed; and ten are from the internet. Place all your materials within arm’s reach of your workspace and your computer, so all you need to do is reach for them, and they are right there. No fuss, no muss!

Here’s the thing: Doing work, whatever form it might take, can be cumbersome and overwhelming. By being proactive and utilizing some or all these strategies, you will be on a smoother and more direct line that runs from wanting to do something to actually completing it!