A Walk in the Park

When you are stuck at something, it's probably time to take some time off. Even if there is an imminent deadline and you HAVE TO keep on working, it will probably be counter-productive.

What I've found to work best is taking a walk in a park. If you live in the UK, then there's probably a park in walking distance from where you work or live. When you are stuck and can't get the juices flowing, hit pause and go for a walk. If you have a dog take him with you.

Like I described last week, when at the park be mindful. Don't keep thinking about what's waiting back at home or at work. Enjoy the fresh air, the scenery, the birds and the trees. Take it all in and let go of what's troubling you. After about 15-20 minutes that your head will have cleared, head back.

Once you are back, prepare a fresh drink (I always go for coffee) and dive right into work. Most probably you will find that you will have a fresh perspective and new ideas to bring in.

To add a bonus to the above, if you are working on a team project and you are all stuck, try getting the team out of the office and to the park. Spend 20-30 minutes playing a game or sitting and talking about irrelevant stuff. It will boost energy and get you ready for the stuff waiting to be tackled. 

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

Do Mindful Work

Here is a tip I learnt through my Zen practice that has helped me a lot when trying to come up with ideas and/or solutions to various problems.

If you are stuck on something and can't come up with a solution or idea, stop and do some mindful work. By work, I mean doing any task that doesn't require "thinking" and problem solving, it can range from washing dishes to taking a shower or doing some other manual task. Being mindful means that while you are doing this task you need to focus on the task. I know it's hard, it took me time to get there and I still find myself getting out of line. While doing the task just focus on the task at hand (describing to yourself what you are doing really helps) and let your subconscious do the work.

After you have finished you will feel refreshed and some ideas/solutions will probably come up that you couldn't think of before.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis