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"Unleashing Your Productive Self: The Science of Focus Mastery"
00:03:21 The Physics of Productivity
00:08:20 With Newton’s first law of motion
00:11:27 Applying Newton’s second law
00:12:19 “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
00:17:47 Takeaways
Focus Master: 37 Tips to Stay Present, Ignore Distractions, and Finish the Task at Hand (Mental and Emotional Abundance Book 10) By: Nick Trenton
Hear it Here - https://bit.ly/FocusMasterTrenton
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09G12LB65
## Description:
Are you ready to revolutionize your productivity and focus game? In this episode, we dive deep into Chapter 2 of "Focus Master," where author Nick Trenton unveils the intriguing connection between psychology and physiology that impacts our concentration. Learn how to harness the power of action mindsets and understand the physics behind getting things done efficiently. With these insights, you'll be able to short-circuit your brain into a focused state, saving hours each day!
Nick's practical tips will help you overcome distractions and achieve more in less time. Click on the video to discover the secrets to increased productivity and join us as we explore the path to mental and emotional abundance with "Focus Master."
Tags: Focus Master, Productivity Hacks, Concentration Boost, Nick Trenton, Science of Focus, Action Mindsets, Mental Abundance
Transcript
Have you ever felt like there's an invisible force field keeping you from getting things done, even when you really want to?
Speaker:What if that force isn't just laziness, but a battle against your own biology?
Speaker:Hello listeners, welcome to The Path to Calm.
Speaker:Stop overthinking, become present, find peace.
Speaker:Join us today as we explore practical ways to cultivate inner calm and reduce excessive thoughts.
Speaker:Today's featured book from Nick Trenton is Focus Master, 37 Tips to Stay Present, Ignore Distractions, and Finish the Task at Hand.
Speaker:This is part of the Mental and Emotional Abundance book series.
Speaker:Today's episode is from Chapter 2 of this book, entitled Action Mindsets.
Speaker:In this chapter, several different mindsets are presented.
Speaker:Today, we're going to take a look at the physics of productivity.
Speaker:Our author Nick Trenton would have you believe that there's some real science behind procrastination.
Speaker:And in this section of the book, he looks to arm you with mindset tactics inspired by none other than Newton's laws of motion.
Speaker:He hopes these will help you finally win the war against putting things off.
Speaker:So, get ready to shift your perspective and turn procrastination from a mystery into an equation you can actually solve.
Speaker:Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker:Be sure to stay tuned to the very end if you want to hear a quick summary of all the major points in today's episode.
Speaker:At this point, you’ve learned why you are engaging in procrastination.
Speaker:You should be able to generally identify a few reasons that you are a couch potato, aka someone who lacks focus and productivity.
Speaker:It might be due to your prefrontal cortex being hijacked by your lizard brain, or it might be due to being unknowingly immersed in the procrastination cycle.
Speaker:You may have even identified one or two typologies in yourself.
Speaker:But whatever the case, the time begins for real solutions.
Speaker:This chapter entails building anti-procrastination mindsets—outlooks and approaches that get you off your butt to deal with the options you come across in more productive ways.
Speaker:As we’ve seen, conscious intention and awareness is the first step.
Speaker:Once you know why and how your productivity is lacking, you can start making intelligent and informed decisions toward fulfilling your real potential.
Speaker:Then, it becomes a question of adapting the right mindset and using the right tools.
Speaker:There are at least three ways you can build a mindset that’s iron-clad against the ever-constant lure of procrastination: (1) mastering the physics of productivity, (2) eliminating the paradox of choice, and (3) finding the right motivation to kickstart action.
Speaker:The Physics of Productivity
Speaker:29 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:33,000 Who would have thought that productivity and procrastination could be viewed through the lens of physics, math, and equations?
Speaker:Bestselling author Stephen Guise found a way to do so using Newton’s three laws of motion as an analogy to formulate the Three Laws of Productivity.
Speaker:By dissecting procrastination as physics concepts and equations with identifiable elements and interactions, you’ll get to identify the specific things you need to do or to avoid in order to add to your productivity and subtract from your procrastination.
Speaker:If you know the variables at work when you procrastinate, then you’ll literally be able to single out a particular variable and manipulate it as you’re able to do in a mathematical equation.
Speaker:The three laws of motion were formulated by physicist Sir Isaac Newton in 1687 to explain how physical objects and systems move and are affected by the forces around them.
Speaker:He’s the guy who claims to have conceived of gravity after getting hit by a falling apple.
Speaker:These laws lay the foundation for understanding how things from the smallest machine parts to the largest spacecraft and planets move.
Speaker:And now applied to the science of human cognition and behavior, these laws can also illuminate the mechanisms behind procrastination—and how to manipulate those mechanisms to drive productivity instead.
Speaker:First law of motion.
Speaker:According to Newton’s first law of motion, an object at rest tends to remain at rest and an object in motion continues to be in motion unless an outside force acts upon it.
Speaker:How this law applies to procrastination is glaringly evident: an object at rest tends to remain at rest, which means a person in a state of rest tends to remain at rest—unless some sort of force moves him or her into action.
Speaker:So if you’re currently in a state of inaction with regard to your intended task, you’ll tend to remain inactive unless you’re stimulated into motion.
Speaker:Your tendency to leave that task untouched is thus a fundamental law of the universe.
Speaker:But before you start to think being a perpetual procrastinator is a hopeless case, remember that Newton’s first law of motion works the other way, too: an object in motion continues to be in motion, which means a person in a state of action tends to continue moving as well.
Speaker:So if you’re currently working on a task, this law of motion states that you’ll tend to keep working on that task.
Speaker:So what does this mean in the context of productivity and procrastination?
Speaker:The most critical element of beating procrastination is to find a way to start.
Speaker:Find a way to get moving.
Speaker:Once you get the ball rolling, it gets infinitely easier to keep going until the task is done.
Speaker:Now, the next question becomes, how do you get started on a task?
Speaker:Writer James Clear suggests following what’s known as the two-minute rule as applied to productivity.
Speaker:The rule states that you need to start your task in less than two minutes from the time you start thinking about it.
Speaker:Think of it as a personal contract you strike with yourself.
Speaker:No matter what, you need to start within the next two minutes.
Speaker:For example, suppose you’re tasked to write a report detailing your department’s project updates.
Speaker:To beat the inertia of lazing around the entire morning, commit to just jotting down the project title and objectives or expected output within the next two minutes.
Speaker:You don’t need to think about doing the rest of it just yet.
Speaker:You only need to start within the next two minutes.
Speaker:This action will help break the inactivity that’s been strapping you down, and once you’ve started writing things down about your project, you’ll find it easier to keep going.
Speaker:Another benefit of abiding by this rule is that you’ll also be forced to break the task down into smaller and smaller steps, as giving yourself a two-minute limit for starting requires you to think in terms of more manageable chunks of work you can start quick and easy.
Speaker:Note that the two-minute rule doesn’t require you to pledge that you finish your task or even proceed with your task in an orderly manner.
Speaker:It doesn’t need you to mind the quality of your output just yet; you can reserve the critiquing and refining of it for later.
Speaker:It just needs you to start, to get into motion.
Speaker:This relieves a lot of the pressure that typically paralyzes you from touching a task and thus leads you down a path of procrastination.
Speaker:With Newton’s first law of motion, you’ll find that once you start, you will tend to keep going on your task.
Speaker:So rather than wait for an enormous amount of motivation before starting, just go ahead and start small.
Speaker:You’ll find that your motivation will snowball into ever-larger amounts after you’ve started.
Speaker:Second law of motion.
Speaker:Newton’s second law of motion explains how a particular force affects the rate at which an object is moving.
Speaker:It is represented by the equation F=ma, which states that the sum of forces (F) acting on an object is the product of that object’s mass (m, which refers to how much matter there is in an object) and its acceleration (a, which is the rate of change in how fast an object is going).
Speaker:In other words, the second law of motion dictates how much force is needed in order to accelerate an object of a particular mass in a certain direction.
Speaker:And as illustrated by the equation, the relationship between these three variables—force, mass, and acceleration—is proportional.
Speaker:The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force required to accelerate it.
Speaker:Likewise, the faster you need an object to move over time (i.e., accelerate), the greater the force you’ll need to apply.
Speaker:So if you want to accelerate an object—say, a ball—then the amount of force you exert on that ball, as well as the direction of that force you apply on the ball, will both make a difference.
Speaker:If more force is applied for the ball to go left than for it to go right, then you can bet that ball will go left.
Speaker:Still with me?
Speaker:Applied to productivity, this means that you’ll need to pay attention not only to the amount of work you’re doing (magnitude), but also to where you’re applying that work (direction).
Speaker:If you work a lot but don’t focus all that work in a single direction, then you’ll tend to accomplish less than when you direct the same amount of work to only one direction.
Speaker:The amount of work you’re able to do as a person has its limits, so if you want to get the most out of your effort, you need to start being conscious of where that work goes.
Speaker:As Newton’s F=ma equation teaches, where you direct your effort is just as important as how much effort you exert.
Speaker:Temptations, distractions, and lack of task prioritization all serve to scatter your energy and effort in different directions, so avoiding them is key to optimizing your productivity.
Speaker:Keep your energy focused.
Speaker:Say you have a myriad of things to accomplish before the day is up—reply to five client emails, read and critique a lengthy research plan, and write a recommendation letter for a former employee.
Speaker:Applying Newton’s second law, you need to recognize that how fast you’ll be able to accomplish a particular task depends largely on your ability to focus the effort you exert on that task and that task only.
Speaker:If you insist on scattering the “force” you exert by frequently switching tabs from email to research to letter-writing all throughout the morning, you’ll be less likely to accomplish any one of them before the lunch hour.
Speaker:You may even just be switching back and forth on those tasks as a way to procrastinate on all of them.
Speaker:To remedy this, apply the principle of Newton’s second law: exert your force in a single direction for its maximum acceleration.
Speaker:Third law of motion.
Speaker:This law of motion states that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This means that when Object A applies a force on Object B, Object B simultaneously applies a force of the same amount, but of opposite direction, on Object A.
Speaker:For example, when you swim, you apply force on the water as you push it backward.
Speaker:Simultaneously, the water applies a force on you that’s equal in magnitude yet opposite in direction, thus pushing you forward.
Speaker:Applied to the science of productivity and procrastination, this law reflects how in your own life there are often productive and unproductive forces at work as well.
Speaker:There is a constant battle, and everyone’s level of balance is different.
Speaker:For those who are unproductive, their unproductive forces tend to win more often than not.
Speaker:Productive forces include positivity, atmosphere, environment, social network, focus, and motivation, while unproductive forces include stress, temptation and distraction, unrealistic work goals, and unhealthy lifestyles (e.g., poor diet or lack of sleep).
Speaker:The interaction and balance between these opposite forces is what creates your typical levels of productivity, as well as your usual patterns of procrastination.
Speaker:This balance could shift either way—it could lead you to be massively productive or to severely procrastinate.
Speaker:For example, it may take you just an hour to finish writing a report when you’re feeling well-rested and confident in your abilities, but you may need a week to complete the same task when you’re feeling stressed out and insecure.
Speaker:Basing on the applications of Newton’s third law of motion, there are two ways you can go about upping your productivity level and avoid procrastination.
Speaker:The first is to add more productive forces.
Speaker:This is what James Clear refers to as the “power through it” option, in which you simply find a way to pump yourself up with more energy in an attempt to overpower the unproductive forces inhibiting you from working.
Speaker:This strategy may involve such actions as chugging cup after cup of coffee and digesting motivational words through books or inspirational videos.
Speaker:The “power through it” option could work well, but only for a brief time.
Speaker:The problem with this strategy is that you’re only trying to cover up the unproductive forces that are still working to undermine your productivity, and this tiring task could easily lead to burnout.
Speaker:As an alternative, Clear suggests dealing with unproductive forces directly through the second option, which is to subtract, if not totally eliminate, unproductive forces.
Speaker:This strategy involves such actions as reducing the number of tasks you commit to, learning how to say no, and changing your environment in order to simplify your life.
Speaker:Compared to the first option, which requires you to add more productive forces, this second option simply needs you to release the reservoir of energy and productivity already within you by removing the barriers that obstruct it.
Speaker:As you can imagine, this second option is an easier way to defeat procrastination than having to produce productivity by attempting to add more productive forces.
Speaker:For example, say you need to accomplish a year-end evaluation report for your organization’s project sponsor.
Speaker:You’re aware that you’re the type of worker who needs quiet in order to think and work effectively, but your office cubicle is between two chatty colleagues.
Speaker:Instead of simply opting to “power through” the task despite the noisy and distracting environment you’re in (i.e., attempting to increase your productive forces), consider relocating to a quieter area or politely asking your colleagues to refrain from disturbing you for the next hour or two (i.e., eliminating unproductive forces).
Speaker:That way, you’ll be more motivated to start and keep working on a task, not necessarily because you’ve upped your willpower, but because you’ve simply let the natural energy already within you flow unhindered.
Speaker:Granted, this way of looking at things might not seem entirely a good fit for you, and that’s okay.
Speaker:As we saw in the several stages of the procrastination cycle, not everyone’s issues with focus and productivity stem from the same cause.
Speaker:For some people, the issue is hiding in plain sight and doesn’t at first look like an issue at all: having plenty of attractive options in front of you.
Speaker:and this brings us to the end of today's episode.
Speaker:Einstein has reported to have said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.
Speaker:So if we want to become more productive, we have to break free from our cycles of procrastination.
Speaker:Here's the primary takeaways from today's episode.
Speaker:Procrastination may be a reflection of battling biological forces, and we can swing the battle in our favor if we use some of the mindset tactics in this chapter.
Speaker:Fear is an understated, underlying cause of procrastination.
Speaker:The first such tactic is to understand how Newton's three laws of motion can apply to procrastination.
Speaker:Viewing your productivity, or lack thereof, as an equation is helpful because it allows you to think through the variables present in your life and learn how to manipulate them.
Speaker:First, an object at rest tends to stay at rest, while an object in motion tends to stay in motion.
Speaker:The first step is the hardest step.
Speaker:Next, the amount of work produced is a product of the focus and the force that is applied toward it.
Speaker:Focus your efforts intentionally.
Speaker:Finally, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Speaker:Take inventory of the productive and unproductive forces present in your life.
Speaker:For today's final word, I'll leave you with these words from Dale Carnegie.
Speaker:Inaction breeds doubt and fear.
Speaker:Action breeds confidence and courage.
Speaker:If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it.
Speaker:Get out and get busy.
