productivity

Shoulding Ourselves: Turning Shoulds into Actions

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We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t say ‘should,’ say ‘I must.'” For me, turning a should into a must feels even worse. It’s like an authoritative command that doesn’t inspire me at all. In fact, it feels easier to ignore. What if, instead, we started with the things we will do? Then, explore the things we are willing to do but might have steps that we subconsciously have a problem with but haven’t articulated.

Perhaps we merely need to flesh out the exact steps for things we’ve been shoulding around with. I know for me, my “shoulds” or things or projects that are stuck all have a reason. Some require agreement from a partner or at least clarity. Some involve multiple steps.

I often hear myself saying things like, “I am going to put out my first supplement.” Well, hello? I know this stuff, been there, done that. That means deciding on which website, what brand, what name, who designs the label, what is the price point, the shipping, what shopping cart, what forms of payment, what processor, what gateway. That’s just 10 steps right there. Then there’s the question of how much more research I want to do. Even deciding on which supplement, which manufacturer has the best formulation, what about the copy, and which lawyer for the claims and labels, and which nutritionist and doctor to review the label. So I might actually have 20 steps.

The point I am trying to make is that I suspect that some of the things you know you should do have a plethora of similar steps, and each one of those steps has multiple choices. It might be easier to go back to my “shit for brains” path of choice that I wrote about earlier. I know people who are all in multilevel marketing companies where they just take everything said to them as gospel truth and are off to the races selling what might be an inferior product that is grossly overpriced to pay seven levels of commissions. I am not capable of doing that.

But aren’t I then denying dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people the ability to buy the best possible product at the best price? Perhaps for all of us, that should be the test: If you know your course, your book, your product, or your service is the best value, it’s time to pull the trigger.

Steps to Turn Shoulds into Actions

  1. Identify the Will Dos:
    • Start by listing the things you will do without hesitation. These are your non-negotiables, the tasks you feel confident and clear about.
  2. Explore Willingness:
    • Identify the tasks you are willing to do but might have reservations about. Break these down into smaller, manageable steps.
  3. Clarify the Steps:
    • For each “should,” list all the steps involved. Flesh out the details to identify where you might be stuck.
  4. Seek Agreement and Clarity:
    • If a task involves others, seek agreement and clarity. Ensure everyone is on the same page to move forward smoothly.
  5. Prioritize and Plan:
    • Prioritize the tasks based on their importance and urgency. Create a step-by-step plan to tackle them.
  6. Test Your Value:
    • Assess whether your product, service, or idea offers the best value. If it does, take action confidently, knowing you are providing something worthwhile.

Conclusion

Stop shoulding on yourself. Instead, focus on what you will do, explore your willingness, and break down the steps needed to turn your shoulds into actionable tasks. By doing this, you can move forward with clarity and purpose, ensuring you provide the best possible value to those who need it.

I

The Resistance takes longer than the Doing

| johnas9000

The Real Time-Waster: Resistance or Action?

Have you ever noticed how the time spent resisting a task often far exceeds the time it would take to actually do it? Call it what you will—stress, friction, apprehension, or even “preparation.” But let’s be honest: more often than not, it’s procrastination in disguise.

Yes, good preparation is important, but I’d bet any amount of money that what most of us are doing is not true preparation. It’s procrastination. We’ve all been there—whether it’s making a cold call for a real estate listing, reaching out to a doctor’s office to sell equipment, or contacting a bar to pitch a product. The actual task takes mere seconds. And yet, many of us spend hours—sometimes even days—dragging our feet before we finally do it.

Nike had it right with their slogan, “Just do it.” But here’s the twist: this mindset applies even more to business than it does to sports. Think about it. How many times have you hesitated on making that first move in a business venture, like buying a piece of real estate? I’m certain that every single person reading this can reflect back on a property or a home they didn’t buy 20 years ago, which has since quadrupled in value.

Here’s an example we can all relate to: taxes. Everyone talks for months about “doing their taxes.” When it finally happens, it’s usually just five minutes of downloading 1099s and a W-2. Yet, we manage to procrastinate so much that some of us end up filing for an extension or even paying a late penalty.

The point of this post is simple: Just do it. Be present to the absolute fact that you waste more time in resistance than you do in the actual doing. Recognize when you’re caught up in the cycle of procrastination, and remind yourself that the task at hand is likely much easier and quicker than you’ve built it up to be.

So, the next time you find yourself hesitating, stop. Take a breath, acknowledge the resistance, and then take that first step. You’ll find that the doing is often far less painful—and far more rewarding—than the resisting.

Shoulding Ourselves: Turning Shoulds into Actions

| johnas9000

We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t say ‘should,’ say ‘I must.'” For me, turning a should into a must feels even worse. It’s like an authoritative command that doesn’t inspire me at all. In fact, it feels easier to ignore. What if, instead, we started with the things we will do? Then, explore the things we are willing to do but might have steps that we subconsciously have a problem with but haven’t articulated.

Perhaps we merely need to flesh out the exact steps for things we’ve been shoulding around with. I know for me, my “shoulds” or things or projects that are stuck all have a reason. Some require agreement from a partner or at least clarity. Some involve multiple steps.

I often hear myself saying things like, “I am going to put out my first supplement.” Well, hello? I know this stuff, been there, done that. That means deciding on which website, what brand, what name, who designs the label, what is the price point, the shipping, what shopping cart, what forms of payment, what processor, what gateway. That’s just 10 steps right there. Then there’s the question of how much more research I want to do. Even deciding on which supplement, which manufacturer has the best formulation, what about the copy, and which lawyer for the claims and labels, and which nutritionist and doctor to review the label. So I might actually have 20 steps.

The point I am trying to make is that I suspect that some of the things you know you should do have a plethora of similar steps, and each one of those steps has multiple choices. It might be easier to go back to my “shit for brains” path of choice that I wrote about earlier. I know people who are all in multilevel marketing companies where they just take everything said to them as gospel truth and are off to the races selling what might be an inferior product that is grossly overpriced to pay seven levels of commissions. I am not capable of doing that.

But aren’t I then denying dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people the ability to buy the best possible product at the best price? Perhaps for all of us, that should be the test: If you know your course, your book, your product, or your service is the best value, it’s time to pull the trigger.

Steps to Turn Shoulds into Actions

  1. Identify the Will Dos:
    • Start by listing the things you will do without hesitation. These are your non-negotiables, the tasks you feel confident and clear about.
  2. Explore Willingness:
    • Identify the tasks you are willing to do but might have reservations about. Break these down into smaller, manageable steps.
  3. Clarify the Steps:
    • For each “should,” list all the steps involved. Flesh out the details to identify where you might be stuck.
  4. Seek Agreement and Clarity:
    • If a task involves others, seek agreement and clarity. Ensure everyone is on the same page to move forward smoothly.
  5. Prioritize and Plan:
    • Prioritize the tasks based on their importance and urgency. Create a step-by-step plan to tackle them.
  6. Test Your Value:
    • Assess whether your product, service, or idea offers the best value. If it does, take action confidently, knowing you are providing something worthwhile.

Conclusion

Stop shoulding on yourself. Instead, focus on what you will do, explore your willingness, and break down the steps needed to turn your shoulds into actionable tasks. By doing this, you can move forward with clarity and purpose, ensuring you provide the best possible value to those who need it.

I

Stay in Motion: The Secret to Getting More Done

| johnas9000

Ever noticed how on your busiest days, not only do you manage to get everything done, but you often tackle tasks that have been lingering on your to-do list for ages? It’s a phenomenon encapsulated by the saying, “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.” But what if that busy person was you? Here’s why staying in motion can be the key to increasing your productivity.

The Momentum of Motion

1. The Physics of Productivity:

  • Newton’s First Law of Motion: Newton’s first law states that a body at rest stays at rest, and a body in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force. This principle doesn’t just apply to physical objects; it can be a powerful metaphor for our productivity.
  • Starting is the Hardest Part: Imagine trying to push a car that’s stalled. It takes significant effort to get it moving, but once it’s rolling, maintaining that motion requires much less energy. Similarly, getting started on tasks when you’re stagnant can feel daunting, but once you’re in the flow, tasks seem to complete themselves almost effortlessly.

2. The Energy of Busyness:

  • Busy People Get More Done: Busy individuals often thrive on their packed schedules. The momentum they build helps them move from one task to the next with minimal friction. It’s the same energy that keeps a rolling car moving forward.
  • Harnessing Momentum: When you’re already in motion—whether it’s tackling work tasks or managing household chores—adding another task to your list feels less overwhelming because you’re already in a productive mindset.

Leveraging Motion in Daily Life

1. Break the Stagnation:

  • Physical Activity: When you feel stuck on a task, taking a physical break can help. Activities like cleaning, organizing, or even a quick walk can rejuvenate your mind and keep you in motion. This aligns with research showing that physical movement can enhance cognitive function and creativity .
  • Avoid Digital Distractions: Conversely, breaks involving passive activities like watching TV or playing video games can lead to time loss and reduced motivation to return to productive work.

2. Transforming Breaks into Productivity:

  • Productive Breaks: Use breaks to accomplish smaller tasks. If you’re stuck with paperwork, a “break” could involve organizing your workspace or doing a quick household chore. These actions keep you in motion and can make transitioning back to your main task easier.
  • Mental Refresh: Engaging in varied activities can refresh your mind. For instance, if you’re tired from mental work, switching to a physical task can be refreshing and maintain your overall productivity.

3. Build a Cycle of Productivity:

  • Daily Motion: Recognize that our productivity levels fluctuate throughout the day. Use periods of high energy to tackle complex tasks and fill lower energy periods with simpler, yet still productive, activities.
  • Routine and Habit: Establishing a routine that keeps you consistently engaged can harness the power of momentum. This might include scheduled work sessions interspersed with physical or lighter tasks to keep you moving.

Applying Physics to Life

1. Self-Assessment:

  • Identify Your State: Are you currently standing still, moving, climbing uphill, or cruising downhill? Being aware of your current state can help you strategize how to use or build momentum.
  • Adjusting Energy Levels: Understand that moving from a state of rest to motion requires more energy. Plan your day to start with tasks that can naturally ease you into a productive state rather than jumping straight into the most daunting tasks.

2. Creating Downhill Moments:

  • Smooth Transitions: Just as a car rolls easier downhill, create conditions that make tasks flow smoothly from one to another. Group similar tasks together to maintain momentum and reduce the cognitive load of switching contexts.
  • Set Up for Success: Prepare your environment to facilitate motion. This could mean organizing your workspace in a way that makes starting tasks easier or creating a schedule that builds on your natural rhythms of energy and focus.

The Psychological Edge

1. The Confidence Boost:

  • Accomplishment Builds Confidence: Completing tasks, especially those that have lingered, can significantly boost your confidence and motivation, creating a positive feedback loop that encourages more productivity.
  • Perception of Busyness: Embracing the perception of being busy can psychologically prime you to tackle more tasks, as it aligns with your identity of being capable and productive.

2. Harnessing Positive Stress:

  • Eustress: Eustress, or positive stress, is the beneficial form of stress that keeps you motivated and focused. Staying busy can generate this kind of stress, pushing you to perform at your best without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Managing Overload: It’s important to balance busyness to avoid burnout. Recognize your limits and ensure you have recovery periods to sustain long-term productivity.

Conclusion: Stay in Motion

Incorporating the principle of motion into your daily life can transform how you approach tasks and productivity. Embrace the idea that staying busy and in motion can lead to accomplishing more, breaking through inertia, and maintaining a productive and fulfilling life. So, if you find yourself at a standstill, remember the physics of motion and take that first step to get rolling.

Sources:

  1. Harvard Health – The benefits of physical activity for mental well-being
  2. Psychology Today – Why Busy People Get More Done
  3. Verywell Mind – The Science of Motivation
  4. Forbes – The Power of Being Busy

By leveraging the concept of staying in motion, you can turn your busiest days into your most productive ones and even tackle those tasks that have been lingering for far too long. So, get moving and let the momentum carry you forward!

4o

FOMO is in everything

| johnas9000

The concept of FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, is typically associated with the anxiety of missing out on social events, opportunities, or the latest trends. However, this fear extends beyond just social or financial contexts. It seeps into various aspects of our lives, subtly influencing our actions and decisions. Let’s delve into how FOMO manifests in the realm of procrastination and other life areas.

FOMO and Procrastination

Procrastination is often seen as a mere avoidance of tasks. Yet, at its core, it can be deeply intertwined with a variant of FOMO—Fear of Missing Something. This form of FOMO can paralyze us with the fear that we’re not fully prepared or that we’re lacking a critical piece of information. Here’s how this fear plays out:

  1. Taxes and Paperwork: The fear of missing a 1099 form. This is a perfect example of how FOMO creates a blockade. The anxiety of potentially overlooking a single detail can lead to delaying the task altogether. This fear is not just about missing out on social activities but about the apprehension of incomplete information or preparedness.
  2. Public Speaking: The hesitation to give a speech due to feeling underprepared can also stem from this fear. The thought that we might be missing a crucial piece of information can stop us from moving forward. It’s the fear that our preparation isn’t sufficient, that we might miss out on delivering the perfect presentation.
  3. Interpersonal Interactions: When we hesitate to call someone because we feel we haven’t gathered enough background information, it’s another example of this nuanced FOMO. It’s the anxiety that we might miss a critical detail that could affect the outcome of our conversation.

Broader Implications of FOMO

FOMO isn’t just about social events or investment opportunities. Here are other ways it can influence our lives:

  1. Career Decisions: Fear of missing the ‘perfect’ job can make us hesitant to apply for or accept roles. We might constantly seek additional qualifications or experience, fearing we aren’t yet ready or missing some key competency.
  2. Personal Growth: We often delay starting new hobbies or learning new skills due to the fear that we don’t have the right resources or enough knowledge. This fear of not having all the necessary components can hinder our personal development.
  3. Relationships: In relationships, FOMO can manifest as the fear of missing out on better opportunities or the perfect partner. This can lead to commitment issues or dissatisfaction with current relationships, driven by the anxiety that something better might be out there.
  4. Health and Wellness: The fear of missing out on the latest diet, exercise trend, or wellness advice can lead to constantly changing routines or never fully committing to a health plan. This can create a cycle of perpetual dissatisfaction and insecurity.

Overcoming the Fear of Missing Something

To combat this form of FOMO, we need to:

  • Embrace Imperfection: Understand that perfection is often an illusion. It’s okay to start with what you have and improve along the way. Action breeds clarity and progress.
  • Set Clear Goals: Define what ‘enough’ looks like for each task. This helps in setting realistic boundaries and knowing when you have sufficient information to proceed.
  • Prioritize and Simplify: Focus on the core essentials of what you need to achieve. By narrowing your focus, you reduce the overwhelm that leads to procrastination.
  • Build Confidence Through Action: The more we act, the more we realize that missing a small piece of information rarely leads to disaster. This builds confidence in our ability to handle situations even when not everything is perfectly aligned.
  • Mindful Reflection: Regularly reflect on your decisions and outcomes. This helps to recognize patterns where FOMO might be unnecessarily holding you back and allows for conscious adjustments.

By shifting our perspective on FOMO from a social context to a broader life context, we can begin to see how this fear subtly influences our decisions and actions. Acknowledging it is the first step towards managing it and moving forward with greater confidence and less anxiety.

Are You Choosing Your Day or Is Your Monkey Brain in Control?

| johnas9000

We all have those days. You start with good intentions, maybe even drink a nootropic beverage to boost your focus. But without a clear plan in mind, you find yourself drifting towards the TV, small cleaning chores, playing video games, or scrolling through social media for hours. What happened? Your monkey brain, driven by dopamine cues and habits, took over.

The Monkey Brain and Dopamine

The monkey brain is a term often used to describe the part of our mind that seeks immediate gratification and jumps from one distraction to another. It’s heavily influenced by dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure and reward. When we engage in activities that are enjoyable or provide a quick hit of satisfaction, dopamine is released, reinforcing those behaviors and making us more likely to repeat them.

This is why, without a clear plan or focus, we tend to drift towards activities that are easy and instantly gratifying. Watching TV, tidying up, playing video games, or endlessly scrolling through social media are common go-to’s because they require minimal effort and provide quick dopamine rewards.

The Importance of Visualizing Your Day

To counteract the influence of the monkey brain, it’s crucial to visualize and plan your day. When you have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, you set a direction for your energy and focus. Here’s how visualizing your day can help:

  1. Provides Structure: A visualized plan gives your day a structure, making it easier to stay on track and avoid distractions.
  2. Boosts Productivity: With a clear outline of tasks, you’re more likely to dive into meaningful work rather than defaulting to easy, habitual activities.
  3. Reduces Stress: Knowing what to expect can reduce the anxiety that comes with uncertainty, helping you to feel more in control.
  4. Increases Satisfaction: Accomplishing planned tasks provides a sense of achievement and boosts your overall satisfaction with the day.

The Drift Towards Dopamine

Even with good habits, such as daily running or regular exercise, it’s easy to fall into the dopamine trap when there’s no specific plan. For 20 years, I’ve been saying I need to find a replacement for running. Yet, without a structured goal or a clear vision of what that replacement should look like, I often find myself drifting back to less productive activities.

This isn’t unique to me. Many people mindlessly engage in activities like cleaning, arranging, or organizing when they don’t have a clear plan. Or, they might find themselves endlessly scrolling through social media feeds, seeking the instant gratification of likes, comments, and new posts. While these tasks can be satisfying and provide a quick sense of accomplishment, they often serve as distractions from more meaningful work.

Are You Choosing, or Is Your Monkey Brain Choosing?

The key question is: Are you actively choosing how to spend your day, or is your monkey brain making the choices for you? The monkey brain will always gravitate towards whatever is easy and immediately rewarding. This could be something as simple as arranging your makeup, cleaning out a closet, or scrolling through social media. These tasks, while seemingly productive, are often ways to avoid more challenging or important work.

Strategies to Take Control of Your Day

  1. Start with Visualization: Spend a few minutes each morning visualizing your day. Outline your key tasks and goals. Imagine yourself completing them successfully. This sets a mental map and prepares you to follow through.
  2. Set Clear Intentions: Write down your top priorities for the day. Keep this list visible to remind yourself of your goals and keep your monkey brain in check.
  3. Break Tasks into Small Steps: Large tasks can feel overwhelming, leading to procrastination. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps to make them less daunting.
  4. Use Time Blocks: Allocate specific time blocks for different activities. This can help you stay focused on one task at a time and reduce the temptation to drift.
  5. Limit Dopamine-Inducing Distractions: Be aware of the activities that provide quick dopamine hits, like social media, and limit them. For example, set a timer for breaks to prevent them from turning into long TV sessions or social media marathons.
  6. Reflect and Adjust: At the end of the day, reflect on what went well and where you drifted. Adjust your strategies accordingly for the next day.
  7. Establish Routines: Routines provide a framework that can keep you on track, especially when your willpower is low. Incorporate healthy habits into your daily schedule to build a foundation of productive behavior.

Conclusion

Our monkey brains are powerful and will always seek the path of least resistance and the highest dopamine reward. Without a clear plan, we’re likely to drift into easy and habitual activities, losing sight of our more meaningful goals. Social media, in particular, can be a significant distraction, pulling us away from productive tasks with its constant flow of dopamine hits.

By visualizing your day, setting clear intentions, and creating structured routines, you can take control and make conscious choices about how to spend your time. Remember, it’s about actively choosing your actions rather than letting your monkey brain dictate them. With intention and focus, you can navigate your day with purpose and productivity.