096: Getting Unstuck: Breaking the Cycle of Anxiety and Procrastination to Make Better Decisions with Steve Riley

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus™ Helping attorneys grow thriving practices, increase revenue, lower stress, and achieve a work/life balance.

What if you could break free from cognitive overload and make razor-sharp decisions in no time?

On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve guides you through the revolutionary Fast Focus Process, a six-step method that promises to unclog your mental traffic jams. Through relatable personal anecdotes and actionable examples, we'll pinpoint the decisions that cause your mind to stall and provide you with practical strategies to tackle them head-on. This episode is all about enhancing your decision-making prowess to build a better practice and a more fulfilling life.

Using the metaphor of a traffic rotary, we'll explore how even the most ambitious goals can get you stuck in a loop of procrastination and anxiety. That's where the “fast focus strategy” comes in—starting with a simple yet powerful step: scheduling an “unstuck meeting” with your brain. This technique will help you regain control, break the cycle of inaction, and make more confident decisions moving forward. By mastering these cognitive strategies, you'll find it easier to navigate both your professional and personal life.

To celebrate our milestone 100th episode, we invite you to share your most memorable moments and key takeaways. We'll also dive into an exercise designed to improve your decision-making skills by categorizing tasks into trucks, cars, and scooters. By employing quick sprints—focused bursts of activity—you'll minimize distractions and reduce cognitive load, making tackling tasks more efficient. Discover how these practical steps can help you clear your mental congestion and build a truly great practice and life.

Join Steve on this journey to transform your decision-making abilities and achieve your goals with newfound clarity and confidence.

In this episode, you will hear:

• An introduction to the Fast Focus Process for efficient decision-making

• Cognitive overload and mental traffic jams

• Strategies for breaking the cycle of anxiety and procrastination

• Utilizing metacognitive techniques to enhance decision-making

• Organizing decisions by size: trucks (big), cars (medium), and scooters (small)

• The importance of scheduling an “unstuck meeting” with your brain

• Celebrating the 100th episode with listener reflections and takeaways

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Supporting Resources:

• Steve Riley, Shareholder, Practice Advisor, & Attorney: atticusadvantage.com/our-team/steve-riley

• Decision Fatigue Exhausts Self-Regulatory Resources – But So Does Accommodative and Goal-Pursuit Choices, Kathleen D. Vohs, et al: www.researchgate.net/publication/237738528_Decision_Fatigue_Exhausts_Self-Regulatory_Resources_-_But_So_Does_Accommodating_to_Unchosen_Alternatives

• Metacognition and Cognitive Monitoring: A New Area of Cognitive–Developmental Inquiry, John H. Flavell: psycnet.apa.org/buy/1979-32645-001

• Guided Discovery in a Community of Learners, Ann L. Brown and Joseph D. Campione: link.springer.com

• The Construction of Preference, Sarah Lichtenstein, Paul Slovic, eds: www.cambridge.org/core/books/construction-of-preference/994FE8DFB8D431338B2A009F25271FBC

• Metacomprehension and Self-Regulated Learning, John Dunlosky and Katherin Rawson: link.springer.com/journal/13423

• Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning, John Sweller: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15516709

• Want to add your insights to Episode 100? Send your video or message to [e-mail]

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.