Recently, I was working with a client who asked me how they could stay focused when working on a task that brought forward so many other things to be done. This caused them to get sidetracked or add time to the task.
My answer: Add it to your parking lot. Then they nodded and said, “Hmm.” They understood what I was saying because it was not the first time I’d talked about the parking lot.
Let’s be honest: distractions are everywhere. Whether it’s a new idea popping into your head during a meeting or course you want to take, an idea for a blog comes up, or even a great sample of a marketing idea … suddenly, your attention is refocused. These ideas are great, maybe even important, but you can’t address them immediately. But if you cannot capture them, they will hold your attention. You need a way to capture the idea and show your unconscious that the idea is not lost so you can return to what is a priority now and return to that idea at the right time.
Enter the concept of the “parking lot”—a simple but powerful tool to help you stay focused while ensuring those important ideas and tasks don’t get lost. A place to “park” that idea until it’s time to revisit it. Let’s explore the use of a parking lot and suggest a few alternate terms that may resonate with you.
A parking lot is a metaphorical or literal space where you temporarily “park” ideas, tasks, or distractions that pop up during your work. Think of it as a holding space—similar to parking a car—where an idea or task can sit until you have the time, energy, and mental bandwidth to deal with it properly.
In practice, this could be:
I store mine in a list on my favorite tool, Clickup. This way, you don’t forget the idea but don’t allow it to derail your focus on the current task.
1. Enhanced Focus and Productivity
One of the greatest benefits of using a parking lot is that it allows you to remain focused. Rather than interrupting your current flow, you quickly jot down the new idea or task and return to what you were doing. This avoids the mental fragmentation that comes from constantly switching between tasks.
2. Preserving Good Ideas for Later
Great ideas often come at inconvenient times—while you’re working on something else, in a meeting, or right before bed. Without a system to capture these ideas, they may be forgotten or feel overwhelming. A parking lot ensures that those flashes of inspiration are saved for later reflection, giving you peace of mind that nothing important will slip through the cracks.
3. Avoiding Overwhelm
Our brains can only juggle so much at one time. When ideas and tasks begin piling up in your mind, it can feel overwhelming and paralyzing. Having a designated place to put those thoughts removes the pressure to address everything immediately.
4. Improved Decision-Making
Parking an idea allows you to evaluate it later when you’re not in the middle of something else. This allows you to approach the idea with fresh eyes, potentially seeing it more clearly and making better decisions about how to act on it. In contrast, acting on a new task or idea immediately may lead to impulsive choices that don’t serve your larger goals.
5. Boosting Creativity
Creativity often thrives when we’re not forcing ourselves to address ideas immediately. By parking an idea, you allow it to marinate in your subconscious, which can lead to more developed and creative solutions when you revisit it.
1. Choose Your Format
Your parking lot can be physical or digital, depending on your preferences. Some prefer a journal, others use a whiteboard or sticky notes, and many turn to digital tools like Evernote, Google Keep, or Notion. What matters most is that it’s easy to access and use.
I use Clickup as my overall productivity tool. I reference it every day, and it’s open on my computer at all times, making it easier to capture my thoughts.
2. Make it Simple and Consistent
The parking lot should be easy to use, and you should get into the habit of quickly noting down ideas or tasks as they arise. If it’s too complicated or you forget to use it, the system won’t be effective. Whether it’s jotting down a few keywords or a quick sentence, consistency is key.
I like something that is on my computer and my phone, allowing me to capture information almost anywhere.
3. Regularly Review Your Parking Lot
A parking lot is only useful if you review it regularly. Set aside time daily, weekly, or as needed to review the list. Decide whether an idea is worth pursuing, can be delegated, or can be dropped entirely. This step helps ensure your parking lot doesn’t become a graveyard of forgotten thoughts.
I look at my parking lot quarterly (during my quarterly planning process). Some things can picked up from the parking lot and scheduled, others are deleted, and still others wait until I decide they are actionable in some way.
4. Prioritize What’s Parked
Not everything in the parking lot will be equally important. Once you review the items, prioritize them based on urgency and value. Some tasks might need immediate attention after review, while others can remain parked longer.
If something is urgent, I don’t add it to my main parking lot but to a to-do list for this week. At least I’ve captured it and can look at it with a fresh mind before the end of the week and decide how to proceed.
If “parking lot” doesn’t quite resonate with you, there are several alternative terms that capture the same essence:
Pick something that is fun and works for you.
The concept of a parking lot can be a game-changer for anyone looking to improve focus and productivity. By temporarily setting aside tasks and ideas, you maintain control over your workflow and ensure that your best ideas aren’t lost in the hustle of everyday distractions.
My client used it to capture ideas to improve their systems and processes. By parking the idea, they could finish the current task in a timely manner to the point of “good enough” and then delegate the idea to someone else on the team. It served as a way to capture a good idea AND ensure the right person worked on it—a win-win!
Whether you call it a parking lot, idea bank, or brain shelf, having a designated space for your thoughts will free up mental energy, reduce overwhelm, and help you stay focused on what matters most.
Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.David Allen
Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.
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