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If you’re like most people you want to be more productive and accomplish more in your day, but the endless distractions keep getting in your way.
You know what it takes to be more successful and to accomplish your goals, but how do you perform those necessary tasks without allowing your mind to sabotage your momentum?
There are a few tricks to set yourself up for success so that you can establish full control over your mind rather than allowing your mind to control you.
Creating simple systems will make life so much easier and stop you from getting sidetracked by all the shiny objects that are vying for your attention and trying to steer you away from the essential tasks at hand.
With our goals as the destination, our systems become the path to get us there.
Leaving your days up to chance or merely hoping and wishing that the right amount of inspiration or motivation will strike is a faulty solution.
Think of your systems as weapons against your greatest opponents, your inner dialogue, and the distractions in your environment.
Here are a few systems that can train your mind and rewire your brain, so you can stay focused and become more successful.
SET UP A REWARD SYSTEM
I know it might seem too simple, but there is a reason reward systems work so well with children.
Each time we reward a specific behavior, we condition ourselves to want to do the action again.
As human beings, we are wired for action and reward. When we earn something, we learn to appreciate it so much more.
When we don't earn things, we subconsciously feel like we don't deserve it.
Setting up small reward systems throughout your day will rewire your brain to look forward to the task because the reward will follow.
A reward for yourself could be as simple as a cup of coffee after your morning meditation or watching your favorite show only after you exercise for 30 minutes.
If we do this the opposite way and convince ourselves we will workout after our favorite show, it is much less effective because the entire time we are watching our show, we are anticipating the exercise, which means we don't get to fully enjoy the reward.
When we complete the task first, we feel as if we earned the reward, which makes it more enjoyable.
Putting small rewards in place will encourage you to stay motivated.
Remember to do the task first, then reward the positive behavior not the other way around.
HABIT TRACKING
A simple yet effective way to stay on track with your positive habits is to check off a day in your calendar each time you complete a task.
The idea behind this system is to create a visual chain that records each time you followed through on completing a task.
For example, if you decide to exercise for one hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, each time you complete a workout, you will write an X in your calendar, acknowledging that you stuck with your habit.
The concept of "don't break the chain" is a powerful visual that will remind you whether or not you showed up each time you said you would.
The more you keep the promises you make to yourself; the more confidence will build as a result.
Ultimately, you are building trust with yourself that you are a reliable and dependable person that stays true to your commitments.
This habit tracking creates momentum and fuels you to maintain consistency.
Research shows that people who track their progress are much more likely to remain consistent than those who do not.
This system also forces you to be honest with yourself by visually recording your journey.
Remind yourself that your main goal is to always "show up" regardless of whether you feel like it or not.
You may not always put your best foot forward, but habit tracking forces you to put in the reps regardless of the outcome.
All of your efforts combined, both good days and bad, will compound over time and enable you to achieve significant results.
MAKE THE BEST CHOICE THE MOST OBVIOUS
To avoid repeating negative patterns that are hurting your progress, you must create an environment designed for success.
For example, if you want to remind yourself to exercise in the morning, make it easier by laying out your workout clothes the night before.
As James Clear writes in his book Atomic Habits, "By sprinkling triggers throughout your surroundings, you increase the odds that you'll think about your habit throughout the day."
If your current space is not optimized for achieving your goal, you can always rearrange furniture and make it more conducive to your goals.
Create various areas throughout your house where you can accomplish different things.
For example, I meditate in the same spot, complete my gratitude list in the same chair, and write my blog at the same place every morning.
I have created different stations throughout my house to accomplish various tasks.
After my meditation, I move to the chair, where I write my gratitude list and drink my coffee. When I finish, I move to my work station, where I begin my writing.
My laptop is always set up with my notes and ready to go.
This system creates an environment where I can consistently go through my rituals and routines without much thought or resistance.
FOCUS ON THE END RESULT NOT THE TASK ITSELF
Often, we feel bogged down by the weight of the task rather than just focusing on the result and the happiness and fulfillment we will experience once it is complete.
Try to focus more on how great you will feel when you walk out of the gym after a great workout or how accomplished you will feel once you spend some time getting organized.
The more we can focus on the pleasure the task will bring, the sooner we can take action and forget about the effort required to bring about the result.
Remind yourself you will never regret doing a workout even if it's just a quick one.
On the other hand, you will regret choosing to stay up late and eat half-a-gallon of ice cream.
Choose to focus on the long term benefits of delayed gratification rather than the fleeting pleasure of instant gratification.
We cannot depend on willpower alone to achieve our goals. It is up to us to create systems that support our habits and reinforce positive behavior.
We are habitual creatures; it is our responsibility to design an environment optimized for success.
Do yourself a favor and leave little in your day up for debate. The more consistent and structured you are with your time, the more productive and accomplished you will be.
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