Do It Today: Overcome Procrastination, Improve Productivity, and Achieve More Meaningful Things

by Darius Foroux

And if you want to climb the corporate ladder, you have to form alliances, be strategic, outperform your targets, and be great at what you do.

Be in great shape, mentally and physically. Always. I have a set of daily habits that help me to be in control of my life. I journal, read, set daily priorities, and don’t consume useless information. I also make sure I interact with my friends and family every day. Human contact is important. This keeps me grounded. I don’t have high expectations of life. And I enjoy my days. I never look beyond that.

“All you need to do [to increase serotonin levels] is remember positive events that have happened in your life. This simple act increases serotonin production in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is a region just behind the prefrontal cortex that controls attention.”

This highly cited study, published in the American Psychological Society journal, by Dianne Tice and Roy Baumeister discusses the cost of procrastination. It is related to: Depression Irrational beliefs Low self-esteem Anxiety Stress Procrastination is not innocent behavior. It’s a sign of poor self-regulation. Researchers even compare procrastination to alcohol and drug abuse. It’s serious. And I’ve experienced that for many years.

Willpower Doesn’t Work. Systems Do. What you really need is a system for doing work. A lot of people shy away from routines, systems and frameworks because they want to have “freedom.” I’m sorry to disappoint you: Freedom is your enemy. The fact is that, if you want to get things done, you need rules. What are some things that research proved to be effective? Self-imposed deadlines. Accountability systems (commitment with friends, or a coach). Working/studying in intervals. Exercising 30 minutes a day. A healthy diet. Eliminating distractions. And most importantly: Internal motivation. If you combine the right productivity tactics, you have a productivity system.

It’s Steven Pressfield’s famous analogy, from his book The War Of Art, for getting work done. The amateur only works when inspiration strikes. The pro sits down every day and puts in steady work. The key is steady. Not irregular or extreme.