Embracing Shiny Objects

I love shiny objects. The planet seems to think that you have to hate them at all costs, but the planet is wrong. Investigating something new, learning, playing, trying… it feeds me. It’s ok if it feeds you too!

The reason people say they’re “bad” is that they assume, sometimes rightfully, that the new thing will take over. This is how I deal with it:

Limit Myself

I try to find a limit on how far I go into a new thing. Not doing a new thing will bug me, but if I can limit myself to an hour looking into it, it gives me the happy I need. Then I can reel myself back into reality.

The limit doesn’t have to be time based. Find a scope that suits you.

It’s hard to give examples when you could be looking at literally anything, but it could be “I’ll stop when I’m looking up URLs to buy” or “I’ll stop before I spend money on this” or “I’ll stop when I feel looking it up is making me sad rather than energised”.

Intentions

In the Chronic Business Club I set weekly intentions. They’re intentions, and not goals, because my body is unpredictable and clients come first. Anything else I work on in a week is a bonus, and those intentions guide me when I’m able to do more work. Intentions help me when a lovely shiny new thing is floating around because it gives me something to compare wants vs needs in where I am spending my energy.

Change Happens

Some strategies work some times, and don’t work other times. For me its about the sometimes elusive balance of allowing myself to work however suits me, but also getting things done.