When people think about productivity, it’s often about the physical actions. But the mental game of productivity is just as important as the physical actions.
I can talk myself into or out of something much faster than I would like. Things like, “I had a hard day at work, I’ll just allow myself to sit and read for 15 minutes” can lead to a lost evening as I get absorbed in a mystery. Or “I’ve only got 20 minutes before I have to leave. I really can’t complete anything, so I’ll surf the web” leads to pockets of lost time that could be used to knock things out – particularly those things that can be left partially undone to be completed later.
This week I had two evenings where I sat down with my planner and realized I did nothing on it that day. I could look back and see where I got off track – and it all started with my mindset.
So what can you do to get into productivity mindset?
Awareness: You need to be aware when you slip into these modes. If you can catch yourself, you can counteract them. If you aren’t even aware of them, there’s not much you can do. So pay attention to your thoughts. If you find yourself doing something unexpected and not wholly positive, examine what thoughts led you to that place. This will help you catch them before you act on them next time.
Acceptance: Acceptance, not action is the next step. Many people have a lot of self talk at this point, berating themselves for getting off track. But simply accepting that you are off track and sitting with it for a moment can help bring the point home. You can even examine what led you to this point, and accept that as well. I fully believe that without taking time to be aware of your behavior, you have no chance of breaking the cycle.
Action: You can at this point take the action that will put you back on track. If you are limited on time, try doing something small, or getting out the materials you need to complete the job later. Or maybe you put a limit on your non-productive activity using timers or other software help.
Productivity is as much mental as it is physical. By being aware of when you get off track, accepting that it happened and then taking action, you can break the cycle and get back in the game.