We spend much of our day on autopilot not giving much thought to what we are doing with our time. This is a problem. We should adopt the habit of pausing before action and asking, "What makes the most sense right now ?". Hence,you should schedule every minute of your day. Without structure,its easy to allow you to waste your time on social media,web surfing. To summarise, the motivation for this strategy is to recognise that deep work requires you to treat your time with respect. Scheduling every minute of the day is a simple habit that helps you to manage your time and maintain productivity.

Schedule Every Minute Of Your Day

Read the Wall Street Journal Bestseller for "cultivating intense focus" for fast, powerful performance results for achieving success and true meaning in one's professional life (Adam Grant, author of Give and Take). Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep Work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way. In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill. 1. Work Deeply 2. Embrace Boredom 3. Quit Social Media 4. Drain the Shallows A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories-from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book free from distraction in the air-and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. Deep Work is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world. An Amazon Best Book of 2016 Pick in Business & Leadership Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller A Business Book of the Week at 800-CEO-READ

productivity

Productivity

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

timemanagement

Time Management

books

Books

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Master one of our economy’s most rare skills and achieve groundbreaking results with this “exciting” book (Daniel H. Pink) from an “exceptional” author (New York Times Book Review). Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep Work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way. In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill. 1. Work Deeply 2. Embrace Boredom 3. Quit Social Media 4. Drain the Shallows A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories-from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book free from distraction in the air-and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. Deep Work is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world. An Amazon Best Book of 2016 Pick in Business & Leadership Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller A Business Book of the Week at 800-CEO-READ

Cal Newport is Provost’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author of seven books. His ideas and writing are frequently featured in major publications and on TV and radio.From his website: "I write about the intersection of digital technology and culture. I’m particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives."

Cal Newport

Deep Work

The internet has done so much good for almost all of us, but one bad thing it’s done is that it’s taken away our boredom. Years ago, there were times when there was just literally nothing to do. That could be annoying, and it frequently was, but that also can lead to great insights.

Boredom is lost

In order to either be in the moment completely mindlessly or to generate that thing we call output – like, to have an original idea or to do something creative or just to have suddenly something sort of strike you, “out of nowhere” – you have to stop all that input.

First, a severe lack of input can sometimes be a problem. As I said last year, <a href="https://www.mickmel.com/to-write-more-read-more/">in order for me to write more, I need to read more</a>. Boredom doesn’t help much if you don’t have problems crawling around for your brain to crunch on.

Lack of inputs

More importantly, though, those quiet moments are indeed where things can really become clear in your head. I’ve shared a few times about <a href="https://www.mickmel.com/more-about-clarity-breaks/">my practice of periodic “clarity breaks”</a>, where I intentionally sit for a while with no distractions. If boredom won’t find me, I need to find it.

Quiet moments lead to clarity

I’m very thankful for the wonderful things that our always-on connections have brought us, but it’s worth taking a bit of time off now and then to let your brain work some magic on its own. I hope you find time to do that periodically, particularly over these past few weeks.

The internet has done so much good for almost all of us, but one bad thing it's done is that it's taken away our boredom. Years ago, there were times when there was just literally nothing to do. That could be annoying, and it frequently was, but that also can…

problemsolving

Problem Solving

creativity

Creativity

Boredom is lost - Mickey Mellen

It’s important to have a plan of action but even more important is Staying on Purpose and following through with what you set out to accomplish.  So many of us have big dreams and great ideas, but we don’t take action or we start to take action and then fall off track; our WHY is not big enough. The power to do what needs to be done getting up early, staying up late, and working from the heart comes from knowing your purpose and your reasons for doing what you do. When you are Staying on Purpose, your WHY is so strong and your HOW falls into place.

Make Your Goals Top Priority

In a world where getting distracted is so easy. I wanted to share this advice especially with it being a new year. Stay on your purpose. 

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan but also believe.” Last week you learned how to create a Game Plan.  You created a daily to-do list which will move you farther and faster towards your goals.  It’s important to have a plan of action but even more…

habits

Habits

Lesson 7: Staying On Purpose

1 Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night). 2 On the fence about a purchase? Wait 72 hours before you buy it. 3 Tip: the quickest supermarket queue is always behind the fullest trolley (greeting, paying and packing take longer than you think).

6 Everyone has an emotional blind spot when they fight. Work out what yours is, and remember it. 16 Set aside 10 minutes a day to do something you really enjoy – be it reading a book or playing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/dec/06/halo-infinite-review-old-school-blasting-in-sci-fi-dad-game">Halo </a>. 24 Start a Saturday morning with some classical music – it sets the tone for a calm weekend.

38 Sleep with your phone in a different room (and buy an alarm clock). 34 Go for a walk without your phone. 36 Stretch in the morning. And maybe in the evening.

Whether it’s taking fruit to work (and to the bedroom!), being polite to rude strangers or taking up skinny-dipping, here’s a century of ways to make life better, with little effort involved …

health

Health

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying

Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute. Why does it happen?Either the task is boring or very difficult or you are just busy with something else.The Procrastination CycleYou decide some tasks for the day - You get distracted- You put off some tasks for later - You promise to do them tomorrow - That tomorrow never comes - You realize that you have wasted your time - You regret - You are sad the whole day thinking about it - You waste the whole day mourning your wasted time - You realize you have wasted another day - And it goes on forever

Procrastination - The Thief your Time

<ol><li>Identify what causes you to procrastinate</li><li>Once you have identified WHY you procrastinate, don't think too much about it. This will cause you to regret and waste your present time and the cycle goes on.</li><li>Use the 2-minute rule - If you feel the task can be completed within 2 minutes do it right now. If the task is longer just do it for 5 minutes. (basically, just start)</li><li>Set goals and deadlines</li><li>Avoid distractions</li><li>Make the task easier and more attractive</li><li>Reward yourself</li></ol>

How to stop procrastination?

You can break any task into 3 parts. Pre-task, Task, and Post-task.Pre-task: This includes the work you do before actually starting the task. For example, it could be getting up, opening the laptop, getting the required notebooks, etc. These are easy tasks. Whenever you feel you are procrastinating, start with small steps, tell yourself that you only need to get up and open the laptop, that's it. This could prevent you from procrastinating.Task: The actual taskPost-task: these could include cleaning up the table after use or keeping back notebooks at the place, etc.

Break larger tasks into smaller ones

By what right do I, who have wasted this day, make claims on tomorrow?

Procrastination is a thief of time. These ideas could help you overcome procrastination and lead a productive life.

Learn everything you need to know about why you procrastinate and how to stop doing it.

A Guide for People Who Want to Overcome Procrastination and Start Getting Things Done – Solving Procrastination

Every task, every commitment should be written down. This frees your mind from the energy- and attention-sucking job of trying to remember. In his seminal book on productivity, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0142000280?tag=s7621-20">Getting Things Done </a>, David Allen points out how uncompleted commitments take up psychic energy, each one making you just the tiniest bit more tired, more distracted, and therefore less productive. He emphasizes that the first step to managing your life and time is getting every commitment, large and small, out of your head and into a trusted system. I use <a href="https://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnifocus/">OmniFocus </a>to capture these commitments, but you can start with a simple pen and paper.

1. Write It Down

The best way to hit the ground running is to start the night before.Before leaving your workspace, or before going to bed, take 10 minutes to look over the next day’s commitments.What appointments can’t be missed? What do you need to have with you for those appointments? (Make sure you’ve gathered those materials and have them ready to go.) What three to five tasks must get done?Decide what you’ll do first. Look at that to-do list and decide whether any tasks on it can be delegated to someone else.

2. Get a Head Start

Everyone of us has one or more tasks on our to-do list that we dread doing. Maybe it’s that unpleasant phone call you don’t want to make, or that blog post you’ve been putting off writing because you don’t know how to start, or that project that just overwhelms you because it’s so massive. Whatever it is, it hangs over your head, distracting you with guilt because it keeps getting pushed to the next day and the next. Do it first thing. Writer Michael Hyatt talks about slaying your dragons before breakfast—there’s nothing more motivating for the rest of your day than crossing that monster.

3. Do your most hardest task first

Simple tactics for mastering your day, achieving both productivity and peace of mind. Check out these effective productivity tips to live a stress-free but efficient life.

Top 3 Productivity Tips to Achieve More and Create Peace of Mind

Our days can feel like a crazy sea of distraction, stress, busyness and overwhelm.We can get lost in that sea, and it’s hard to figure out how to find mindfulness and focus in the middle of it all.The answer, I’ve repeatedly found, is in the pure elegance of simplicity.Simplify to find focus. Simplify to find peace. Simplify to find a way through the sea of chaos.Let’s look at some things you can do today to create the elegance of simplicity and focus in your life.

A Crazy Sea Of Distractio

The distraction of multitasking and technology can be hard to overcome. But it drains away our mindfulness, effectiveness, and life energy. So let’s do something about it.Let’s start with the phone. Put all apps into one folder. I call mine “uncertainty” to remind me that everything lives in uncertainty.Keep the homescreen clear. No tempting apps to click on. I use the search function to open an app, requiring myself to type in the name, which makes me think about what I’m doing.Shut off almost all notifications.Choose a simple and beautiful background to remind me to be mindful.

Simplify to Clear Distractions

Let’s move on to the computer, which has some similar steps (these instructions are for a Mac but Windows/Linux users could use similar ideas):Clear your desktop (put all files into one folder, or several). Put a nice wallpaper in the background.Clear the dock. Instead, use a search app to open apps, such as Alfred, Spotlight or Launchbar.Turn off most notifications.Single-task. Close all apps but the one(s) you’re using.

Simplify Your Computer

Single tab. Close everything else. If it’s important, throw it into a read-later service, bookmark it, or put it into your todo manager.Close your email program. When you open it, open with intention, and clear out the inbox as much as you can. Then close it.Use the Momentum add-on to keep yourself focused and mindful.I like single-tasking apps, at full screen, like Ommwriter, when I’m writing or doing other work outside of the browser.Simplifying your physical and digital workspaces will help you be less distracted, and more able to focus on a single task.

Simplify Your Browser

As much as possible, it’s best to focus on a single task at a time. With intention.That means, instead of constantly switching around, it’s best to pick one thing and set aside some time (10 minutes, half an hour, etc.) to focus on just that thing. If it’s important enough to take up your attention and time, it’s important enough to give it the space for complete focus.When you clear everything aside, before you dive fullbore into the task, ask yourself, “What is my intention here?”

Simplify Your Focus

Perhaps the intention is just to learn to focus better. Maybe it’s to push into discomfort and uncertainty. Maybe it’s to be mindful and joyful as you work. Whatever your intention, set it consciously. Then get started, with focus. Don’t let yourself do anything else, even if you feel the urge to switch. At least for 10 minutes. Simplify by setting intention and keeping your focus on one thing at a time, as much as you’re able. This is a practice, which means you won’t be perfect at it, but daily practice helps you get better.

Simplify Your Intention

As you narrow your focus on fewer things, simplify your workspace so that there are fewer distractions, and practice single-minded focus with intention … things start to change.It’s like the reverse of how the distraction of technology and social media changes our brains. Our brains seem to become calmer, more at peace, when we find joy in the elegance of simplicity.It’s the pure elegance of simplicity, and it is found in the paring down.

The Elegance of Simplicity

mindfulness

Mindfulness

Creating the Elegance of Simplicity & Focus in Your Work Day - zen habits

Dopamine (also known as the feel-good hormone) is a chemical produced by the body, which acts as a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) in the brain. You do various activities throughout the day. You find some interesting and you think you can do them all day like playing games, and some are just so boring like studying maybe. This is because whenever you play games, it gives you a sense of reward and that triggers dopamine production in your brain. While activities like studying are low dopamine-producing and that doesn't excite you much.

Dopamine Detox - Reset your brain for success

So the simplest explanation of dopamine detox is "Avoid your pleasures and temptations for some time." You just have to leave whatever is your distraction for a week and observe the change.Avoid your pleasures and focus on things like studying. You will observe that after some time you will start enjoying studying. Because you will not get dopamine through games but from studying (I have tried it myself!)However, this doesn't mean that you will not enjoy your pleasures anymore. But it will help you to regulate your pleasures and not get addicted to them.

How to Enjoy the Most Boring Tasks

A simple yet useful hack to find joy in your work

You probably don't have a problem playing video games or browsing social media on your phone. In fact I have no doubt you could sit in front of a screen and do both of those activities for 2 hours, or even longer without breaking your concentration. But what about half an hour of studying? That might be too hard. How about working on your side business for another hour? Doesn't sound too appealing. Even though you logically know that studying, exercising, building a business or something equally productive, will bring you more benefits in the long run, you still prefer watching TV, playing video games and scrolling through social media. One might argue that it's obvious why. One activity is easy and doesn't require much effort, while the other activity is difficult and it requires you to apply yourself. But some people seem to have no problem studying, exercising, or working on their side projects, regularly. Which begs the question: Why are some people more motivated to tackle difficult things? And is there a way to make doing difficult things, easy? References: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-athletes-way/201405/the-neuroscience-pleasure-and-addiction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2791340/ https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/0092-8674(95)90145-0 https://www.centersite.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=48370&cn=1408 Images © Piers Baker www.svgdoodlewhiteboard.com

You probably don't have a problem playing video games or browsing social media on your phone. In fact I have no doubt you could sit in front of a screen and do both of those activities for 2 hours, or even longer without breaking your concentration.
But what about half an hour of studying? That might be too hard.
How about working on your side business for another hour? Doesn't sound too appealing.

Even though you logically know that studying, exercising, building a business or something equally productive, will bring you more benefits in the long run, you still prefer watching TV, playing video games and scrolling through social media.

One might argue that it's obvious why.
One activity is easy and doesn't require much effort, while the other activity is difficult and it requires you to apply yourself.

But some people seem to have no problem studying, exercising, or working on their side projects, regularly.

Which begs the question: Why are some people more motivated to tackle difficult things?
And is there a way to make doing difficult things, easy?

References:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-athletes-way/201405/the-neuroscience-pleasure-and-addiction
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2791340/
https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/0092-8674(95)90145-0
https://www.centersite.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=48370&cn=1408

Images © Piers Baker www.svgdoodlewhiteboard.com

Welcome to my channel.

I’m someone who has always loved reading great books and exploring new ideas.
This is a place where I share what I’ve learned along the way.
I draw from different fields, such as psychology, philosophy, biology, economy, and many others, but every single topic falls under the personal growth umbrella.
Using simple words and friendly images, I want to make my content easy to remember so that we can all benefit from it long term.
My main goal is to help us become better than yesterday, one step at a time.

I would like to point out that I’m a one-man army, and I don’t create videos full-time.
For those reasons, all content takes me a while to produce.
New videos once in a blue moon (but worth the wait)! :)



Better Than Yesterday

How I Tricked My Brain To Like Doing Hard Things (dopamine detox)

Do not make life decisions based on immediate compulsions. Looking back after many years, it should still be a worthwhile choice.

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

Mystic Quotes - Sadhguru

"If you job is to eat a frog, it's best to do it first in the morning and nothing worse would happen the rest of the day. If your job is to eat two frogs, eat the bigger one first"

Eat The Frog First : Simple Time Management Hack

Everyday, you have a lot of tasks to do. Some are habitual like brushing, bathing, eating breakfast, etc. Some are interesting, that we will love to do and some will be boring and extremely difficult. Those difficult and boring tasks are your frogs for the day. These are the tasks you are most likely to procrastinate.Finish the most boring, ugliest task of the day at first. It will help you set priorities and you won't have to procrastinate more!

Study the most boring or the most difficult subject in the morning, so that you won't procrastinate it for later and neither will you get worsen in the subject. Also if you study it almost everyday you will hopefully start to hate it a little less. After you finish studying that subject for the day, you have ample of time for other things to do!

Use this Hack in your studies

This is one of the simplest productivity hack, anyone could use in whatever field.

"If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning." Eat The Frog is the simplest system to make progress on your most important goals. 

What Is Eat the Frog? A Dead Simple System for Productivity Minimalists

Find 100+ Tips for Time Management - Curated from inspiring sources like Books, Podcasts & Articles - Genuine Insights from like-minded Users like You!