First thing — don’t go for perfect. Just go.
The idea that everything will line up perfectly, there will be no distractions, schedules won’t change, there will be plenty of time to finish everything, and everybody in your life will leave you alone to do what you want to do — it’s not realistic. If you hold on to the idea of perfect, you’ll likely be disappointed when things don’t go your way.
Instead of focusing on being perfect, be flexible.
Come up with a realistic plan to get things done.
Make it easy on your brain to tackle every single thing on your to-do list.
Here are three things you can add to your plan to have a productive day.
👉🏾 Don’t create a long list of things you “must” do.
Instead, ask yourself this question each morning: “What is the one thing I am committed to completing today?”
This habit has positively influenced my life in many ways. As soon as I wake up, I look forward to answering this question because I know it will boost my concentration. It simplifies my life, it helps my brain focus better, it makes me prioritize goals, and it streamlines my work so I don’t feel overwhelmed about having to accomplish too many things in a single day.
How?
- Write the question down. Make it impossible to ignore — write it in big letters on a sheet of paper and hang it on your bedroom or bathroom wall. The important part is that you can easily see it as you’re brushing your teeth or getting ready.
- Read it out loud as you start your day, and come up with an answer on the spot. The trick is to get your eyes on it so that it becomes second nature and you don’t even think about having to glance over to it any more.
- Follow up by taking action. Remind yourself throughout the day about the commitment you made. It will help with distractions that might take you away from what’s important to you.
👉🏾 Work on the toughest cognitive tasks early.
Do this by incorporating the concept of “deep work” into your day.
Deep work is any kind of analytical thinking that requires the most concentration, such as reading, writing, or problem solving. It’s one of those mental tasks that requires a different kind of focus from other things you do on a daily basis (chores, physical activity, interacting with other people). When I started doing deep work early, I noticed I rarely run out of energy or motivation.
How?
- Set aside at least 2 hours after you wake up to work. Many scientists say that this is the brain’s peak performance time. If, for example, you wake up at 7, your peak times are between 9 and 11 a.m. You can extend it to lunchtime to maximize your peak performance hours.
- Keep a log of what you do during your peak times. Are you focusing on important mental tasks? Are you learning new material, problem-solving or writing? Most people spend this time checking email, making phone calls, watching or listening to the news, or chatting with people.
- Re-organize your peak performance time. Think how you can postpone activities that are less important. Leave listening to the news for your lunch break. Choose two blocks of time to go over emails, one mid-afternoon and one closer to the end of your workday, so you can dedicate your energy to actually getting real work done.
👉🏾 Instead of repeating “I can’t do this!” say “How about I try?”
When you reach an obstacle, don’t immediately respond in the way you typically do with words like “I can’t do this right now!” or “This is impossible, I’ll quit.”
Procrastinating is a very human reaction to a problem we find challenging or difficult. I procrastinate on small things all the time, whether it’s organizing my notes so they’re easier to read, or editing an article I’m writing so it’s easier to understand. My solution is this — I take the time to think through the problem that’s making me procrastinate.
How?
- Think about what’s hiding behind procrastination. Maybe it is fear of not being able to do something successfully, or not being better at it than someone else. In many cases, it can be your pride or ego that gets in the way.
- Ask yourself where the resistance is coming from. Get to the root of the matter. Maybe you’re not sure how to solve a problem and worry it will take forever to do. One solution is to break it down into smaller chunks that don’t feel overwhelming to complete.
- Consider how asking the question, “How about I try?” will benefit you. You have the opportunity to defeat your fear. You’ll feel powerful when you encourage yourself to stay positive no matter what. This shift in your mindset will change how you look at problems and make them seem smaller and less troublesome.
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