M0003.003 - Impulse Lists
Impulse Lists
- Impulse Lists involve writing down impulses or ideas instead of acting on them immediately.
- This strategy helps "scratch the itch" of acknowledging the impulse without interrupting your current focus or spending unnecessary time on it.
- After a set period of time (e.g., brewing tea, washing your hands, or finishing other work), review the list. Decide if any item is important enough to add to your task list or schedule for later. Discard the rest.
- This technique encourages reflection and prioritization, reducing the impact of distractions and impulsivity.
Examples
- Work Scenario: During a focused work session, you feel the urge to check social media. Instead of acting on it, you write "Check Instagram" on your Impulse List and continue working.
- Creative Projects: While editing a report, you suddenly have an idea for a painting. Write down the idea on your Impulse List, then revisit it later to decide if it’s worth pursuing now or scheduling for another time.
- Daily Life: While cooking dinner, you think of reorganizing the spice cabinet. Add "Reorganize spices" to your Impulse List and decide later if it’s urgent or can wait.
Discussion
Impulse Lists provide a structured way to handle distractions and impulsivity by capturing and deferring action. This mitigates the disruptive nature of impulsivity while supporting focus and long-term planning. By incorporating tools like task lists and using review periods during planned rest, this technique turns potential distractions into manageable and actionable items. Impulse Lists are particularly effective when paired with label and reject inner critic to dismiss non-constructive impulses, allowing individuals to maintain productivity while satisfying their need to acknowledge and process ideas.
Sub- and Co-Mitigations
| Mitigation | Description |
|---|---|
| M0001 - Prioritization Frameworks | Frameworks like the Eisenhower Box that help categorize tasks by urgency and importance to aid in prioritization. |
| M0003 - Self-Awareness Exercises | Exercises designed to enhance self-awareness, including emotional awareness, to help individuals understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors better. |
| M0011 - Planned Rest | Planning periods of low-distraction to encourage background mental processing and recovery. |
| M0012.001 - Label and Reject Inner Critic | Recognize personal critical thoughts and reject them. |
| M0014 - Calendaring | Using external tools to keep track of and plan for tasks and deadlines, reducing the likelihood of forgetting or double-booking. |
| M0014.001 - Task Lists | Structured lists of tasks that need to be completed to accomplish a goal. |
Expressions
| Expression | Description |
|---|---|
| EX0010 - Impulsivity | Acting or decision making without considering consequences. |
| EX0015 - Dissociation | A disconnection from the present moment, environment, or one’s own sense of self |