In 1973, there was a study conducted called “The Good Samaritan Experiment.” They divided the seminary students into two groups. They were asked to prepare and talk about the Parable of the Good Samaritan, a Biblical story about helping people in need. Some of them were told that they were late and had to hurry to their destination, and some could take their time. Little did they know that there was a twist in this experiment. The researchers placed a distressed and sick man along the way and analyzed their response. In the end, fewer students stopped to help. The researchers found out that 90% of the students who were rushed failed to stop and render aid to the stranger. It was ironic that they were tasked to talk about helping others but did not notice that man who actually needs it. In this experiment, they found out that the deciding factor whether they could stop and help is the time! You can lose focus if you can’t protect your time from things that could rob your productivity. Here are the four thieves of productivity that can help you protect your time.
Thief #1: Inability to say “No”
When we say no to one thing means saying yes to another. It is allowing you to align and filter the tasks that land on your plate. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he narrowed down their product line-up from 350 to ten. One of the secrets to his success is his focus and the ability to say no. The truth is you can’t please everyone! Don’t try to sacrifice your priorities and values just because you want to be helpful and not hurtful. Remember that the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Just be honest, say no if you can’t do it but offer an alternative to the request.
Thief #2: Fear of chaos
When you focus on one thing, a mess is inevitable. Unfortunately, there are no stop and pause buttons to press while you work on your one thing. It’s both a blessing and a curse when you narrow down your priorities. Your intense focus can lead you to your goal but on the other hand, chaos is guaranteed to show up. How do you deal with chaos? There is no silver bullet to answer this question but you can definitely find creative ways to solve it. Find a system that works for you and can minimize the impact of chaos in your life. Identify the things that you can control and leave a margin for the unexpected.
Thief #3: Poor health habits
Personal energy management is a personal thief or productivity. People go for success by sacrificing their health. Staying late at night, skipping meals, eating poorly, ignoring exercise are just an afterthought. Don’t borrow your energy from the future, because you might run on empty tank one day. My journey into developing my morning routine was not easy but overtime, it was rewarding. Here’s how I start my day:
- Drink a glass of water
- Meditate using Abide app
- Exercise (3-4x/week)
I don’t go more than 3 because I know it will not be sustainable. Less traction to these habits would give me a higher success rate.
When you start your day by having morning routines, you will be energized and pulled through the rest of the day with little additional effort.
Thief #4 Environment doesn’t support your goals.
Your environment is the place and people you are with you most of the time. They can influence and shape you if you are not aware of their influence over your life. And if there’s one thing that is contagious, that is attitude. No one is strong enough to avoid the impact of negativity forever. Your counter-attack for this thief is to surround yourself with the right people. In a 2007 study on obesity, if you have a close friend who became obese, there is a 57% chance that you’ll end up the same as your friend. The people you see on a regular basis tend to set your standards. Look for people who will support you and who can motivate you to reach your goals. Your physical environment always plays an important role in your productivity. If you are constantly distracted with a lot of things on your path. Identify and minimize the distractions by planning your day and making sure that you are doing what you’re supposed to do. If TV is a distraction, make sure that it is unplugged or keep your remote away from you. If watching YouTube or Netflix are distractions, remove the icon or bookmark on your computer where you can see them all the time. Don’t let the environment lead you astray. Continue walking and clear the path to your goals.
Ideas and inspirations of this blog is from the book One Thing By Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
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