{"id":44472,"date":"2016-10-06T07:55:43","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T15:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=44472"},"modified":"2017-05-27T08:47:58","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T16:47:58","slug":"stop-being-lazy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/stop-being-lazy\/","title":{"rendered":"STOP being Lazy: 5 Ways To Make Each Day Count"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The guilt eats at you when you think about the day you\u2019ve just had. You could have accomplished so much more, but here you are, feeling sorry for yourself because you\u2019ve spent your time doing nothing but insignificant crap.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve been watching videos on YouTube, snacking on cornflakes, going on Facebook \u2013 as you procrastinate on what matters most. By the end of the day, you try to remind yourself that you\u2019ll have more productive days soon – or that you needed the break today.<\/p>\n

But deep down you know you need to change for good\u2026 This pattern has happened once too many times for it to be an accident.<\/p>\n

Note<\/u><\/strong>: I\u2019ve been there, and I know exactly how it feels. Today I\u2019m going to show you the 5 changes\u00a0that will end this cycle – so that you can finally get more done. Also, I have a special FREE bonus to help you even further. Make sure you read all the way to the end to get it.<\/p>\n

My Story: Avoid Procrastination by removing the possibility of choice <\/strong><\/p>\n

The most unproductive days I\u2019ve had were down to me feeling like I had the choice of doing things later on. So, I would do what I felt like before attempting to do\u00a0anything that was important. If I was given a work assignment due for Tuesday, on a Monday\u00a0morning, I would tell myself: \u201cIt can wait; I’ll do it later on.\u201d<\/p>\n

I soon realised that if I kept beginning my day from the wrong place, I would end up in the wrong place.<\/em><\/p>\n

My change occurred once I started understanding how important each first half of the day (first 8 hours) was to my future.<\/p>\n

What I wish I had: Having Priorities for each day<\/strong><\/p>\n

I used to negotiate myself into doing whatever I felt like doing. I would switch between checking email and Facebook and doing work. I would then multitask between different work tasks whenever I felt bored or anxious. Or, I would just keep hacking away at a job without taking breaks. So I\u2019d either be distracted or mentally beat.<\/p>\n

What I was missing:\u00a0<\/strong>A place\u00a0to dump all the things I needed to do, so that I could differentiate between what was a priority and what wasn\u2019t – and knowing when to take a break. Following David Allen\u2019s GTD Principles<\/a>, I started using Todoist to create different projects for my life i.e. Routine, Work, Contact, etc.<\/p>\n

So whenever I thought of something that needed doing, I could drop it in\u00a0there\u00a0without ever forgetting about it.<\/p>\n

That change alone made my mind so much clearer, and I began to see everything I wanted to do with a better mindset.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s our natural inclination to put off the things that make us uncomfortable. And yet, it\u2019s these things that make us grow the most. Having all your tasks in view, allows you to see what\u2019s truly important<\/strong> \u2013 allowing\u00a0you to more easily stop being lazy and \u00a0knuckle down on what needs doing.<\/p>\n

Take-away:\u00a0<\/strong>Find a place\u00a0to write down everything that comes up in your head.<\/p>\n

(<\/u><\/strong>Part of the reason we\u2019re also lazy\u00a0is because we lack an approach that allows us to feel good about our work. I\u2019ve put together a complete system to help\u00a0solve this.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Start your day with the MIT (Most Important Task) and use a Timer <\/strong><\/p>\n

Every morning, I started to write 3-5 tasks I wanted to accomplish by the end of each day. And I would make sure to dedicate 2-4 hours to the number one priority or a single project.\u00a0 I would ask myself: “What’s the single hardest thing I need to accomplish today?”
\nAchieving it as soon as possible allowed me to move through the rest of the day with excitement and a sense of triumph.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you begin work on a valuable task, you seem naturally motivated to continue.\u201d \u2013 Brian Tracy<\/em><\/p>\n

As my life slowly changed for the better, I began to realize unproductive days were greatly down to a lack of urgency<\/em>\u00a0after the early morning hours. You can stop being lazy and start\u00a0getting **** done while being happier for it; once you start choosing<\/strong>\u00a0to do\u00a0<\/strong>what’s important.<\/p>\n

Using a Timer increases Productivity<\/strong><\/p>\n

The other change I made was using a timer and setting it for 60 mins each time I worked on the computer. That way, I\u2019d know I\u2019d have a break coming up, no matter how I felt. Naturally, I\u2019d be a lot less likely to multitask, or get distracted and it\u00a0made a huge difference to my level of focus.<\/p>\n

Quick Recap: 5 Ways\u00a0to End Constant Laziness\u00a0Forever<\/strong><\/p>\n

Step\u00a01:<\/strong>\u00a0Start seeing the first eight hours of your day as the foundation. In those hours, get as much of the high-stakes stuff done.<\/p>\n

Step\u00a02:<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Get everything out of your head using a software tool like Todoist<\/a>\u00a0or a paper notebook, so that you can see your life objectively. Also, write down 3-5 tasks you want to accomplish daily, either in the morning or the night before. But more importantly, know what your single biggest priority is each day.<\/p>\n

Step\u00a03: <\/strong>Use a timer<\/a> and set it to no longer than 60 mins so that you have a break to look forward to when you’re working on longer tasks.<\/p>\n

Step\u00a04: <\/strong>Work on your most challenging to-do\u00a0first thing after your morning routine so that you force yourself to stop being lazy.<\/p>\n

Bonus Tip:<\/strong> Plan as much of your next week as you can on Sunday, theming each coming day with the\u00a0single project you want to focus on i.e. do you want to dedicate Mondays to research, Tuesday to writing, and Saturday as your day off the\u00a0computer <\/a>etc.?<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s it! That\u2019s the plan you need to follow to being a badass. I\u2019m going to give you a bonus to help make sure you take your productivity to the next level.<\/p>\n