“Focus on being productive instead of busy.”
Society tends to give someone who spends most of their day busy more respect than someone spending most of it relaxing. We tend to perceive busyness as a good thing, while productivity takes a backseat. This quote by The Four Hour Work-Week author, Timothy Ferriss, reminds us to refocus our attention on productivity. Life is short. So we should try to use the time we are busy to be as productive as possible. That way we can have more time to smell the roses.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
This quote, by Stephen Covey, is about not being so focused on a schedule or to-do list. Instead, it encourages us to reflect on what is on it. Are the things on it all that important? Or should we be prioritizing other things? Are those other priorities being neglected? Yes, it’s important to prioritize our schedules. However, it’s equally important to make sure we are making time in our schedules for the things that matter to us most.
“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”
It’s natural to daydream as we envision the future. Of course, everything is perfect. We’re more in shape, we’ve accomplished all our goals, we’re more grounded and at peace, we’re content, all our relationships are thriving–the list goes on. But why cant that future be now? That’s what this quote by, Malala Yousafzai, is about. Why not “make our future now,” and “make our dreams tomorrow’s reality?” Let’s try our best to live our future today.
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”
This quote is by the legendary painter, Pablo Picasso. It serves as a great reflection on the things we choose to put off, or procrastinate. Yes, there are things we can’t possibly get done in one day. Even if we work on them all day, we may need more time; and completion may have to be “put off” until tomorrow. However, we can still use the day to make progress. So imagine the thing(s) you constantly put off never getting done–Period. Next, consider how that makes you feel. Are you willing to live with that possibility? If not, that means the thing (or those things) you put off deserve more…
The Problem of Perfectionism and “Product” Goals
Recently, I was talking to a friend about goals. We all have them. And if you don’t, get yourself some. But I digress…As we were sharing our goals, she asked me a simple question about one of mine. She asked me when the book I’m working on will be published. I had no response. Even worse, I hadn’t given enough thought or planning on it to know the answer. The truth is, I feel like it’ll never be done. The finish line seems so far in the distance that I sometimes forget it’s there. I actually stop moving toward it. The truth is, I often go months at a time…
Why We All Need to Have Things to Look Forward to
What are you looking forward to, besides your next day off work? I asked myself this question and realized the sad truth. Lately, I’ve been so busy that the weekend is all I ever look forward to. It’s my days off, time to get more sleep, do errands, hang out with friends and family, and occasionally get more work done. But there has to be more to life than anticipating the next weekend filled with the same old activities. After a while, the same pattern starts to get old. But sometimes, when you don’t have anything really exciting to look forward to, you have to create it. One thing I…
Break Time: Why Regular Work Breaks Are a Must
I have a very hard time taking breaks while I’m working on something. There’s always that one more thing I want to finish–There’s always that constant search for the perfect stopping point. Inevitably, the stopping point I had in mind comes and goes without any pause. But what if taking regular breaks between work is a routine part of one’s day? What if it comes so naturally that you don’t even think much about it–you don’t feel like you have to try to squeeze it in? Just imagine how much better any unpleasant task would be with more pleasant things interspersed in between. Well, that’s just one reason to take…
Motivation Part 3: Top 3 Ways to Get Past Wanting to Do Something to Actually Doing It
We’ve now gotten almost halfway through the Motivation Staircase. In Part 1, we defined what Motivation means; and in Part 2, we used that understanding to move from “I won’t do it,’ to I can’t do it,’ to ‘I want to do it.’ The question now is how. Knowing how to do something is important, as it creates a boost of confidence that motivates you to do that thing. However, it’s just as important to know how to start and continue. How do you get past wanting to do something to actually doing it? The following productivity strategies have motivating elements to them. Therefore, they increase your productivity and motivation…
Motivation Part 2: Increasing our Positive Motivation
In Motivation Part 1, we realized that at the heart of motivation are these definitions: 1. “…to want to do a specific thing more than we want to do anything else at a particular time,” and 2. “what we would rather do than not do (20). However, even with these clearer definitions, we can’t get anywhere if we don’t get past the first two obstacles to motivation: “I won’t do it” and “I can’t do it”. These also happen to be the first two steps on our Motivation Staircase. How can you increase your positive motivation? If you’re not at step 3 yet, begin by asking yourself why you won’t…
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“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure.”
“Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.”
“When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.”
Motivation Part 1: Why We Should First Understand What Motivation Actually Means
There are countless motivational speakers, books, sayings, and support groups aimed to motivate us to start, stop, or continue something. So, it behooves us to ask the question: what is motivation? Motivation Staircase Before we begin, below is an illustration that’ll be referenced in each post in this Motivation series. The picture presents motivation as literal steps that go from having no desire to do something to getting it done. Looking at the image and the title of this post, one might say a basement should be added. That would be correct. We’re literally and figuratively starting from the very ground up when we ask ourselves: what is motivation. Why…
