It’s time to be more productive by tricking yourself into getting stuff done. Here are some fun and simple productivity tools to use right away!
Note: This is a guest essay by Nanea Hoffman
I don’t like to be bossed by anyone. Not even myself. This is problematic when you are trying to set personal goals.
I also hate failing, which makes the whole goal-setting experience very stressful and paralyzing.
Every once in a while, I get fired up with ambition and resolve to make some Major Life Changes (capital letters).
Sure enough, I read books and blogs and articles on how to be a better achiever and make copious notes.
You can procrastinate FOREVER reading about how to set and achieve goals.
As it turns out, there is a lot of busy work to get through before you actually start getting your shit together, at least, according to the experts.
And all those things are really good. But they are so much work.
And you haven’t even done anything yet!
It is usually at some point during this process that I give up on getting stuff done.
After all, who has the time or energy?
And also did you see all the new shows that just came out on Netflix?
Conventional goal setting doesn’t work.Our reptilian brains are wired to resist change – to avoid discomfort.
We humans avoid pain and fear. In fact, the fear of failure actually motivates us to stop working toward a difficult goal. On the other hand, our brains also reward us with delicious hits of dopamine as we get closer to achieving a goal.
A study on neurophysiology published in Nature in August 2013 suggests that our ability to predict success has a significant effect on our behavior.
In other words: if we think we’re going to succeed at a given task, we’ll stick with it, and along the way, our brain rewards us with happy juice.
I have become proficient at tricking myself into accomplishing things by lowering the goal posts.
I don’t feel like working out, but I can do ten crappy minutes on the treadmill. There is no way I can carve out time to write 2000 words a day and finish that book I keep telling myself I will write.
But you know what?
I can do 500 words a day.
500 crappy words, even.
My closet overfloweth to the point where messy doesn’t really cover it and we’re now venturing into the territory of “don’t open the door, we mustn’t make it angry.”
That Martha Stewart style makeover isn’t going to happen, but what if I just picked out five items to put in the bag for Goodwill? Piece of cake.
This is basically the mental equivalent of “just the tip.”
Set small, specific, ridiculously easy goals. Not too many to start. You can always set more later. “I’m going to wash the dishes.” If that’s too much, start with “I’ll just do a five dishes.”
Lie to yourself. Sweet talk yourself like you’re on a third date. “I don’t have to file all the bills right now. I’ll just do this one.” Just cuddle with your goal. See how you feel. You can always stop, but if you feel like doing more, go with it.
Praise yourself lavishly. “You got the kids to school on time. GOOD for you!” or “You had a healthy lunch. What a superstar you are!” Give yourself stickers if it helps.
Don’t listen to people who roll their eyes and mock you because you are feeling good for achieving your tiny goals. Those people are poopy heads.
YOU are a shower-taking, dish-washing, half-assed exercising rockstar.
Keep taking small steps, and one day you’ll look up in surprise and realize that you sweet-talked yourself into doing some pretty amazing things.
This post originally appeared on Sweatpants & Coffee, here
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