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Hi Reader,

Did you know the average person has between 10,000 and 70,000 thoughts a day?

I think it’s safe to say that those of us leading projects sit on the higher end of that scale, closer to 70,000 thoughts per day.

Between deadlines, talkative stakeholders, and the occasional “Did I send that email?” or “Where are my keys?” moments, our minds rarely rest.

But the real question is how many of those thoughts are you actually aware of? And how many are actually helping you?

The monkey mind

For me, it usually goes something like this. It all starts with me thinking about a problem I need to solve. But instead of my mind helping me, it takes a little detour.

For example, my thoughts might jump to my grocery list and how I need to add green peppers. And popcorn. Then suddenly I’m thinking about what to wear for that event next Wednesday. Next, I remember I still need to weed the garden. And then…wait…I realize it’s green onions I need, not green peppers! Then all of a sudden lyrics from an ’80s song start playing in my head.

Meanwhile, the original problem I started with is still sitting there, completely unsolved. My brain has offered zero helpful suggestions. On the bright side, my grocery list is looking great. But I have no idea what to wear Wednesday night, my garden is still full of weeds, and the lyrics keep playing.

Are some of these thoughts helpful? Maybe. The rest? Not at all.

Ken's mantra

I used to attend a meditation group where our facilitator, Ken, would often say, “Most of my thinking is compulsive and distracting, so I take it very lightly.”

So, how can those of us leading projects quiet the monkey mind and aim for closer to 10,000 thoughts a day instead of 70,000?

Here's a few suggestions from experts at Harvard Health Publishing:

1. Give yourself permission - recognize that racing thoughts are just mental chatter.
2. Get mindful - close your eyes occasionally and count your breaths.
3. Distract yourself - change the scene by listening to music or call a friend.
4. Get moving - do a set of push-ups or a walk around the block.
5. Schedule worry time - write down your worry and list every worst-case scenario.

For me, sometimes it can be as simple as keeping a “monkey mind list.” When a thought pops up, I quickly check if it’s valid. If it is, I ask myself whether it requires action, and if it does, I add it to my to-do list and then let it go. I know it’s there as a reminder for me to look at later.

Keep what matters

We all can get stuck in a whirlwind of thoughts as we go through our day, but the trick is learning which ones actually matter.

With a little mindfulness, a dash of distraction, and maybe a “monkey mind list” or two, you can finally quiet the chaos, at least long enough to figure out what’s for dinner, what to wear, and maybe even remember where you put your keys.

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