Whenever there’s a deadline near, I spring into action. But, after that, I get exhausted. I felt like I need a more organic way for productivity.
So, I started some digging.
ASAP Science (a YT channel) helped. In their video about productivity, they suggested to just get started- for two reasons:
i. Before starting out mind wanders about all the difficulties ahead and makes us disinterested.
ii. Our brain doesn’t like unfinished work. So when we get started it bugs us to finish.
Then I came across James Clear (Author of “Atomic Habits”). I love two of his quotes as follows:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
and “To improve upon a habit, you have to first build one” (paraphrased)
he advises to do atom sized tasks for 60 days to build a solid habit first. Then we can strive to improve the habit.
But, the advice I liked most came from Mel Robbins- her famous 5 seconds rule.
When I’ve the impulse to do something (or think I should), I shall count backwards like this- 5,4,3,2,1 .. and do the thing.
As Mel explains, when we hesitate, the brain sees that as a signal of threat, as in the activity is dangerous, so it stops us from doing.
Also, it lets the cortex brain gain some power over the limbic one- for rational decision making.
So all three of the ideas above have been of great benefit to me lately. Almost finished Mel’s book yesterday. It’s a good book. I liked the audio version of the book as Mel is a great speaker.
RaihanRiad 