Do the thing you’re doing.

If you start to write a quick email, WRITE THE QUICK EMAIL.

Are you sending a note to Ted? Between the time you click “start” and the time you hit “send”, a dozen things might try to grab you (e.g., check other email! clear recycling off your desk! get up and grab a snack! read the memo that’s on your desk!). Don’t do them. WRITE THE EMAIL TO TED.

Self-talk helps:

I’m writing an email to Ted.
I’m writing sentence one.
I’m writing sentence two
…
I’m writing the last sentence.
I’m clicking send.

Self-talk as much as you need. At every urge to do something different, talk yourself through the next sentence. You might need to self-talk through the end of the email. Or your mind might latch onto the task after one or two sentences, and you’ll finish without distraction.

Either way, guess what happens by the end?

You sent your email to Ted! Done. Finished. Off your list and out of your brain. Yay! Now pick the next thing to do, and Do It.

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Editor’s note: I’m pleased to say that I finished this whole post without writing any other post, dumping my recycling, getting a snack, or reading anything else on my desk. Self-talk!