Productivity is what can make or break your goals and commitments in life. You may think that productivity is just some word used by our family, teachers, or bosses to keep us busy, but there really is more to it than that! Productivity is what keeps you from sitting on the sidelines in life and puts you out into the game where you belong. Without doing anything, you cannot achieve anything! It is up to you to get out there and make life happen. You can get all the things you want done completed, whether it be read a series of books, write a report, clean the house, or achieve your dreams. All of these are possible with productivity and you have the power to make them happen! While we may not be able to magically give you productivity, what we can do is give you the 7 laws of productivity. If you follow these and engage them, you will soon see you are that person you were envious of before, you will be the one getting everything done!
1. Break the bias towards inaction. What's the most common reason stuff doesn't get done? Well, because we don't do anything! Wow, what a breakthrough! If you have a bias towards inaction then nothing will get done. Ground-breaking stuff isn't it? And yet, action is always the most elusive part. Why? Well, we tend to get bogged down in things like preparing, planning and then dreaming (that it was much easier!) Eventually, we must challenge ourselves to take action. Because the minute that you start acting (e.g. starting your assignment or studying for a test) is the same minute that you start finishing. Don't think about it, do it!
2. Think small. What happens when you look at a big task? Well, you think "Oh dear, this is quite the pickle isn't it, I feel quite demotivated by this, and perhaps I will just avoid it and hope it goes away". Problem is - that's not how life works. So to avoid this kind of study paralysis it's important to break the task down into a small, immediately executable task. For example, when you have to write a 1000 word paper, you start by writing just one word - don't you? So write 100 words and take a break. But always think small - in fact think tiny! The smaller the task the better. Why? Because small tasks are easy - and lots of easy tasks all add together to equal one big task. So get thinking - small.
3. Fail, fail and then fail some more. The best way to get things done right? Why fail of course! There is no need to worry about having everything perfect all the time. Guess what, life isn't perfect. Trial and error is important. It helps us learn. Often when we try something for the first time we're not good at it. Big deal! It's persistence that matters, not avoiding failing. Rather than being discouraged by your "failures", learn from them. Then try again. And then try again. Sooner or later, you'll start kicking butt.
4. Create ordered task lists. If you don't set up benchmarks to help you actualize what you're aiming for, how will you know when you're gaining any ground? In addition to thinking small, it's always a good idea to give yourself a specified goal that you can put behind you within a specific timeline. For example, you can decide you'd like to, "learn five new American Sign Language letters by the end of the day". Simple, and totally doable is the way to go, you can get it done and it feels great to be that much closer to your goals! Don't stress yourself out with enormous day-to-day goals, or you could risk burnout.
5. Develop a routine. Consistent action is dynamite. Why? Well it explodes your outcomes. If you read for 20 minutes each day you for a year you will have read for 7300 minutes. That's over 120 hours! That's a lot of reading - and it's also a great lesson on why it's incredibly important to maintain momentum. The important thing isn't how much you do - it's how often you do it. It's true that routines can seem boring and uninspiring, but - on the contrary - they create a foundation for getting what you want.
6. Practice saying no. Your energy and focus levels are not infinite so you need to make sure you're making the best use of your time. Friends and family members may not necessarily want to get done what you want to get done and it's very easy to let them get in the way of your ambition (not in a bad way!) As such, it's important to politely let them know that you have some stuff to do and when you're done you'll consider their request to waste your time (in a nice way of course). This doesn't mean not having friends (or family!) but it does mean picking your moments and knowing when no really does need to mean no.
7. Know that hard and fast rules can be broken - even those you're reading now! Tips and tricks are only as good as the success they bring you. If something doesn't work for you, tweak it, reformat it, or leave it behind totally if reaching that next step is impossible in the current state of your affairs, try something else. Your trials and errors will soon teach you which moves work for you and which ones should be dropped. Of course, don't take this to mean that you can throw progress out the window to opt for inactivity - do what works best for you, but always be sure to do something! Inactivity will find you falling behind, and fast. Get familiar with your routine, and keep moving!
1. Break the bias towards inaction. What's the most common reason stuff doesn't get done? Well, because we don't do anything! Wow, what a breakthrough! If you have a bias towards inaction then nothing will get done. Ground-breaking stuff isn't it? And yet, action is always the most elusive part. Why? Well, we tend to get bogged down in things like preparing, planning and then dreaming (that it was much easier!) Eventually, we must challenge ourselves to take action. Because the minute that you start acting (e.g. starting your assignment or studying for a test) is the same minute that you start finishing. Don't think about it, do it!
2. Think small. What happens when you look at a big task? Well, you think "Oh dear, this is quite the pickle isn't it, I feel quite demotivated by this, and perhaps I will just avoid it and hope it goes away". Problem is - that's not how life works. So to avoid this kind of study paralysis it's important to break the task down into a small, immediately executable task. For example, when you have to write a 1000 word paper, you start by writing just one word - don't you? So write 100 words and take a break. But always think small - in fact think tiny! The smaller the task the better. Why? Because small tasks are easy - and lots of easy tasks all add together to equal one big task. So get thinking - small.
3. Fail, fail and then fail some more. The best way to get things done right? Why fail of course! There is no need to worry about having everything perfect all the time. Guess what, life isn't perfect. Trial and error is important. It helps us learn. Often when we try something for the first time we're not good at it. Big deal! It's persistence that matters, not avoiding failing. Rather than being discouraged by your "failures", learn from them. Then try again. And then try again. Sooner or later, you'll start kicking butt.
4. Create ordered task lists. If you don't set up benchmarks to help you actualize what you're aiming for, how will you know when you're gaining any ground? In addition to thinking small, it's always a good idea to give yourself a specified goal that you can put behind you within a specific timeline. For example, you can decide you'd like to, "learn five new American Sign Language letters by the end of the day". Simple, and totally doable is the way to go, you can get it done and it feels great to be that much closer to your goals! Don't stress yourself out with enormous day-to-day goals, or you could risk burnout.
5. Develop a routine. Consistent action is dynamite. Why? Well it explodes your outcomes. If you read for 20 minutes each day you for a year you will have read for 7300 minutes. That's over 120 hours! That's a lot of reading - and it's also a great lesson on why it's incredibly important to maintain momentum. The important thing isn't how much you do - it's how often you do it. It's true that routines can seem boring and uninspiring, but - on the contrary - they create a foundation for getting what you want.
6. Practice saying no. Your energy and focus levels are not infinite so you need to make sure you're making the best use of your time. Friends and family members may not necessarily want to get done what you want to get done and it's very easy to let them get in the way of your ambition (not in a bad way!) As such, it's important to politely let them know that you have some stuff to do and when you're done you'll consider their request to waste your time (in a nice way of course). This doesn't mean not having friends (or family!) but it does mean picking your moments and knowing when no really does need to mean no.
7. Know that hard and fast rules can be broken - even those you're reading now! Tips and tricks are only as good as the success they bring you. If something doesn't work for you, tweak it, reformat it, or leave it behind totally if reaching that next step is impossible in the current state of your affairs, try something else. Your trials and errors will soon teach you which moves work for you and which ones should be dropped. Of course, don't take this to mean that you can throw progress out the window to opt for inactivity - do what works best for you, but always be sure to do something! Inactivity will find you falling behind, and fast. Get familiar with your routine, and keep moving!
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