242 Already I Can Feel The Productivity Ramping Up

In this Episode…

I am now a couple of says into my resurgent approach to developing my productivity and things are starting to kick in. I am reflecting a lot more and I am becoming more aware of how I feel around the things I am doing. This is leading to useful insights into what is working and what needs more attention.

Today’s episode is a collection of ideas and thoughts and insights from the day. It’s also a share of the great things that worked for me today. Overall I am really pleased with how the day has gone.

Episode Show Note…

Reporting In

Yesterday I finished my Podcast at 1900. I then didn’t finish the feedback to my VA until nearly 2100 (after I had eaten). I was pondering on whether my training will get me to finish my activities by 1900 today. And then anything I do in addition is discretionary effort.
Perhaps my goal to day should be to get the feedback and briefing to my VA done by 1900.

Over Thinking Is A Bad Habit Of Mine

Rumination is a problem of mine. I’ll lie in bed until the alarm goes off and ponder on stuff. When it is good stuff it has a positive effect. When it is bad stuff it has a negative effect.

The alarm was set at 5:20 this morning. I got out of bed at 5:08. It could have been 4:40am.

Shutting Down Potential Distractions Works

I always recommend it, and today after finishing my morning check in with my virtual assistant, I closed the gmail tab and turned to focus on today’s main thing. It is true what they say – out of sight out of mind.

I Am Torn Again

Today My partner rang me during the morning. I love her to bits and enjoy our conversations but I was in the middle of an important task. But I’d feel bad about not taking the call. What do I do?

So I took the all and accepted the hit on the focus. I used the opportunity to make a cup of green tea. But it interrupted my focus. I should not take the call…. Or should I?

Adapting To The Weather

I have a daily goal of walking 10,000 steps every day. Normally with my morning routine and wandering around the flat, I get 1300 in without really trying. Then around 11.00 I have been going out into the garden and strolling around for 15 minutes to take that up to about 3000 steps for the morning.

Today I experimented with dropping in short 6 minute sessions of wandering up and down the hall in between segments of the writing work I am doing. That has helped give me some breaks and I’ve hit my 3000 step morning milestone by 11.00 without having to take 15 minutes out. Sort of a modified Pomodoro method.

Great Productivity Boosting Books

I have been writing episodes for my new book recommendation video series:
- 9 Things Successful People Do Differently Heidi Grant Halvorson
- The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- The Checklist Manifesto By Atul Gawande
- The War Of Art by Steven Pressfield
- Getting Things Done By David Allen

Focusing On One Thing Until It Is Done Works – Feels Good Too

This morning have been writing out book reviews for a new video series I am about to launch. It has taken me two and a half hours to get the task done. It is all I focused on. I didn’t check social media, my e mail browser window had been shut down and I got it done.

My mental focus was sharp (except for when I took the call from my partner) and I am now further down the path towards my goals.

I feel good that I had the discipline to do that and found the complete isolation from other distractions (except my partner’s call) liberating. It allowed me to focus and concentrate on the task in hand. Progress was made on a number of different levels.

I Want To But I Won’t

Having finished eating my frog this morning, I feel drawn to going and checking my e mail and see what has come in. However yesterday I set out my routine schedule for the day and that does not include checking email or social media until 1.30pm.

Part of me feels the isolation, but there is a part of me thankful for the peace and space it gives me to get on with stuff.

My Approach To Meetings Is Becoming A Habit

I had a meeting that went according to plan. I printed off my template, I had the meeting and then I created my follow up notes for afterwards and started working on the action that arose from the meeting. It seemed the natural thing to do. That identity thing is kicking in again methinks.

Is My Identity Changing?

Many ideas come to me when I am meditating in the morning. This morning a couple of things occurred to me.

First of all I was reflecting on how even in these early days I am starting to naturally and automatically revert to the more productive behaviours I have identified for myself. As I was reflecting on that the word Identity came to me.

And I realised that as I shift my behaviours through the force of will and disciplined application because I know they will be good for me, my identity starts to shift in that direction. And then later on when the shift is needed again, less will power is necessary because I have already made tentative steps to being that person.
Because I will behave consistently with who I believe myself to be.

My Subconscious Has Been Working Overtime Again

The other thing that happened this morning was I was pondering on the thoughts I had yesterday about not all hours are made equal. And the story about Andre Previn appearing on the Morecambe and Wise show from the 1970s sprang to mind. “I’m playing the right notes, but not in the right order!”