We all have the little voice in our heads that seems to be talking all the time. It is part of the decision-making process to "think things through."

However, just like searching on the Internet can lead down a rabbit hole of twists and turns until you forget what you were searching for in the first place, so can thoughts.

So, what can you do?

Meditate. Center yourself. Relax. Focus.

These all sound great until you realize they are not working. Not that they do not work, they just are not working right now.

Here are two excerpts from my book, It's About Time: Time Management Tips from The Software Revitalist™, published in 2009, to help you get past the distractions happening in your head.

Give in to a Busy Mind

There are times when our minds are spinning with thoughts or ideas that are totally unrelated to the task at hand. Trying to suppress them rarely works and takes your attention so you are not focusing on what you want to be doing anyway.

Instead of fighting it, stop, take a deep breath, finish the thought, and take notes.

Now you can bring your focus back to the scheduled task. You no longer have the distraction, and you have not lost the thought or idea. Put it aside and focus on it later.

The small act of capturing the thought gives your mind permission to release it. You are not ignoring the idea. You are choosing when it deserves your attention.

Schedule Time to Worry, but No More Than 10 Minutes a Day

When you suppress worrying it hangs around and can easily creep into your thoughts and distract you from everything else. Plan when you are going to worry, and your mind will calm down. Then make sure you worry when you have scheduled it.

During your "worry time," try to find solutions rather than simply lamenting. End the session when you scheduled it to end and mentally acknowledge that you have completed your worrying about this topic.

This takes practice, but I have implemented it many times. One interesting side effect is that I hardly ever worry about anything anymore. I problem-solve instead.

Turn Mental Noise Into a Decision

Self-talk becomes most disruptive when it has nowhere to go. Capturing a thought, scheduling time for it, or identifying one concrete next step turns an open mental loop into something you can manage. The objective is not a perfectly quiet mind. It is the ability to return your attention to what matters now.