Dec 2, 2014
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The Art of Compartmentalizing
How often do you get home from work only to find that you’ve left your mind stuck in the office? You turn on The Walking Dead, but only see the glaring calendar of approaching deadlines that has been burned into the back of your mind. As you order some takeout, all you can think of is that client that called to make some last minute changes on the already burned-over project.
If this is a common scenario for you, it looks like you could use some tips on compartmentalizing. Compartmentalizing is choosing when to put things away in your mind and being present in your current pursuits. It takes mental discipline and is an art you must pursue vigorously, but pays off in high dividends. Elevate your sense of balance and overall wellness by following these steps suggested by Ryan Blair:
Isolate
Isolate your task at hand from all the others you have on your list. Close the door on other thoughts and worries.
Focus
Give yourself a time limit to think about or complete the task at hand.
Take Incremental Steps
You don’t necessarily have to solve an issue all in one go. If you have made some steps forward, it is okay to move on.
Close the Compartment
Perhaps the hardest step, but move on to other compartments in a timely manner and close the door behind you.
Say “No”
Realize when a compartment is not worth the time, or holds no lasting value, and eliminate it.
Again, compartmentalizing is an ongoing battle for a lot of people. However, learn to live in the present and enjoy life to the fullest with the tasks and people you are with at the moment.