“How does anyone get anything done?”

“How does anyone get anything done?”

Growing up with a wandering mind, my productivity “system” was rather simple, and dare I say elegant:

• Put stuff to do on the left,
• Put stuff I’m doing in front of me
• Put stuff I’ve finished on the right

Somewhere along the way, music would blast from my dual tape deck boombox, likely old-school Metallica.

When Simple Isn’t Enough

Unfortunately, this did little for getting many things done.

I’d struggle to start things I dreaded. When I did start, I didn’t know when or how to stop, sometimes working until exhaustion. Meanwhile, I’d regularly space out and bounce from one thing to another.

Basic life stuff that others seemed to handle effortlessly felt impossible. I’d wonder, how do people pay their bills on time, water their plants, check the oil in their car, let alone deal with a general sense of scatter?

The “Try Harder” Trap

My solution was one many of us attempt:

• Try harder
• Force myself to remember things
• Get better organized
• Remember things… (again)

All the while making lists that would readily collapse into piles of “I don’t wanna.”

Better Work

Meanwhile, my best work seemed to come about when I could just be, where I could play, care, trust, use intuition, consider in my time, and just be curious.

Writing music in particular grew this way into a passion. But I could see no way to find the same creative energy elsewhere.

Any force would easily cause such spirits to wilt. And so I froze wondering,

“How do people do things without making themselves do things?”

A Different Way

Over the last 20 years, I’ve studied, used, and built various productivity methods.

But, too many systems rely on strapping oneself down ever harder with clocks and schedules. What was vital to me, and I think to many of us, was a way to honor the creative spirit while still being on top of things. And that meant avoiding force.

I now run a psychiatric office, a publishing business, a family life, all while continuing to play the piano and the occasional video game. More than waking up knowing what to do, I feel confident I can make things happen at a pace that makes sense to me.

Further, I have a way to be creative, to tap into a potential that feels like it has been there all this time. When I have an idea, I not only have a place for it, I can get to it when I feel ready.

Throughout, the key is to **empower wandering**, not push it aside.

The Waves of Focus Begins

With the help of many of you–readers, listeners, and students–I’ve brought together these ideas of productivity, mindfulness, psychotherapy, and creativity into the *Waves of Focus: Guiding the Wandering Mind.*.

From a Waves of Focus member

“I’ve used WoF [the Waves of Focus] for a couple of days and what strikes me is that I subjectively feel that I’ve gotten 2-3 days of work done in 1 day, but I don’t feel labored at all. I don’t feel like I had to force myself to do anything…”

The Waves of Focus methodology is designed for those struggling with a wandering mind, whether you are:

• A professional creative
• A student
• Someone with or without ADHD/anxiety
• Simply seeking a more natural way to work

“…Usually, it’s like a tradeoff feeling, ‘OK I’ve done my Sisyphus-style labor of pushing the boulder up the hill, time to relax,’ and then I’m waiting for that moment all day long. But I still feel just as relaxed as when I started, even though I did both some ‘agonizing’ communication work and some hard technical work.”

Limited Time to Join

The course material is now complete, refined through several cohorts. I’m deeply grateful to all the students, mentors, and colleagues who have helped shape it into what it is today.

Important: The doors on the current Waves of Focus group are closing soon. If you’d like to join, you have until Friday, February 21st to become a member at WavesofFocus.com.

– Kourosh

PS For those wondering, I do plan on a next cohort, crossing my fingers for later this year.

PPS Interestingly enough, the entire course and site have been put together using all the ideas inherent to the course itself.