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Thought-Stopping
Thought-stopping is a structured procedure for eliminating troublesome thoughts. It was popularized by Joseph Wolpe and has been used to treat a wide variety of challenges including:
· Overcoming fear
· Increasing focus
· Removing mental clutter
While the form of thought-stopping can vary, the basic procedure is:
1. Wear a rubber band on your wrist.
2. Any time you have the undesirable thought, you snap the rubber band (not hard, just enough to feel it.)
3. You visualize a stop sign or yell "stop" (unless you are in a grocery store or other public place.)
4. You repeat to yourself a replacement thought that is more helpful.
5. Repeat the entire process as often as you need to.
The technique is meant to help train the brain to stop the automatic and destructive thoughts. Since thoughts are intangible, the rubber band helps make the process more concrete. The process is simple and usually only takes a few days or weeks to feel a major impact.
Individuals who want to stop distracting thoughts try all sorts of complex strategies for relief. Despite this tendency, thought-stopping continues to be one of the most effective, yet simple strategies that psychology has to offer to keep you focused and get results.
Storyboarding
This technique has been used by major corporations like Disney to take complex concepts and create a coherent and focused story. All you need is a marker, a pad of sticky notes and an issue to focus on (such as a marketing plan, goals for the future, a problem that needs to be solved, etc.) Once you have these you start brainstorming about the issue using the following sequence:
1. Without any critique, put each idea on a sticky note and randomly post them on a wall or desk.
2. After you have exhausted all ideas, cluster the post-it notes that seem related.
3. Put a label on each of your clusters.
4. Determine if anything needs to be added to or removed from any of the categories.
5. Prioritize your categories.
6. Prioritize the ideas within the categories.
7. For your top priority categories, break each important idea into specific and timed goals.
8. Put the goals in a special place or keep them in a document on your computer.
Source: Dr. Tim Ursiny is the founder of Advantage Coaching & Training. He trains and coaches individuals and teams in areas such as stress management, conflict resolution, dealing with change and building client loyalty. He is the author of several books including The Confidence Plan, Tough Times Tactics and The Top Performer's Guide to Attitude.
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