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All our actions, everything
we do, make, create, say, move towards or away from, follows a
sequence of stages known as the ACTION
SPIRAL.
We move through the stages
as if we're following a spiral. It's not a closed cycle, because
each time you complete an action, you move forward in time - you
are no longer who, what or where you were. Your body, mind, heart
and soul has more experience of life - and you're older!
We learn to move through
the stages of the Action Spiral as
we develop, as children. We're led by our instincts, we're taught
by our families, and we observe other people and how they navigate
each stage (or don't).
Here's a simple example
of how it works.
| You
notice you're feeling hungry.... |
BECOMING
AWARE
|
| You think
about what you'd like to eat, and you go to the fridge or
cupboard to check out all the possible alternatives.... |
EXPLORING
& EXPERIMENTING
|
| You decide
to make a sandwich. You take out some ham and butter, and
find the bread. You make the sandwich. You eat the sandwich.
Maybe you have a yoghurt as well. And some juice.... |
CHOOSING
& GETTING INVOLVED
|
| You notice
your feeling of hunger has gone. You stop eating.... |
Saying
"ENOUGH" & COMPLETING
|
| You sit back
for a moment, letting yourself digest the sandwich, and your
mind drifts to what you want to do next.... |
PAUSING
& REFLECTING
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So - we all know we can
go round the Spiral effectively many times in our daily lives.
But sometimes - we PROCRASTINATE.
And that means that we put off going through the next stage of
whatever we need or want to do. And that's where the problems
start....
And most people think
that procrastination is all about putting off DOING
things - but notice that you can put off PAUSING
- taking time out, resting, relaxing, reflecting - just as easily.
This can lead to exhaustion. When was the last morning you woke
up feeling really refreshed? Maybe time for some time out?
| Understanding the
Action Spiral can help you pinpoint where you have got stuck
through procrastinating. This kind of awareness can be the
first step in getting yourself moving again. |
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