The Best Productivity Tip That No One Wants to Implement
What’s one thing that’s guaranteed to make you happier and more productive, but that very few people actually want to do?
Here it is:
Set the bar really, REALLY low.
Whatever you’re trying to get done…
Don’t just make a pretty easy plan or a realistic plan.
Make a plan that is uncomfortably small and easy.
Want to find a new job?
Uncomfortably easy plan: Do one LinkedIn search and save 2 job postings.
Want to research something or learn something new?
Uncomfortably easy plan: Open a book and read the first paragraph.
Want to lose weight?
Uncomfortably easy plan: Drink 40 oz water today.
Want to have a productive day?
Uncomfortably easy plan: Put 1 task on your to-do list.
Your plan should be so stupidly easy that it makes your toes curl at how inadequate it feels.
People don’t do this because it’s very uncomfortable to set the bar THIS low.
Your brain will absolutely explode with complaints: Are you kidding me??? This isn’t enough!!! I’ll never get there if I just do this!!!!
And here’s why this works:
No matter what kind of plan you make, your brain will complain.
Normally, you make strict, unrealistic plans. And your brain’s chatter sounds like this:
That’s too much! I want to do less!
When you make a stupid easy plan, your brain’s chatter sounds like this:
That’s too little! I want to do more!
And just like that, your automatic brain is on your side.
That adorable little goblin in your head, that’s always telling you it wants to do LESS is suddenly telling you it wants to do MORE?
Instead of digging his heels in and throwing a tantrum, he’s pulling your hand forward and insisting you can do one more thing today?
And instead of having to fight, cajole, and bargain with him to stay on track, he’s coming to YOU with ideas for what else you can do today?
What. A. Win!!
When you make unrealistic plans, you set yourself up for satisfaction now and disappointment later.
The plan is beautiful and perfect. Everything is in place. It’s a work of art…
But then it doesn’t get done exactly as you planned, you end up scrambling and behind, and you feel terrible about it.
When you make stupidly easy plans, you set yourself up for disappointment now and satisfaction later.
The plan looks woefully inadequate, and you feel dumb and afraid for setting the bar so low…
But then you get it done, and you get even MORE done, and all of a sudden, you have pride and momentum and flow.
So, my friends, be brave.
Take the leap that so few are willing to take.
Stop making ambitious, jam-packed, “today’s the day I get back on track and atone for all my sins” plans.
Those plans are not your savior — they are keeping you trapped in purgatory.
Put the bar on the floor.
Make your plan so stupidly easy and insanely doable that it makes you uncomfortable with how small it is.
No hidden agenda. No bait and switch. No sneaky fifteen-point to-do list behind the stupid easy plan.
Give yourself full permission to JUST do that and stop.
This is not a reverse psychology trick.
You have to mean it.
If you can sit with the initial discomfort of setting the bar this low…
If you can wrap your head around the idea that doing JUST this much might be enough…
If you can indulge in just a little curiosity to see what might happen next…
Then momentum, flow, creativity, freedom — and an honest, heartfelt DESIRE to do things (not a draining, punishing mandate to do things) will be yours.
And if your brain is really fighting me on this advice…
And you find yourself stuck in an endless loop of:
Making strict plans in the morning
Feeling overwhelmed and rebellious all afternoon until you finally say “fuck it”
Beating yourself up at the end of the day and swearing you’ll do better tomorrow
Come talk to me, and let’s break you out of this prison.
There’s a better way, and it’s WAY easier than you think.
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