Productivity Is All About Mastering These 4 Mental Tricks, According To Psychologists

We’re trying to bridge the gap between you and your success.

A couple of days ago we had a family get-together. It was a party for my grand mom. While running down memory lane, we unearthed her Senior Year-Book. All the students had one picture taken, and their dreams scribbled beside it. My grand mom had written that she wanted to attend School of Architecture. I was completely shocked. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined her wanting this.

As you can tell, my grand mom never got to fulfill her dream. It’s too late to interrogate her about this, now, but I suppose life got in the way. She got married, had children, and played an extremely important part in my upbringing. In focusing on her role as a mother and a granny, I think she had to lose track of her own desires.

This incident reminded me of something Les Brown has once said. She had said that the tomb is the most creative place. It carries the fire of our unfulfilled passion. There are words we never got around to saying, unfinished songs, books that were only written inside our head, and so on. All of it, amalgamated, crushed into seven feet of land, never to be found.

What gran’s story taught me is: If you have a dream, a sense of purpose, run after it. Time slips before you can even put a finger on it, and it will leave you behind. Especially, in the 21st century, ridden with distractions, it is all the more easy for us to get lost.

Let us explore a few techniques to manage our time better, and achieve productivity consistently:

1. Don’t major in the minors

Don’t make mountains out of molehills. Not because it makes you seem childish, or weak, but because it is a criminal waste of time. The more you dilly-dally, the less time you have to work. If you have a priority, then stick to it.

We forget the importance of focusing. If your attention is pointed towards one thing, obviously the outcome will be much better than when you are all over the place.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve often indulged in the tiniest of issues and let 24 hours slop through my fingers.

2. Say no, graciously to the less important

Learn to refuse. I understand that you may not want to hurt sentiments. But choosing yourself is not a crime. Everybody else is doing just that.

If you have a deadline to meet, and a huge party you have to half-heartedly attend, choose your work. Politely say no to the host, informing them that you will be unable to make it due to some unfortunate circumstances. It is okay. The world will go on.

3. Overestimate

Don’t rush, last minute. Make a schedule ahead of time, and give yourself space to breathe. Instead of half-heartedly pulling through 20 tasks in 2 days, start planning a month and a half ahead. It’ll leave you with 2 days to complete each task. Don’t put yourself through unnecessary stress. It will prove detrimental in the long run.

Interesting Read: 9 Rules for Being Human Handed Down From an Ancient Sanskrit

4. Practice contentment

Stop somewhere. Your body isn’t a dump-yard of infinite resources. Do not push yourself over the edge in trying to achieve something.

Learn to be satisfied with what you have made. I’m not asking you to not push yourself to become a greater version of yourself. I’m only saying, don’t push yourself to death or unhappiness. I’m sure you know the fine line between the two.

If you have 50 points, push yourself to earn 60, maybe. But don’t set yourself a goal of hundred in an impossible time frame, and kill yourself.

It is important to be aware of the legacy you’re leaving behind. Does it make you happy? Does it make you proud? Never forget what you wrote in your year-book.