Thinking Too Much and for Too Long Is Bad for the Results We Need

Setting constraints can open the door to action

Too many ideas, too many options, too many tasks, too many [fill in] impair our ability to focus on just one task or project, yet focusing on one is necessary for maximum productivity and efficiency. Just as multitasking impairs focus, jumping from one idea to another scatters our ability to get the results we need.

“Thinking too much leads to paralysis by analysis. It’s important to think things through, but many use thinking as a means of avoiding action.”― Robert Herjavec

The solution is to establish constraints that help us narrow our options so we can settle on one. We do this by clearly setting metrics and deadlines for task completion. Once we know what we’re aiming for, the next step is to determine our priorities.

There are many tools to help us do that: paired comparison and the Eisenhower Matrix are two that can help us prioritize and stay focused on what needs to be done right now. After choosing an option and running with it, it helps to set a timer and keep going until it goes off or we’re finished. This allows us to enter flow.

Only then do we want to step back and review what we’ve done before moving forward. While it can be difficult to objectively evaluate our work before it is completed, we want to weigh what we’ve done against the established metrics and determine if corrective action is needed. By setting and evaluating at checkpoints, we reduce the need to make major changes at the end. When we determine that we have taken the task as far as we can or that it is complete and satisfactory, it’s time to move on to the next item on our list of priorities.