Reflections on Alexander Technique and personal productivity

When I talk about the surprising life improvements that resulted from clearing my head of the mundane (see GTD), I mention reduced lower back pain. Some of you have asked about that, so I wanted to respond today and talk specifically about the Alexander Technique (AKA AT - Wikipedia article here), which has helped so much.

I bring this up because 1) the technique is itself helpful, 2) there are some interesting parallels with the personal productivity work I teach, and 3) my AT teacher (Missy Vineyard) has just published a terrific book on the subject that I recommend highly: How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live: Learning the Alexander Technique to Explore Your Mind-Body Connection and Achieve Self-Mastery. (The other back pain book that helped a lot was Back Sense; web site here.)

Very briefly, AT is a method to identify and replace old (and often hidden) habitual ways we use our bodies with more efficient (and less painful) ones. It's based on some insights and self-experiments performed by F. M. Alexander around the turn of the century. Especially interesting is the story of Alexander's attempts to solve a singing limitation. He first tried an approach that engineers would recognize: He noticed he moved his head a certain way every time he started to sing, a way that held back his voice. Importantly, he couldn't directly stop himself from doing it! It was a habit at the black box level of mind-body functioning that he had no insight into nor control over.

Fast-forward years ahead, and the result is a method taught one-on-one by an AT instructor that helps inhibit old patters of thinking and movement, and direct the body to more efficient ones. It's really neat.


So what's the productivity connection? Tons of things - I'll mention a few. First, both AT and personal productivity techniques like GTD or Chris Crouch's "Getting Organized" system (see my review here) involve learning significantly improved ways of self-management that aren't taught by default, but I believe are required for us to work and live more smoothly. The result is we're forced to learn ad hoc or outdated methods that don't serve us well (tightening unnecessary back muscles, or using fixed A/B/C priorities, say). Interestingly, what initially helped me was a shift in perspective that enabled the big improvement: looking at back pain as stemming from improper usage (standing, sitting, walking), not structure.

Additionally, neither are silver bullets - they involve changing old habits and adopting new behaviors, which is hard. (You might enjoy last week's post Reader question: Getting personal productivity changes to stick?, esp. the reader comments.) It's analogous to making big self-management changes via new habits, rather than gadgets or tools. The latter are tempting, and seem easy - "Just buy this cool tool and you'll work better!" - or "Just get this surgery and your pain will go away!" However, I've found the deeper, more principled changes - like any form of mastery - require thinking, practice, and time (sometimes a hard sell in today's cultural climate).

Let me finish with a few more observations.

• Backsliding: As George Leonard writes in Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment, "backsliding is a universal experience. Every one of us resists significant change, whether for the better or the worse. Our body, brain and behaviour have a built-in tendency to stay the same, within rather narrow limits, and to snap back when changed." So we have to have enough discipline and motivation to get back on the wagon. For personal productivity we get back to the basics: Collect everything back into a few fixed points, do a mind sweep, review our projects, and get our system current.
  
• Static vs. dynamic: In his book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Daniel Pink writes a static view only tells you some things; a dynamic one gives you a bigger picture of interrelated parts working together. For productivity, you can't just look at someone's desk and figure out where the problems are. Instead, you've got to look at a person using her desk.
  
• Experiential AT and personal productivity systems both let you experience a more organized state, which helps by:
  • showing it's possible to work better
    
  • motivating you to get back into it (backsliding)
    
  • getting external help (seeing the need)
  In AT, we get experiences like standing up and feeling lighter, an insight of how things can be different. With my productivity work, clients experience a clear mind, and a sense of knowing everything they've committed to.
  
• Brain as a tool Both approaches look at the brain as a tool, and ask: How to use it properly? There are two common methods of operation: 1) Adding tension, which tries to force relaxing and working better (the only approach people typically know), and 2) a whole new approach: inhibition + direction (doing less via new thinking). For productivity, the analogs are trying to work harder/longer/faster/etc vs. re-thinking how we work.
  
• Reset button: I wonder: Does every system need a reset button? Sometimes we have to reboot our computers when they get wrapped around the axle. In AT, there are some exercises to take us out of the typical gravity orientation - e.g., laying prone. In productivity, doing a weekly review comes to mind.

Resources

• Alexander Technique Center of New England - My teacher's school.
  
• Some overviews: ATI - About the Alexander Technique and Alexander Technique: The Insider's Guide.
  
• A nice post on productivity and Martial Arts: The connection between GTD and Tai Chi.
  

Reader question: Getting personal productivity changes to stick?

(Note: I came down with a cold a few days ago, so please forgive this post's rambling nature.)

As I grow my personal productivity consultancy (via workshops and one-on-one services) I've had to get my head around an issue I'm sure all teachers face - answering the question "When have I done enough?" In my work it manifests because I'm teaching a coherent and integrated approach to workflow, not simply a bag of tips and tricks [1]. Trouble is, it's not a silver bullet, and significant changes around how we self-manage are hard to make (many of our habits go back very far).

Currently I use the model for change that worked for me, the revolutionary approach espoused by many books, including Getting Things Done. In this "one big push" process you collect everything in your workspaces (mental as well as physical) that's not "stuff," process it into your action management system, and end up with no backlogs. It's both exhausting and invigorating, very satisfying, and (here's the problem) doesn't work for everyone.

For this (admittedly simple) analysis, I'll group people trying to adopt such a method into two groups: Those who fail due to lack of commitment or other systemic problems outside my control, and those who fail because making a big change is hard. As a teacher, I mourn the former group but have to draw the line at teaching them the best I can, ensuring they understand the system, and supporting them until it sticks. But at some point, I have to say my job is done, independent of whether they've adopted it or not. This is difficult, because I want everyone to succeed. But I've come to realize it's healthy to acknowledge externally-imposed limits.

For the second group, I'd like to develop a way to get them into a new set of more productive behaviors and maintain them over the long term. Do you have any suggestions? The only clue I currently have is from One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, which advises using very small steps to (ultimately) make big progress. The author argues that, due to how our brains work, big steps don't usually work. (Note: Does this mean most people writing about GTD are in the minority?)

Using these ideas, I can envision a more gradual approach in which users systematically adopt pieces of the method over time, habitualizing each one before moving forward. A good starting point might be my GTD Workflow Assessment/Tips Checklist. I see two problems, though. First, everyone has different needs, so would a fixed program ("this week we'll work on the filing system") work well? (I address this in my two day "intensives" by customizing on the fly as the client and I work together.)

Second, I think systems like Allen's [2] take time for people to get their heads around, even if the individual elements aren't complex. This leads me to wonder whether a spiral approach is best (see Creating Passionate Users: Spiral learning for example). I guess the latter would still apply to a more gradual evolutionary approach, though.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.


"Small Steps" References

• Kaizen: Practice your personal Kaizen
  
• Kaizen and Idea Management Systems
  
• No Satisfaction at Toyota
  
• Kaizen for personal development

References

• [1] See my article The ultimate productivity tip for an example of why I think isolated tips don't lead to big changes.
  
• [2] For example, Getting Organized: Learning How to Focus, Organize and Prioritize (review here), The Instant Productivity Toolkit (review here), and Take Back Your Life! Using Microsoft Outlook to Get Organized and Stay Organized.
  

My Productivity501 contribution is up, FYI

I had the privilege of being invited to participate in Mark Shead's group email interview on Biggest Time Wasters. It's up over at Productivity501, and there are some great answers from such luminaries as Brendon Connelly, Alvin Soon, Laura Stack, Brett Kelly, Rosa Say, and Frank Meeuwsen. Thanks Mark!

Consider removing "maybe" from your productivity vocabulary

The more I learn about personal productivity, the more I appreciate decisiveness. I wrote If not now, when? The importance of being bold around this, and I want to expand the discussion to the word maybe, and talk about removing it (or at least limiting its use) from your productivity vocabulary could help you and those you work with.

What's wrong with maybe? It has some good uses (more in a moment), but generally people use it to put off decisions, or to avoid saying "no." It (and its close cousin let me think about it) will often make things worse, not better. This is because, without discipline, the offer/issue/problem won't go away with some focused thinking. Not only will the decision be hanging over you, you'll be blocking the person who made the request.

I'd argue that most of the time, we know inside whether to say "no" or "yes," but we put it off. If that's the case, take a deep breath, accept or decline with respect and compassion, and be done with it. You'll usually feel much better as a result. However, there are times when you need to carefully employ "maybe." A few examples:

• You don't have enough information.
  
• You're waiting on something or someone else's input.
  
• You have an intuition about it, but not yet enough clarity.

In those cases, you may choose to defer the decision, but I recommend doing so in a principled way:

• Set boundaries for when you'll have made the decision. For example, give yourself two weeks (use your tickler file or equivalent), and commit to deciding by then. Do not re-incubate!
  
• Inform anyone waiting on you that you're giving it active thought, and let them know when they can expect an answer (see above). (This is a specific case of the two key communication questions the Time/Design folks talk about: Who is impacted? and Who needs to know?. Once answered, use your frequent communication tools - e.g., the Getting Things Done agenda - to keep key players in the loop.)
  
• Take concrete action to help make the decision. Collect information, discuss it with someone you trust, or make a Franklin matrix - from Structuring Analytical Problems:

  To get over this, my way is to divide half a sheet of paper by a line into two columns; writing over the one Pro, and over the other Con. Then, during three or four days of consideration, I put down under the different heads short hints of the different motives, that at different times occur to me, for or against the measure.

• Sleep on it by giving your mind time to get clarity. However, rather than not thinking about it at all, I suggest you actively program your cortex to work on it. One very helpful approach comes from Robert Maurer's terrific little book One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way. In his chapter Ask Small Questions, Maurer recommends putting a small question to yourself repeatedly - say every day for a week or two. He says ... the mere act of posing the same question on a regular basis and waiting patiently for an answer mobilizes the cortex. Importantly, you'll have to break the problem down into a small, non-threatening question. Otherwise, he says, you'll lock up your brain in a fear pattern. (Related: 'Sleeping on it' best for complex decisions - being-human and Experiment Shows You Really Should 'Sleep On It'.)
  

One important aspect of reducing your maybes will be an enabling of others in your life. Firm, timely decisions (yes or no) allow colleagues to move on with their plans. Maybe, in comparison, keeps them from moving ahead.

How about you? Any best practices you've discovered around "maybe?"


Related

• On saying yes - 3 possibilities: Always yes, always no, or only when you really want to
  
• Yes' are great, nos are great, maybes will kill you
  

Some thoughts from the book "Getting Organized" by Chris Crouch

As I grow into the reality of working for myself, I've noticed there's a rhythm to how much activity I can handle, and it ebbs and flows, often in unpredictable ways. A while ago I wrote about When inputs exceed your workflow system's capacity, a situation I'm currently in - I'm focusing more on managing existing commitments (I'm presenting a fair number of workshops this summer) than creating new work. This is especially evident in my reading - I have a candidates shelf of about forty books (see A reading workflow based on Leveen's "Little Guide"), but I'm just not making much progress on them.

That's why I keep a list of blog ideas (1396, according to my Big-Arse Text File), including books I've read but not yet reported on. Today I want to pass along some notes from Getting Organized: Learning How to Focus, Organize and Prioritize by Chris Crouch. This is known as the GO System, which has its own network of certified practitioners. (Note: Many of the book's chapters can be found on EzineArticles.com.)

Looking at my notes, the book surpasses my scribble test (see "Interesting, but not useful," or Does it pass the scribble test?) with a bunch of stimulating concepts. Generally it's very good, mainly because it is a comprehensive solution - like Getting Things Done - rather than a reference of tips and tricks.

Here are some of my favorites - apologies fore the long list, but there's a lot to like!

• Crouch says "most people need a major overhaul, not a quick fix," which explains why most attempts to get organized don't work - the smorgasbord approach doesn't do it.
  
• The author says six things typically hold us back, and claims we must address all six to make progress:
  1. efficiently handling incoming items
     
  2. prioritizing your workload
     
  3. time management
     
  4. project management
     
  5. personality issues
     
  6. psychological issues
• The mental side of getting organized is significantly more important than anything else you do. His analogy: It's like buying a piano and thinking you can play it the next day. I like his quote about:

  If you want to stay highly organized, think in terms of habit-based solutions as opposed to gadget-based ones.

• He recommends a "not going to do" list, the equivalent of GTD's Someday/Maybe list. (Note: I love having clients fill these out during workshops - clients come up with some great ones.)
  
• He recommends we decide our most important task in the morning and do it before anything else - interruptions, email, or phone. Gina calls it your MIT (see Geek to Live: Control your workday). However, you must have a system in order to know what your MIT might be.
  
• His summary of how to work most effectively: stay in the moment - totally focus on what you are doing and get closure on it ... then move on to the next thing.
  
• He divides incoming work in to four phases: 1) gathering, 2) filtering, 3) prioritizing, 4) doing. He stresses it's important to keep them separate and do them in the proper order. (Compare to GTD's five worfklow phases: Collect, Process, Organize, Review, and Do.)
  
• Similarly, his equivalent to GTD's Processing & Organizing diagram is "the five decisions:" discard, delegate, take immediate action, file for follow-up, put in reference file. (For reference see How to process stuff - A comparison of TRAF, the "Four Ds", and GTD's workflow diagram.)
  
• I like his anti-example (what people typically do, but shouldn't): stack, stuff, spread, or any combination. I think of these as the three "Bad Ss" :-)
  
• He covers two GTD FAQs I see regularly: OHIO (only handle it once) and OOSOOM (out of sight, out of mind).
  
• Regarding reducing inputs and clutter, he has a great quote:

  The things that come into your life with little or no effort will rarely go out of your life without some effort on your part. This creates a natural imbalance in your workspace and your life. Understand this imbalance and will understand that you must have a system for moving things out of your life if you want to avoid being buried in clutter.

• He recommends a "control point" drawer: A hanging file within swivel distance that acts like an airport control point (reminds me of The Instant Productivity Toolkit). Things that go into it:
  • Tickler file
    
  • follow-up forms
    
  • agenda (boss, spouse, each on-going meeting)
    
  • casual reading (read/review)
    
  • waiting for
    
  • purchases/errands
• Two nice quotes on gadgets: The true test of a gadget: Is it easier than a pencil? also: Is it easier than something that is already working quite well?
  
• Regarding follow-up, he says there are three types of reputations of an organization: sometimes, always, or never.
  
• Some nice applications for the tickler file:
  • For big delegated projects put a reminder 1/2 way between now and due date.
    
  • To manage others' follow-up skills: put a tickler 1/2 way between now and the deadline, then ask how they're doing. Move sooner or later depending on how together they are.
  He says this sets expectations, which can lead to behavior changes.
  
• I like his thoughts on meetings: He encourages us to have an agenda, but to try to learn others' perspectives - the more you know about their point of view (and they're important to your success), the more effective you will be when interacting with them.

  Listen carefully to their point of view, and try to understand the beliefs that drive their behavior. It's actually a lot of fun to ask questions and try to figure out what makes them tick.

• He recommends two categories for reading: have to read (use your system, or schedule time), and would like to read (use read/review and rip-and-read). This is identical to what I advise clients, but with the optional addition of a Someday/Maybe category.
  
• He says we shouldn't over schedule our day - More than 50% should be kept clear. Also, leave time after meetings to process &, plus leave time between meetings.
  
• He talks about the overloaded and confused cycle, which "stuff" worsens. Be on the lookout for anxiety and confusion; these indicate overload.
  
• On perfection and "too smart to start" (AKA "analysis paralysis"): Consider getting off to a chaotic start. He says many people try to get perfect at the beginning. Instead, start with an initial brainstorming session using 3x5 cards, then order by best way to start.
  
• For planning large projects, use a simple table with columns for: category (people, products, sources), what is to be done, who will do it, when will they do it, general comments, status (in process, completed, ...). Then: sort the table by date!
  
• His reasons we feel overwhelmed:
  • You are setting unrealistic time frames for what you are trying to do.
    
  • You are procrastinating too long.
    
  • You are spending too much time working on things that do not matter.
    
  • You are over-promising what you can do for someone.
    
  • You do not have the profound knowledge needed to do the task.
    
  • You do not know when and how to say No.
    
• He lists these causes of procrastination:
  • Perfectionism - the paralyzing need to get it right the first time
    
  • Impulsiveness - taking on too many things to do and overloading yourself
    
  • Fear of failure - rather be seen as lacking in effort than ability
    
  • Perception of task - seems too hard or too boring
    
  • Uncertainty - not sure what to do
    
• Three things to do to master your work: Read, hang around masters, and make sure you are passionate about your job. I love his quote:

  Stop making excuses and start learning more about your job than anyone else within a 100-mile radius of your workspace. When you accomplish this, move your radius out another 100 miles. Keep this up until you don.t have anymore room to expand your radius.

• He makes a great point regarding "To Do" lists - most people make it too easy for things to get on the list, which means our "inputs" (work to do) exceed our "outputs" (work done). Mark Forster nails this pretty well (he calls them closed lists) - see Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management.
  
• On changing behaviors, he says anytime we encounter a new idea there are three possible outcomes: 1) nothing will happen, 2) you will alter your behavior in some minor ways, 3) the idea will significantly change your behavior and your life forever. He claims we must examine and disrupt the belief system that is driving that outcome...
  
• Finally, he talks about the ideas behind the work, including:
  • under pressure, you act without thinking
    
  • you can turn on the rational mind by relaxing
    
  • if feeling part of brain is on, you default to habits (good or bad)
    
  • if you insist on operating under pressure, you must learn good habits
    
  • something that feels right may be bad for you (it's a habit that feels normal)
    
  • something that feels wrong may be good for you (it's not a habit yet)
  
  

Again, a great book, lots of sound ideas, and some delightful wisdom about work and life. I'll leave you with a few more great quotes (I collect them for my infamous quote card exercises in my workshops):

Good productivity techniques are about feeling engaged, working at a satisfying pace, and getting the best out of people.

A peaceful state of mind is the ultimate reason for getting more focused, organized, and productive.