How to Use Your Environment to Jump-start Action

Getting started can be hard, especially on tasks that are boring, difficult, unpleasant, or otherwise unappealing. Recently, I attended a webinar with Leslie Josel of Order Out of Chaos. The focus was on helping students with ADHD initiate tasks. Part of the conversation focused on how to use your environment to jump-start action. This idea caught my attention. Even though the tips may be most helpful for people with ADHD, they can benefit anyone who wants to improve their productivity.

What Does Your Environment Have to Do with Productivity?

Taking the first step on a task requires energy. Doing so often requires that we overcome various hurdles, including:

• Emotional hurdles (“I don’t really feel like doing this”)
• Physical hurdles (“I’m tired” or “I’m not feeling well”)
• Mental hurdles (“I’m worried about XYZ””)
• Intellectual hurdles (“I don’t know how to do this”)
• Situational hurdles (“I can’t find what I need” “There’s no place for me to work,” or “I don’t have time to do this”)

Sometimes we manage to sit down and begin but then find our minds drift and our attention wanes.

When we fail to follow through, we may end up berating ourselves for not being able to just “get it together” and get things done. This can lead to feelings of shame and embarrassment, both of which chip away at our self-confidence and undermine productivity–a bit of a Catch-22.

This brings me back to Leslie’s idea of shifting some of the burden for initiating tasks away from ourselves and onto our environment. Instead of relying completely on willpower or self-discipline, she encourages us to set up our space in a way that makes initiating tasks easier.

In other words, let your room do some of the work.

This may sound a little strange, but our surroundings can make a big difference. For instance, it’s easier to:

• Cook a meal when all the ingredients are already in the refrigerator.
• Stop scrolling on the phone at night when an interesting book is on the table next to the bed.
• Sweep the floors when there is nothing on them.
• Study when surrounded by others who are doing the same.

10 Principles for Creating a Setting That Will Help You Get Started

So how do we set our space up to help us get started? Here are ten principles I took away from Leslie’s webinar.

Go Vertical Over Horizontal

When we stack things horizontally, we can see only the object on top (e.g., the top piece of paper, the top T-shirt in the drawer). When things are hidden, we either waste time looking for them or forget what we were supposed to do with them. Both of these can immediately undermine the momentum we were trying to build.

Instead, where possible, use your vertical space to help you see and remember important things. For instance, let’s say you are managing 5 projects. Instead of putting the relevant papers into hanging files in a drawer, use a vertical hanging sorter. Wall-mounted pockets can also keep things in plain view while not crowding your work surface.

How this makes getting started easier:

Keeping supplies out where we can find them keeps us from getting distracted while digging around, looking for what we need.

Employ Visibility

Similarly, Leslie explained that people with ADHD need to be able to see things to remember that they exist. When things are put away (even in an organized fashion), it’s easy to forget about them. Literally, “Out of sight, out of mind.”

I don’t have ADHD, but I also find visual reminders helpful. Here’s a personal example.

I often schedule donation pickups at my house. When I’ve scheduled a pickup, I need to remember to put things out by 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the pickup. I usually pile the items up just inside the garage door so that all I need to do is pull them outside in the morning. However, because I don’t go into the garage when I come downstairs in the morning, I can easily forget to move the items outside.

I could (and often do) write this task down in my task planning tool. However, I frequently don’t look at that tool until after I exercise, which is after the 8:00 a.m. deadline. To help me remember to do it first thing, I now add a reminder note to the table at the bottom of the stairs.To make it noticeable, I use a bright-colored sticky note and attach it so that it hangs over the edge of the table. This catches my eye and reminds me to move the items outside.

How this makes getting started easier:

Visual reminders catch our eye and prompt us to act without requiring any additional effort on our part.

Limit the Number of Actions You Need to Remember

Some people can hear a list of things and remember them all. I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Morning Glory in which Rachel McAdams impresses her new staff by responding to their many questions. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth spending two and a half minutes watching.

As fun as this scene is, many people struggle to remember a string of tasks. This is understandable, because holding too many instructions in mind at once places a strain on the brain. On the one hand, we are trying to complete the first task. On the other hand, we are trying to remember the other tasks that we are supposed to do next. It’s easy to lose our train of thought.

Instead, write down the longer list, then assign yourself (or others) just one or two tasks at a time. For instance, “Read this document and call Jane about soccer pickup.” That’s it. When you finish these, go back to review the longer, written list.

How this makes getting started easier:

Focusing on one or two tasks at a time feels more approachable and doable than a long sequence of tasks. We can start and finish before we get distracted or forget what we are supposed to be doing.

Establish Prompts at the Points of Performance

Prompts are tools that help us remember what we are supposed to do and motivate us to follow through. These can be notes, alarms, or objects, among other things. The secret is to have the prompt close to where the action happens.

For instance, if I’m supposed to feed the dog in the morning, I don’t want the reminder note to be upstairs on my dresser. Why? Because it’s easy for me to forget or get distracted as I walk from my bedroom to the kitchen. Instead, the note needs to be close to where I feed the dog.

To take this one step further, attach the note to something you use right before feeding the dog, such as the coffee pot you reach for when you enter the room.

How this makes getting started easier:

Strategically placed prompts trigger action right at the moment we need to take it.

Minimize Hurdles to Taking Action

It doesn’t take much to interfere with our ability to follow through on an intended action.

For instance, if we need to put an object away but the appropriate container is at the bottom of a stack, we are likely to leave the item on top of the stack instead. Similarly, if we remove a tag from a new shirt while standing in the closet and there is no trash can nearby, we will likely leave the tag on a shelf rather than carry it to the bathroom to throw it away.

Barriers to performance are any obstacles that we have to manage before doing the actual task. This includes things like:

• Closet doors (especially if they are hard to open)
• Lids (particularly ones that are difficult to remove)
• Stacks of items or containers (the taller the stack, the bigger the hassle)
• Crowded storage and work surfaces (e.g., that drawer you can’t open)
• Inefficient supplies (e.g., dull pencils, uncharged devices, weak Wi-Fi)
• Unclear next steps (where does this thing go?)

While we can’t always live and work in ideal conditions, we can pay attention to moments when we intend to do something but either don’t follow through or take a shortcut. What’s getting in our way? Why are we resisting this task? Is there any way to make the task easier to perform?

Maybe we need to add some shelves so we don’t have to move a whole stack of containers. Or perhaps we need to add a trashcan to the closet. If filing papers in a vertical file feels like too much effort, how about using a box on a shelf that we can just toss into? A small tweak can often make a big difference.

How this makes getting started easier:

We are likely to take action when doing so is hassle-free.

Use Cubbies

Furniture and décor offer a wide variety of options. However, when it comes to function, Leslie shared that she really likes cubbies. Cubbies are useful because they naturally encourage categorization. Each little compartment can be assigned a type of object.

For instance, if you love books, you can separate books by topic. If you have children’s toys at home, you can place bins in the cubbies, each designated for a specific type of toy (e.g., LEGO bricks, dolls, or blocks). I had a teenage client who liked keeping her clothes in cubbies (pants in one, shorts in one, sweaters in a couple, workout clothes in one, etc.).

The possibilities are endless. You can use cubbies to categorize clothing, art supplies, craft supplies, projects, class subjects, or just about anything else that fits in a cubby. The walls of the cubby define where one thing starts and another stops.

You can use open cubbies for quick and easy access or add doors and/or bins to provide a bit of visual finish.

How this makes getting started easier:

Cubbies make it easy to find what you need and put it away when you’re done, both of which make it easier to get started on a task.

Match Lighting to the Task

Lighting is one of the most important productivity tools in a room. We respond subconsciously to the lighting in a room, and it affects how we perform.

For instance, natural light tends to encourage productivity. Have you ever noticed how much energy you have on a summer morning compared to a dark winter morning? Productivity experts often suggest doing your hardest work during daylight hours. (I know, night owls may disagree, but it can be helpful to some people.)

Also, many people find it hard to focus under harsh overhead lighting. This can be particularly true if you are working on a screen, where harsh lighting reflects too much light into your eyes.

Consider what type of task you need to do in a space, then choose lighting that supports it. You may find you need multiple lighting sources, such as a focused task light to sort paper or read, with a broader overhead light to cook.

How this makes getting started easier:

We feel more ready to work when the lighting in a room complements the energy level and type of work required.

Place Analog Clocks in Every Room

Many people struggle to keep track of the passage of time. One minute they have plenty of time; the next, they’re running late. In modern society, most people use their phones or other digital tools to track time. The problem with digital clocks is that they only show you the current time. They don’t help you estimate how much time you have left.

In contrast, analog clocks help us see the time passing. For example, we can track the hands moving and see how much further they have to go before we need to walk out the door. Analog clocks can do some of the motivational heavy lifting by keeping us aware of the time as the hands move.

Where should we put analog clocks? Everywhere we need to be tracking time. This includes the kitchen, the bedroom, and even the bathroom.

How this makes getting started easier:

When we see how little time we have left, we are likely to shift into gear and get moving.

Keep Supplies in a Find-able, Reliable Location

Whenever we begin a task but then have to step away for some reason, we risk getting distracted and losing momentum. The goal is to make our work setting a self-contained, self-functioning space. For instance, if I sit down to work on a document but then have to get up to find my reading glasses, I need to “re-muster” my focus when I return and start working again.

For this reason, it helps to have everything you regularly need close at hand. This can be in nearby drawers or shelves, or in a rolling cart or bin that we can bring to our workstation when we begin.

The goal is to minimize how often you need to leave your workspace to retrieve something. Not only do we risk getting distracted, but we can also lose valuable time hunting down what we need If we might need items that aren’t regularly stored nearby, it’s better to find them before we sit down.

How this makes getting started easier:

We can sit down and get productive easily, giving ourselves fewer opportunities to get distracted or come up with excuses to avoid the task.

Use a Motivating Playlist

This one may be controversial. People feel differently about background music. I find that certain types of music can be very helpful in initiating action. Music not only makes the setting more appealing but can also occupy the part of your brain that wants to avoid the task and do something else.

Instrumental music may be best for tasks that require reading, writing, and intense concentration. Energizing music can be helpful to get us started on physical tasks. Rhythmic music can be motivating and help us feel the passage of time.

One tool Leslie recommended for exploring this option further is Brain.Fm, an app that matches playlists to certain types of tasks.

How this makes getting started easier:

Music motivates us to get started and keeps us company while we work.

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Getting the ball moving can feel like a Herculean task, especially when we rely on willpower alone. A well-designed environment can bear some of the load, helping you get started more quickly and easily.

What have you put in your space that helps you jump-start action?