TASK INITIATION: Newton's 1st Law Meets Executive Functioning

Some of us have great runways already built for us. If you have one, take off. But if you don't have one, realize it is your responsibility to grab a shovel and build one for yourself and for those who will follow after you.?- Amelia Earhart

YOUR BRAIN’S TOP MANAGEMENT TEAM

The skills required for achieving success are interconnected, complex and coordinated. Collectively, they??are referred to as executive functioning . They are our control or supervisory center, located within the frontal and prefrontal lobes of our brain, representing a fairly large area consuming approximately 1/3 of the brain’s cortical geography.?

They are necessary for?organizing, paying attention, focusing, critical reasoning , decision making, following sequential directions, regulating emotions and managing impulses. They are also responsible for task initiation, or getting started.? This involves putting ourselves in motion and/or overcoming procrastination.?

The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.?-Lao Tzu

Due to a plethora of reasons, getting started can be quite difficult for some individuals. This is especially true when the executive system is tired, over-worked, or overwhelmed. This also applies to those with long-standing attentional challenges . The end result is an inefficient ability to concentrate and focus. ?

For those with executive functioning challenges, a simple task can easily feel like project management.?Depending on the task's complexity and regardless of its desirability, initiating action may eventually require the coordinated efforts of other?cognitive?functions, or it may be as simple as mailing an important payment that has been sitting on your dining room table for weeks.?

Initiating action or "getting started" is not ubiquitously the problem for those with executive dysfunction. We all know individuals who easily start and launch tasks or projects. Their capacity to get the aircraft off the ground and in the sky is remarkable. However, they?cannot seem to land the jet or, in?other words,?finish what they've started.?

Success requires finishing what you've started. ?

An airplane flying aimlessly with no flight plan and without an estimated time of arrival or destination point will eventually run?out of fuel (among other potential and perhaps catastrophic consequences).?

PROCRASTINATION

Everybody, at some point or another,?procrastinates. The act of delaying or putting off tasks until the 11th hour or past their deadline becomes an issue when procrastination transforms into a lifestyle. Procrastination feels heavy!?

While the rush of adrenaline can certainly accelerate activity, it is not a desired body state for long periods of time. In fact, when prolonged, it will lead to feelings of fatigue, and this can significantly compromise immune functioning .?

While procrastination certainly falls under the?category of poor task initiation, it also?involves our frontal lobes' executive functioning's self-regulation system.?

If you're over-worked or fatigued, then resting should be the initial remedy. After a few nights of restorative sleep or a week-end getaway in which you've had the chance to unplug and rejuvenate, you should ?experience a renewed sense of energy and motivation. However, ?should feelings of fatigue linger, then self-reflection and getting to the root of the problem may be your best next action steps.?

It will be difficult to task initiate when there is a larger, underlying physical or emotional problem lurking in the background. For many, however, procrastination is more of a self-limiting belief that has morphed into a habit as opposed to a larger, more complex issue. For others, it is the result of unrealistic expectations that leave one exhausted before ever even getting started.?

While not minimizing larger issues (which should be appropriately addressed), many would do well to shift their internal narrative and halt the self-proclaimed, "I'm a procrastinator!" to a more adaptable and productive self-definition.?

A deeper look at procrastination by psychology professor and author of?Still Procrastinating? The No Regrets Guide to Getting it Done, Joseph Ferarri reports that approximately 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators. He also theorizes that there are 3 types of procrastinators:?

1. ??Thrill seekers:??described as those who crave the rush of waiting to the last minute and working under pressure.

2. ??Avoiders:??described as those fearful of judgment.

3. ??Indecisives:??described as those having difficulty making decisions due to the tendency to ruminate over the various choices.

BACK TO NEWTON, INITIATION & EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Newton’s first law,?the law of inertia, states that if a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or moving,?respectively, unless acted upon by a force. Apathy, procrastination, low energy, and negative self-talk are some of the contributors to task initiation challenges. These are confidence depleters. As humans, we tend to gravitate away from actions or behaviors that we believe we don't do well or?aren't?good at! ?However, once we get going (with doubts and all), we will often find ourselves comfortably in flight.

THE SOLUTIONS

DON'T USE MOTIVATION TO GET STARTED. USE GETTING STARTED TO GET MOTIVATED!

Offered here are strategies to help get your brain and body feeling fully charged and energized. This will help fuel initiation.

Fuel up

Hydrate, eat nutritious-rich food , cut down (way down) on sugar and empty-calorie foods. Add vitamins and minerals, if necessary.?Also, eat mindfully.?Bring your presence and awareness to each meal.?

Food provides energy and the right combination of foods enhances overall executive functions, just as overly processed or a poor combination of foods can zap you of your energy and create feelings of sluggishness and lethargy. It's hard to find your motivation to get up and get going when your body isn't feeling light and energized!

Get restorative sleep?

Committing to good sleep habits will do more for your energy and executive functions than almost any other single undertaking. ?Our brains and bodies require restorative sleep to function adequately.?

Here are some helpful tips to obtaining restorative sleep :?

1. Your bedroom should be cool and dark, and free from distracting noise.?Some find white noise or background sounds of nature soothing.?

2. ?Try to keep a schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Going to bed before midnight is better for long-term mood and energy regulation.?

Create a checklist

Our brains love checking things off. Break your tasks or project into smaller bite-size components, and then create a check list of things you'll need to do or take action on.?

Writing and planning on a sheet of paper, in which you will have the opportunity to check items off as they're completed is a powerful and unfortunately under-utilized strategy for getting things off the ground and done. Dopamine, the "feel good" hormone,?feels good when?checking things off. Think back to the?stickers that you earned when in?preschool or kindergarten as a reward for your effort or good work/behavior.?

You can also use the Pomodoro technique. Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, the?Pomodoro technique is an excellent way to overcome procrastination and?accomplish goals. It simply requires that you break your activities into short intervals, such as 25 minutes.

1.???? Choose a Task:?Select a task that you want to work on.

2.???? Set a Timer:?Set a timer for 25 minutes. This is known as one Pomodoro.

3.???? Work on the Task: Focus solely on the chosen task until the timer rings?

4.???? Take a short break: ?Once the timer goes off, take a short break; about 5 minutes. Use this time to stretch, take a walk, grab a snack, or do something unrelated to this project.?

5.???? Repeat:?Repeat the process. After completing four Pomodoros, take a longer break, around 15–30 minutes. Or, you may be done with your task(s) and ready to move on to other activities in your day!

The magic behind the timer is that it creates a gentle sense of time pressure that encourages remaining focused and on task (for a short and very do-able time interval). It builds feelings of success quickly as you notice items being completed.??

Manage your self-talk

Talk to yourself as you would a best-friend. By managing the internal narrative or dialogue, you will help manage the inertia. You will also help manage your motivation, attitude, and sense of self-efficacy. Keep in mind, progress, no matter how small, is still progress. Focus on how far you've come instead of how far you still have to go.?

De-Emphasize Perfection

A trap many fall into is perfectionism. In your attempt to go for "perfect," you will unwittingly enter into the web of self-sabotage and, ultimately, inertia. ?A single-minded pursuit of perfection, as opposed to progress, slowly annihilates self-esteem and the ability to experience joy.?

Confidence grows when your inner dialogue is reflective, compassionate, and organized around competency and progress. Taking inventory as to where you are now, and compassionately reflecting on your goals and where you would like to be in perhaps 6 months require planning, problem solving and critical thinking. When your frontal lobes are occupied processing goal- and growth-oriented thoughts and plans, adding needless self-berating chatter will only serve to distract and diminish your brain's sophisticated operational system and the result will in all likelihood be unfavorable. ?

Organize your space

Our brains operate better in?uncluttered and organized environments, as it helps to eliminate or drastically reduce distractions.?

When there is an excess of items within our visual field, we easily lose focus. ?Research supports that physical clutter can be draining to our brain and anxiety provoking.?

Seek guidance

Asking for help cannot ?be overstated. In all likelihood, you know someone who can help you organize the specifics of your?initiation challenge. If not a particular someone, it may be your team or a group with expertise in this area. ??

What seems insurmountable?to you may appear clear for someone who knows you or is an expert in your particular area of struggle. Oftentimes, asking for help from the right person at the right time is exactly what you'll need to get the airplane on the runway and?ready for take-off.?

PROCEED AS IF SUCCESS IS INEVITABLE!

Reference

Ferrari, J. R. (2010).Still procrastinating?: The no-regrets guide to getting it done. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

The information presented in this article is intended for?general knowledge?and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. As with most things in life, there isn't a magic pill or "cure-all" but there are strategies to help regain control of your life.

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