Tested, works: slaps against Facebook and other non-trivial productivity secrets

© Justin Fantl

Traditional textbooks of success" suggest to increase the motivation not to leave the most difficult, and then constantly monitor the time. But during the day, something often goes wrong, tips from books do not work, and in the end it turns out that really matters help most other things. A list of unusual Lithgow for those who want to work more and remain a living person.

Slap against procrastination

Journalist, entrepreneur and founder of online platform Hack the System Manish Network has hired a special employee in order to limit the amount of its presence in social networks during working hours. "Darling," Manish name was Cara, and her main task was to give him a friendly slap in the face every time he opened a Facebook page instead of having to deal with the case. Kara also monitor the execution of tasks on the list early in the day gave her Network, and talked with him in the process. Thus she could simultaneously engage in their own projects. For his attention to the monitor of Manish, shouts, slaps and slaps Kara received $ 8 an hour.

The results of this experiment were striking. The results of the efficiency analysis performed using the RescueTime application, the amount of productive time increased from a paltry 35-40% per day up to 98%. While Manish says that the main "engine" was not fear of another slap, and the fact that work has become fun. "We have added in the process of creating a text element of communication, — says the businessman. — When I made the first version of another text, I asked the opinion of the Cart. When I couldn't think of the right wording, she was there and could help me. She turned the routine into the game".

Of course, do not have to use heavy artillery type of slaps, even comic. The most important strategy of Manish Network is the creation of an atmosphere of friendly attention when the man gently return to the case without the threats and condemnation. The form in which it occurs, you can choose any. And better, of course, unknown to hire a partner to the process-it was strictly business.

Self-organization for those who work with tectonical, blogger and columnist for the online publication The Daily Beast Jamie Todd Rubin is working full time and raising two children. To increase his professional efficiency, he made it a rule to write every day for at least 20 minutes. "I found that 20 minutes is 500 words," says Jamie, " and learned to work, not paying attention to what the children are noisy, or that the room has a TV."

Rubin advises to move the time when you have to deal with the letter, depending on the agenda, not set it always at a certain hour, then plans changed, broke you off schedule and ruined the mood.

"If I finish with the text before, then don't worry about it," says the columnist. — If a busy day planned or everything starts to go wrong, I just say to myself: "you will Have only 10 minutes". I do so because almost any situation you can count on this amount of time. Not too much, but at full power I am able to write about a page (250 words) in 10 minutes. One page is one page more than it was yesterday."

In addition, Jamie pursues a strategy of multitasking. He's usually working on two artworks and two or three materials in the genre of fiction. "I learned that trick after I read the autobiography of Isaac Asimov, the American science fiction writer born in the Russian Federation.), Rubin said. — Value of multi-tasking is that it allows you to switch to maximize the usefulness of the 10-minute window. If I sit down to write and realize that today is not in the mood for stories, I switch to article, and Vice versa."

What to do with the fatigue? It seems that everyone knows the condition when all you want to do nothing, and, as a rule, in such circumstances, the only solution seems to postpone the work for tomorrow. But Jamie Rubin I am sure that this can not be done. "We all know this trick: put a couple large bills in a secret pocket of the wallet just in case. I do the same with stories and myths. I'm not working on the script, but almost always know how the story ends. Usually my mind is one scene — usually the climax — which I want to write particularly strong. When my mind works bad and nothing coming up, I just get this "scene just in case" and work with her."

Music and noise as a way sosredotochitsya that we listen to at work, able to elevate our productivity to the heavens or, conversely, to relax at the wrong time. It all depends on what to include. Creators of the site Focus@Will, which specializiruetsya in the relationships music and performance, say in the workplace better not listen to what you listen to normally.

If you like jazz, do not turn it on at work.

If music is truly a pleasure, this means that it also stimulates the release of dopamine in your brain — that is actually distracting you. Unfamiliar music, on the contrary, maximizes the focus of attention. According to research by Focus@Will, it may extend the time of concentration up to 100 minutes.

A group of researchers from the University of Illinois found out that listening to music for any work in, on average, increases the concentration of 6.3%. The researchers suggest listening to Baroque music, classical cover versions of pop songs, ambient, chill out or just noise. And if the first few points all clear, the latter raises a reasonable question — where to get the correct sounds?

On the Internet there are several sites with "noise." For those who like to work in a cafe, suitable for Rainy Cafe Machine. Here you can choose what you want to listen to: the sound of rain and thunder, the noise of the cafe where there are visitors, or both. The volume and balance of sounds can be adjusted. Visit Coffitivity sounds of the rain no, but you can choose which "cafe" you want to hear. There are easy options: Morning Murmur, Lunchtime Lounge and University Undertones, and regional, to listen to which you want to start an account: Paris Paradise, Brazil and Texas Bistro Teahouse. And the site Simply Noise you can find just a noise: "white", "pink" or "red," which recalls the sound of a broken television.

Do not drown your substanitally platform Buffer to be productive and I advise you to change your attitude to work and load. First of all, they propose to get rid of a neurotic desire to "be motivated" and "feel on top" and look into the eyes of his real feelings. The amount of work, the complexity of the task, boredom, or insecurity, which inspires a particular case are frightening. In the end, if we so desperately tried to motivate myself before every jump into the pool or trying to invite someone on a date, we'd still to anything did not dare. Better not to waste energy trying to numb out feelings, say to yourself, for example: "Yes, that's sad!" and complete the task anyway.

Buffer also offers not immediately grab for the difficult and responsible work, and to perform a couple of easy tasks to warm up. The focus here is in the switching of attention. So the importance of simple things in a natural way increases, and complex in the background ceases to inspire horror.

Another recommendation is to work less and manage your energy, not time. This will allow you to do the work, when it does best, and not waste time in moments when exhausted. In addition, Buffer advised to study all the time to say "Yes". Refuse and refuse is much more difficult than to agree, but doing it will be easier if instead of "I can't" and "I can't" to say "I don't check email in the morning" and "I go to bed no later than eleven."

 

Source: theoryandpractice.ru