The productivity advice that changed my life

Sarah Soha
Sep 6, 2018 · 3 min read

Three productivity advice of least effort with maximum impact.

Photo by LUM3N on Unsplash

As a kid I would do my homework immediately after I came home. As I grew older I got distracted by the world and found myself studying just hours before the exam. And every time as I crammed in the last minutes I would think to myself, “Why do I repeat the same story again and again?”

I decided to break the habit by going deep into any materials related to productivity, including articles, youtube videos or podcasts. After having implemented some of the advice myself and actually finding results, I’d like to share the most helpful ones.

1. Five-second rule by Mel Robbins

Imagine a scenario where you know you should do something, yet you just can’t bring yourself to do it. It could be to share your opinion at work, to stop doubting yourself, or simply to stop binge-watching Netflix. If this sounds familiar, then this rule should solve your problem. This rule lets you be in control of your mind and emotions rather than the other way around.

Count backwards from 5-4-3-2-1 and just act. It’s imperative to act within five seconds. That’s all! When I want to focus I simply count down from five, and the moment I hit one I push myself to focus. Five seconds later, my focus is on the point.

This rule backed up by science is Mel Robbins’ brainchild. The five elements of the 5-second rule by Mel Robbins’s will give you further understanding of this rule.

Photo by Alex Loup on Unsplash

2. Create a habit by Nir Eyal

If you are planning to reach your resolutions then start to create a habit. Be it learn a new language, live healthily, learn to code, or anything else.

The first step is by letting go of goals. That’s right, no goals! Just start with an Idea of what you want to accomplish. I wanted to accomplish a healthy lifestyle.

The second step is to find a small, simple activity. Nir Eyal calls it Minimum Enjoyable Activity (MEA). The activity should be small and enjoyable enough that you see yourself doing it regularly. For me, it is having a fresh smoothie every morning.

With time, MEA turns into habit and habit turns into magic. Before you know it you are not tiring yourself out to reach a goal — rather, you are gaining skills as you embark on a journey.

I am very proud to share that I have been having smoothies regularly for the past one month. Seeing that I could be consistent motivated me to know more about food and eat healthier. If you ask me, I can even tell you the name of the vitamin A in apple (it’s retinoid 😉).

3. Breathe and pick one thing

When it seems like the world is asking too much of you all at once, just take a step back and breathe.

Get off of your desk if you have to. Come back with a clear head and focus. Write down all the things that you need to do and sort out the time frame of each task. Figure out the approximate starting and ending date of each task, if possible. A calendar usually does a good job to visualize the time frame. Looking at the calendar should make you feel in control.

Then pick one task, any task. Focus on that one task. Close all the other tabs, all the other distractions. Try not to start a new task without finishing the current one.

Everyone has their own unique approach to productivity. Try out the productivity advice out there and see what works you. This three productivity advice helped me both at a personal and professional level. I hope this advice would be interesting and useful to you as it was for me.

Special thanks to Raisa Cuevas for kindly editing this blog post. She is the best.

Adventures in Mentorship

Learnings in UX from a mentor & mentee duo

Thanks to Raisa

Sarah Soha

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Adventures in Mentorship

Learnings in UX from a mentor & mentee duo

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