So, in the Self-Management for Actors Seminar (Master Class version) last week, Sarah shared a tip that had been shared with her, while on the train to Comic-Con the week before that.

No more RED in the iCal!

Seems simple enough. Psychologically, we associate red with corrections, marks on our schoolwork, deficits on financial ledgers… URGENCY.

And seeing as I’m all about focusing on the important (not the urgent) these days, this intrigued me.

I tend to have a lot of “urgent” in my life, and that’s been a block to my own prosperity and fulfillment. All of this became crystal clear when I read The War of Art a couple of months ago. Everything is different now. I regularly talk about the “pre-DDA me” and the “post-DDA me” (where DDA is “done dickin’ around,” my new mantra). The War of Art is my guide to DDA.

There’s nowhere in that book that “banish red from your iCal” is advised, but when Sarah shared that tip in the Master Class last week, it resonated with me. So, I changed the red items (which, of course, were my most urgent to-do list items) to yellow. Nope. That didn’t work. Then a different purple than the one I already use. Nope. A slightly greener blue than the blue I already use? But not as green as the green I use? Ack. Too many colors already in place on the iCal.

Ah… steel. Silver. Slate. Cool, confident, important but not urgent.

And amazingly, I’ve gotten more important to-do list items resolved this week than in a good long time (all while launching a major give-back campaign for members of Team Cricket Feet). Keith and I have started getting really clear on “Do it. Do it now” around here. Rather than thinking of a to-do, noting it, and continuing on with whatever we’re doing, we now — about 85% of the time — actually just stop whatever we’re doing and DO THE DAMN THING so it doesn’t become another to-do list item. It doesn’t wear on our psychic energy. It doesn’t become a dread or another bit of mental clutter. It just gets done.

Done Dickin’ Around!

Whatever hack you need to try to make your life more productive, more connected, more lovely, just try it. And try it long enough to be sure it’s working.

So… what’s working? Got a tip to share? Please do. You never know how great an impact a silly little mind trick may have.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!