{"id":41622,"date":"2016-06-02T19:53:14","date_gmt":"2016-06-03T03:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=41622"},"modified":"2017-05-27T08:49:51","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T16:49:51","slug":"the-4-thieves-of-productivity-avoid-them-at-all-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/the-4-thieves-of-productivity-avoid-them-at-all-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Thieves of Productivity (Avoid Them At All Cost)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201c\u2026at any moment in time there can be only ONE Thing, and when that ONE Thing is in line with your purpose and sits atop your priorities, it ill be the most productive thing you can do to launch you toward the best you can be. Actions build on action. Habits build on habit. Success builds on success.\u201d
\n\u2014\u200aGary Keller, Jay Papasan from <\/em>The ONE Thing<\/em><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

O<\/span>ne half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it. Give up the following four thieves of productivity in order to get more of what you want, and less of what you don\u2019t. Let\u2019s get into it\u2026<\/p>\n

1. Inability to Say \u201cNo\u201d.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid saying yes to most things unless they\u2019re connected to your most important goals. If you\u2019re afraid of saying no to someone because it might hurt their feelings, come up with a way to say it that you\u2019re comfortable with. Here\u2019s Seth Godin on saying no: \u201cyou can say no with respect, you can say no promptly, and you can say no with a lead to someone who might say yes. But just saying yes because you can\u2019t bear the short-term pain of saying no is not going to help you do the work.\u201d Love it.<\/p>\n

\u2192 Prefer audio<\/strong>? <\/em>Listen to this on iTunes<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

2. Fear of Chaos.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Stuff\u00a0happens. Messes occur. Wives (and husbands) get angry. These things happen. But it doesn\u2019t mean you should give up on your goals. Chaos is natural. In fact, the more you focus on what you want, the more of it you\u2019ll probably get. That\u2019s okay. In fact, problems are a good thing. When you\u2019ve got problems, it means you\u2019re taking action. You can\u2019t grow unless you take action. And the more action you take, the more problems you\u2019ll face. In fact, one of the biggest differences between productive people and unproductive people is this: when productive people come across a problem, they keep going\u200a\u2014\u200athey take action. When unproductive people come across a problem, they stagnate\u200a\u2014\u200athey stop.<\/p>\n

Create time blocks <\/a>to control the chaos in your life and remain as productive as possible. Use your time blocks to work on your most important projects, and protect them with your life. In time, you\u2019ll learn to deal with the chaos in your own unique way. But don\u2019t let chaos control you. YOU control the chaos\u2026 by focusing on one thing at a time. One time block at a time.<\/p>\n

3. Poor Health Habits<\/strong>.<\/h2>\n

Poor health habits\u2014 especially poorly managed energy habits\u2014 are one of the most underestimated thieves of productivity. Your health and your success are intertwined with one another and depend on each to survive and thrive. For maximum energy management and productivity, plan your days to include the following:<\/p>\n

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  1. Meditate \/ pray for spiritual energy.<\/li>\n
  2. Eat right, exercise, and sleep sufficiently for physical energy.<\/li>\n
  3. Spend time with friends and family for emotional energy.<\/li>\n
  4. Set goals, plan, and calendar for mental energy.<\/li>\n
  5. Time block your most important goals and projects for business energy.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    4. An Environment That Doesn\u2019t Support Your Goals.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Did you know that if one of your close friends becomes obese, you\u2019re 57{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} more likely to become obese [1]<\/a> as well? Crazy, eh? This is because the people we see and spend time with most tend to set our standards (see: The Law of Averages).<\/p>\n

    The final thief of productivity is about getting your game up! It\u2019s about raising your standards in every arena of life\u200a\u2014\u200ayour goals, your habits, and your surroundings. I think Oprah\u2019s got a great little nugget of wisdom when it comes to this: \u201cSurround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u2192 Prefer audio? <\/strong><\/em>Listen to this on iTunes<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

    It\u2019s about the journey.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Here\u2019s a quick recap of the four thieves of productivity\u200a\u2014\u200aavoid them\u00a0at all times, unless you want them to highjack your productivity:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Inability to say \u201cNo\u201d<\/li>\n
    2. The fear of chaos<\/li>\n
    3. Poor health habits<\/li>\n
    4. An environment that doesn\u2019t support your goals<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it. Give up the following four thieves of productivity in order to get more of what you want, and less of what you don\u2019t. Let\u2019s get into it\u2026 Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9145,"featured_media":41648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[17,6],"tags":[5025,5214,66,4639,4629],"yoast_head":"\nThe 4 Thieves of Productivity (Avoid Them At All Cost)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it. 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