Patrik Edblad's Blog, page 8

Commitment Devices: An Effective Strategy to Help You Change Your Behaviors

In the Odyssey, the ancient Greek author Homer tells the story of King Odysseus’ journey back home from the Trojan War1.

At one point, Odysseus was about to sail past the sirens, which was a risky affair.

The sirens were seductive, cunning, and dangerous creatures.

They were known to mesmerize nearby sailors with irresistible music and enchanting singing voices.

The spellbound sailors would then steer toward the sirens’ island and shipwreck on the rocky coast.

But despite their fearsome reputation, Odysseus still wanted to listen to the sirens.

So, as his ship was approaching their island, he ordered his sailors to plug their ears with beeswax and tie him to the mast.

That way, he could safely listen to the sirens’ beautiful music and be untied when the ship was once again at a safe distance from them.

The Power of Commitment Devices

In modern behavioral economics, Odysseus’ strategy is called a commitment device2:

A means with which to lock yourself into a course of action that you might not otherwise choose but that produces a desired result.

In other words, it’s something you put in place now, so you will act the way you want to later.

A carefully chosen commitment device can close the gap between your intentions and actions.

And researchers have found that this strategy works well across a wide variety of situations.

For instance, studies show that commitment devices can help people3:

Improve their diets.Exercise more frequently.Quit smoking faster.

With a bit of imagination, you can create commitment devices for pretty much anything.

Let’s have a look at some examples for inspiration.

Commitment Devices for…SleepRemove your bedroom TV — You’ll avoid mindless watching, stimulation, and blue light late at night.Use an electronic timer for your router — Make time for relaxing activities by having your Internet switch off in the evening.Put your alarm clock across the room — You’ll get up at the same time every morning and maintain your circadian rhythm.NutritionOrder groceries online — You’ll shop more deliberately and avoid impulse purchases.Buy snacks in small packages — That way, you can’t binge unhealthy stuff.Use small plates and glasses — It will limit the portion sizes and reduce overeating.ExerciseGet a gym membership — If you pay upfront, you’ll want to get your money’s worth.Hire a personal trainer — The accountability will make it easier to work out regularly.Team up with a friend or group — You’ll be more likely to show up if others expect you to.WorkOptimize your workspace — Make it as enjoyable as possible to be in.Disable your notifications — Ensure that distractions won’t ruin your focus.Use blocking software — Temporarily shut out distracting websites and apps.RelationshipsUse a “phone box” — Put your phone in a designated box or drawer when you get home.Schedule recurring social events — Such as a monthly date night with your spouse.Promise your kids you’ll read to them — You can be sure that they’ll hold you accountable. What Will Your Commitment Devices Be?

If this strategy resonates with you, I encourage you to think about how you could implement it.

What are your long-term goals? Which daily habits will take you there? And how can you bind yourself to those habits?

If you use sufficiently effective commitment devices, you’ll have no choice but to follow through.

FootnotesOdysseyThe Stomach-Surgery ConundrumCommitment Devices: Using Initiatives to Change Behavior

Thank you, Beeminder founder Daniel Reeves, for informing my understanding of commitment devices.

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The 80/20 Morning Routine: A Quick Protocol for an Excellent Start to Your Day

If you want to start a morning routine, you can find a lot of advice online.

And while most of it is pretty good, almost all of the recommended routines have one major flaw.

They assume that you have a lot of time available every morning.

That’s just not the case for most people. I know it isn’t for me—especially since I became a dad.

So, a while back, I set out to build an “80/20” type morning routine. One that delivers as many benefits as possible in as little time as possible.

And after a lot of experimenting, I’ve come up with a routine that’s worked so well that I want to share it with you.

Here’s the 3-step protocol I use every workday morning, along with a brief explanation of each step.

Step 1: 7-Minute Workout

This is a science-based exercise routine where you do 12 body-weight exercises in rapid succession1.

Researchers have found that this kind of high-intensity interval training is extremely effective.

It can deliver many of the same benefits as several hours of running in just a few minutes.

That includes welcome benefits like improved health, mood, energy, focus, and learning.

I use nothing more than an app2, a chair, and a wall to do my 7-minute workout.

Step 2: 5-Minute Cold Shower

Deliberate cold exposure provides some powerful benefits3.

Physiologically, it can improve your metabolic rate, immune response, and health.

Psychologically, it can strengthen your ability to handle stress, build your grit, and improve your mood.

And if you do your cold exposure in the morning, you’ll be more alert throughout the rest of the day.

I take a gradual approach here and shower slightly colder every week.

Step 3: 2-Minute Focus Exercise

It turns out that mental focus follows visual focus4.

So, if you want your mind to be focused, you need to focus visually.

And you can do that by gazing at a fixed spot in your environment for two minutes while blinking as little as possible.

Ideally, you want the spot to be the same distance away from you as the object you intend to look at while working.

I do this exercise by staring at a fixed spot on my computer screen for two minutes before I start my morning writing session.

Final Words

Here’s a quick summary of The 80/20 Morning Routine:

Step 1: 7-Minute WorkoutStep 2: 5-Minute Cold ShowerStep 3: 2-Minute Focus Exercise

The whole process, including switching between the steps, takes me about 20 minutes to complete.

And while those 20 minutes are pretty challenging, the effort is well worth it.

Not just because of the long-term benefits but also because I usually drop into a pleasurable state of relaxed focus immediately afterward.

If you want a quick and effective morning routine, feel free to draw inspiration from mine.

Copy it or tweak it, then give it a try.

I’m sure you’ll be happy with the results — especially considering the small time investment.

FootnotesThe Scientific 7-Minute WorkoutThe 7-Minute Workout Challenge appUsing Deliberate Cold Exposure for Health and PerformanceHow to Focus to Change Your Brain

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Get in the Box: A Simple Idea That Can Help You Get Extraordinary Results

In 1957, Jimmy Greaves signed a contract with Chelsea FC and began his career as a professional soccer player.

He made his debut at just 17 years old and immediately scored his first goal.

Four seasons later, when Greaves left Chelsea, he had scored 124 goals for the club.

Then, after a brief stay at AC Milan, he signed for Tottenham, where he would become a club legend.

He scored no less than three goals in his debut. And over the following ten seasons, he scored a total of 220 goals, making him the highest scorer in the club’s history.

When Greaves ended his career in 1980, he had netted an astonishing total of 382 goals in 579 games.

On top of that, he had scored 44 goals in 57 games for the England national team1.

Those numbers make him one of the most prolific goalscorers in soccer history.

Sadly, Greaves passed away in 2021, but he left us with a clue to his remarkable success:

What I had to do was get in the box 500 times a season. 100 times I’d connect. 50 times the goalkeeper would save it. Half of the rest would go in, and 25 goals a season would do me — just by making sure I got in the box 500 times.

(If you’re unfamiliar with the terminology, “the box” is the penalty area right in front of the goal on the soccer pitch.)

I love this quote because it beautifully illustrates the power of consistently focusing on what’s most important.

As a soccer player, Jimmy Greaves’s #1 job was to score goals. And to score goals, his #1 duty was to get in the box. If he just got in the box enough times, he would score enough goals.

And you don’t have to be a professional soccer player to benefit from this idea. You can apply it to whatever it is that you do.

As a writer, my #1 job is to publish content. And to publish content, my #1 duty is to write consistently. If I just show up for my Hermit Hour every day, I will publish enough content.

What’s your #1 job? And what’s your #1 duty?

These questions will help you clarify what’s most important. Then, all you have to do is make sure that you get in the box.

FootnoteJimmy Greaves

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Einstein’s Razor: A Handy Tool to Simplify Your Life

Albert Einstein once said1:

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

This preference for simplicity shows in his famous equation E=MC2.

Rather than settling for a complex, lengthy equation, Einstein boiled it down to its bare minimum.

And this approach is applicable well beyond scientific theories.

You can use Einstein’s Razor to “cut away” any kind of unnecessary complexity.

When I write my articles, for instance, I use it to cut out any fluff.

After I’ve finished the shitty first draft, I go over it several times and delete every single redundant word.

My goal is to seamlessly transfer each idea from the text into the reader’s mind.

And that happens when my texts are as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Here are some other examples of how to use Einstein’s Razor:

Goal-setting: Instead of setting many goals, use the 3-3-3 method to focus on the few that are most importantHabits: Rather than tracking tons of behaviors, use a Keystone Habit Calendar to track the most critical onesWeight-lifting: Instead of doing a bunch of different exercises, do the ones that activate the most muscle groupsWardrobe: Rather than keeping clothes you might use someday, only keep the stuff you actually wear.Work: Instead of trying to do everything at once, remove all distractions and work on what truly matters.

As you can see, Einstein’s Razor can be helpful in a wide variety of situations.

So, whenever you’re faced with complexity, ask yourself: How can I simplify this?

That way, you’ll focus your time, energy, and attention on what’s essential.

You’ll do less, but better. And that’s a highly effective and satisfying way of doing things.

FootnoteAccording to Quote Investigator, there is no direct evidence that Albert Einstein expressed this idea in these exact words. Regardless, I’ll use this concise quote for the sake of simplicity. Yes — I’m using Einstein’s Razor to explain Einstein’s Razor.

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The Fogg Behavior Model: A Simple Framework for Lasting Habits

BJ Fogg is one of the world’s leading experts in behavior change.

He has created The Fogg Behavior Model, which is a handy framework for building habits.

According to the model, a behavior happens when three elements converge at the same moment1:

A prompt — You have to remember to do the behavior.Motivation — You have to want to do the behavior.Ability — You have to be able to do the behavior.

You can easily create a prompt using if-then planning. All you have to do is fill out this formula:

If [situation] – Then I will [habit].

For example, If I start my computer at work, Then I will do one hour of deep work.

The other two elements, motivation and ability, have a trade-off relationship with each other.

If your motivation is high, you can do hard things. But if your motivation is low, you can only do easy things.

And since motivation is a feeling that comes and goes, it’s the least reliable element in the model.

So, instead of trying to increase your motivation, it’s generally much better to increase your ability.

That means making the behavior so easy that you’ll do it even when your motivation is low.

And you can do that either by creating a tiny version of the habit or by taking the tiny first step of the full habit.

In our example, you could start by doing just two minutes of deep work. Or, you could begin by simply closing the office door behind you.

If you establish a clear prompt, and strike the right balance between motivation and ability, your habit will quickly take hold and naturally grow over time.

So, whenever you want to create a lasting habit, keep The Fogg Behavior Model in mind.

FootnoteTiny Habits by B.J. Fogg

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The Hermit Hour: A Simple Ritual for Remarkable Productivity

Cal Newport is a computer science professor and the author of several books.

He’s famous for his remarkable productivity, both as a researcher and writer.

According to Newport, you can do two types of work1:

Shallow work is non-demanding, logistical-style tasks that you usually do while you’re distracted. This kind of work creates little new value and is easy to replicate. For example, reactively answering emails.Deep work is tasks that you do in a state of distraction-free focus, pushing your skills to their limits. This kind of work creates lots of new value, improves your abilities, and is hard to replicate. For example, writing a chapter of a book.

These days, most people fill their days with shallow work. So, if you cultivate the ability to do deep work, you will thrive in the modern economy.

You’ll produce great results fast, and you’ll get the sense of fulfillment that comes from true craftsmanship.

If that sounds appealing, I encourage you to establish a daily Hermit Hour.

This is a daily ritual where you withdraw from the rest of the world to be completely isolated.

During your Hermit Hour, you have all notifications turned off, your email inbox closed, and your office door shut behind you.

You lock yourself into a bubble of deep concentration and work on something that truly matters.

One hour might not seem like much, but as you stack them on top of each other, they’ll quickly start adding up.

And within a few short weeks, you’ll probably notice a significant improvement in your ability to focus, your skills, and your results.

So, I encourage you to schedule your Hermit Hour as soon as possible. Once you see the benefits, I’m sure you’ll keep adding more.

FootnoteDeep Work by Cal Newport

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The Shitty First Draft: A Powerful Approach to Avoid Perfection

In her book, Bird by Bird, author Anne Lamott introduces the concept of “shitty first drafts”1:

All good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts.

Most people assume that great authors write quickly and effortlessly. But according to Lamott, that’s not true.

Not even the best and most successful authors write elegant first drafts. They all start with a Shitty First Draft and then rewrite it until it’s excellent.

I’ve found this insight to be very helpful in my own writing. It removes the pressure to get everything right on the first try and makes it much easier to get started.

Pretty much every article I’ve written, including the one you’re reading right now, started out as a huge mess.

But every shitty first draft was a critical first step. It’s what allowed me to get moving, revise, and end up with something useful.

And you don’t have to be a writer to benefit from this approach. It’s applicable any time you’re starting something from scratch.

If you want to move more, don’t look for an optimal workout routine. Instead, begin with just a few basic exercises.If you want to eat healthier, don’t research the ideal diet. Instead, start with just one simple recipe.If you want to get more done, don’t install a fully-fledged productivity system. Instead, begin with a quick weekly planning ritual.

Start first and optimize later — not the other way around. Always begin with a shitty first draft, and over time, everything will fall into place.

FootnoteBird by Bird by Anne Lamott

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Simply Begin Again: A Mantra to Quickly Get Back on Track

Joseph Goldstein is one of my favorite mindfulness teachers. In one of his meditations, he explains that1:

The three most important words in mindfulness meditation are “simply begin again.”

In a typical mindfulness meditation, you give the mind an object to focus on, like the breath. Then, what usually happens, is that your mind starts wandering.

Most often, you won’t notice that this is happening. You can be lost in thought for minutes before you wake up and realize what’s been going on.

And when that happens, it’s not helpful to criticize yourself for not being mindful. In fact, if you start judging your performance, you’re thinking again, which means you’re not being mindful.

So, whenever you catch yourself lost in thought, you want to return to the object you’re focusing on and Simply Begin Again.

I’ve found this advice very useful, not just in my meditation practice but in any goal-directed behavior.

Whenever you find that you’ve strayed away from your objective, dwelling on it will usually just make it worse.

Imagine, for instance, that you decide to complete an important work assignment. But then, two hours later, you find yourself wasting time on social media.

In situations like these, self-criticism won’t help. If anything, it will make you feel bad, which makes it even harder to bounce back.

There is a time and place to reflect on what went wrong, such as a weekly planning ritual. But in the moment, you want to return to the task at hand as quickly as possible.

So, whenever you fall short of your goals, miss a day in your habit calendar, or have any other kind of setback, don’t ruminate about it.

Instead, simply begin again. You’ll get back on track much faster that way.

FootnoteSimply Begin Again by Joseph Goldstein

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The Weekly Planning Ritual: A Powerful Process to Spend Your Time Wisely

The Stoic philosopher Seneca once wrote1:

It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested.

If you feel like you don’t have enough time, that’s not quite accurate. You have plenty of time every day. The problem is how you use it.

So, you don’t need more time — you need to spend it more wisely. And the best strategy I’ve found for doing that is The Weekly Planning Ritual.

This is a process you use to review the past week and prepare for the one ahead.

It’s best to establish a ritual that fits your unique circumstances, but you can use this protocol as inspiration:

Begin your ritual. Get a cup of tea or coffee and put on some of your favorite music. Make this something you look forward to.Review the week. Did you achieve your small goals and complete your keystone habits? Celebrate what went well and analyze what needs more work.Empty your to-do list. Revisit any random tasks you captured in your Braindump Depot during the week and either complete, schedule, or delete them.Check your calendar. Ensure that you’re on top of any deadlines and special occasions coming up in the weeks ahead.Define your objectives. Decide which three things you will accomplish in the upcoming week to move closer to your long-term goals.

If you invest 30 minutes every Sunday in a Weekly Planning Ritual, you’ll avoid wasting hours in the week ahead.

You’ll approach each day with greater clarity, confidence, and focus. And that will make it much easier to achieve your goals.

FootnotesOn the Shortness of Life by Seneca

I first learned about weekly planning from Scott Dinsmore.

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The Braindump Depot: A Simple System to Keep a Clear Mind

Remarkable productivity is not about putting in a lot of hours. It’s about consistently putting in intensely focused hours.

Cal Newport, the author of Deep Work, expresses this critical point as a formula1:

Work Accomplished = Time Spent x Intensity

A small number of high-intensity hours can produce vastly better results than a large number of low-intensity hours.

And that’s excellent news because it means you can work less and still accomplish a lot more.

So, how do you consistently put in high-intensity hours?

Well, to attain deep focus, you first need to have a clear mind. And that means you need to remove any mental clutter.

Let me explain with an example. Imagine that you’re deep into a work assignment. But then, out of nowhere, a thought pops into your head:

“I have to get a birthday present for my sister.”

As you return to your assignment, this task won’t just disappear. It will linger in your mind and take up mental space.

And if you have a lot of these tasks on your mind, they quickly add up and severely impair your ability to focus.

Luckily, you can easily reclaim your mental bandwidth using a Braindump Depot.

This is a system you use to move random tasks out of your mind the moment they appear.

It can be as simple as a pen and paper on your desk. Or a to-do-list on your computer and phone.

The specific tools you use is not important. What’s important is that you continually capture random tasks in your Braindump Depot and return to them at a more appropriate time.

That way, your mind can confidently let go of them, and you can approach your work sessions with deep clarity, calm, and focus.

FootnotesWork Accomplished = Time Spent x Intensity

This article was inspired by David Allen’s “open loops” concept in Getting Things Done.

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