Do you feel like your brain’s trying to juggle flaming swords and sticky notes?
This week, three of our GTD® Coaches show how the Mind Sweep can help you stop doing mental gymnastics. Whether you’re knee-deep in emails, fresh off vacation, or just trying to think straight, there’s a version of this practice that meets you right where you are.
Start Simple, Breathe Easier
GTD Coach Julie Ireland shares a quick way to stop storing everything in your head by getting it out—onto paper, into a doc, or wherever it works for you. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to be captured.
Whether you prefer a freeform brain dump or a guided scan of your key areas of focus (like work, health, or relationships), this short video walks you through how to use a mind sweep to calm your brain and refocus.
How to Shake Off the “Sunday Scaries”
You know that low-key anxiety that creeps in after a vacation or before the week begins? GTD Coach Mary O’Malley knows it too. That’s when she reaches for a mind sweep, a tool she tailors on the fly using simple prompts and her Trello inbox.
In this quick clip, Mary demonstrates how she clears mental clutter just enough to feel grounded again.
Mind Sweeps in the Weekly Review
How often do you sit down for a Weekly Review and instantly want to quit?
In this video, GTD Coach Meg Edwards offers a beginner-friendly mindset shift: You don’t have to clear it all, you just need to get clear enough.
She breaks down:
- Why the “Get Clear” step starts before the review even begins
- Two simple questions to surface what’s really on your mind
- How to avoid turning your mind sweep into a source of overwhelm
- Why giving yourself some leeway can actually keep you more consistent
Quote of the Week
“We all have times when we think more effectively, and times when we should not be thinking at all.” – Daniel Cohen
Know someone whose brain always feels like a circus? Share this newsletter with them.
Cheers,
GTD Focus
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