Sometimes We Need a Mind “Dyson”

by Paige Webb

Do you ever have those days when you are so distracted that you collect new information in your head, rather than anywhere else, just out of habit? Do you flinch and think, “OH, I hope I remember that!” Despite what I know to be true about my conscious and un-conscious mind, since I started on the EDGE system about a month ago, I’ve caught myself in this situation at least two times, and I failed miserably at remembering what I was supposed to.

These two instances I speak of have caused a chain reaction of missteps in my life. I proceeded to give a presentation at work the same week, and completely faded out of the context of my presentation, and drew a “blank.” After talking to my training advisor about this, she replied, “You didn’t do a mind sweep. You have to do a mind sweep before every speaking or training engagement, or your consciousness will suffer.” What a great point! This is why I have to live what I teach, and the mind sweep is a critical piece of EMPTYING. Mind sweeps are vital to pushing forward with completing things and acknowledging them as such. This creates energy for me to thrive in all other things and move on.

Another example of what not to do is to attend a meeting with your boss and not perform a mind sweep prior to. I’ve found myself stumbling with, “Oh, and I forgot to mention…” as I begin walking to the door at the end of a meeting. Time can be precious with a busy senior manager’s schedule. Make it count! Every last detail and action should be swept clean out of your head so that your strategy for a meeting and actions required are clear. The same can be said for any team meeting. Give them your best energy, and you may turn some heads, get noticed, and be the reason the project is completed on time and on budget.

After years of “memorizing,” and walking around with a brain full of stuff, the EDGE system forces me to believe I need a Mind “Dyson” rather than just a mind sweep. I’m talking about the super high-tech vacuum cleaner that advertises the power of suction to clean floors. Yes, I need one for my brain. With all of my necessary actions piled up in my head, tucked away in deep corners, I need help. As I enter each action in Outlook as a task and follow the guidelines for GROUPING, I can feel those cobwebs in my head being swept away.

Every one of us has personal and professional actions that can benefit from a mind sweep. When’s the last time you got home from running errands and had to go back out again? What have you thought about on your “mental” list since you started reading this? Is it time for a mind sweep now?