This is the last in a series of four blog posts for the seminar, “The Tenets of Productivity” by BrainStorm’s Chief Brainiac, Scott Doty.

In this series, you’ll learn productivity tricks, tips, and find resources for further review.

You HAVE Time; What You Don’t Have Is Priorities.

Want to get something done? Ask a busy person.

Why is this aphorism true? Because productive people have learned the alchemy that is turning usable hours into productive, enriching opportunities to excel.

Part of this alchemy is eschewing the disempowering (and inaccurate) excuse “I don’t have time” and espousing instead the correct philosophy: “I have 168 hours in my week, just like Oprah, and the Pope, and everyone else. Any project I want to get done will get done, if I decide to prioritize it.”

Productive people MAKE time for their priorities, and allow the small stuff to fit in around those priorities.

Honor the P’s.

Whether you’re trying to study physics or prepare the masterpiece of your culinary career, consider the effect of these 3 P’s on your ability to focus and be effective:

• Place. Is your space clutter-free and away from distractions like TV? Is it well lit, and not so warm that you feel lethargic?
• Posture. If the world’s best physics student or cook were to undertake this exact project right now, how would he or she sit/stand? Would his/her outfit or body language reflect the high level of attention about to be given to the effort?
• Phonics. What sounds make you most productive? Is it silence, or is it binaural beats, or is it the sound of a bustling café around you? If you love music, perhaps you should be listening to lyric-free music while you tackle this high-focus project? (Miles Davis and Mozart have repeatedly been shown to be ideal for this) You can always sing along to Mumford & Sons or Bruno Mars while you wash the dishes—a low-focus activity.

Mantras for Productivity:

I am worthy of success

I am not afraid of exceptional success

Failure is part of success, so I welcome it

Attitude and effort are up to me

I am already victorious!

Resources for Further Study:

Health & Wellness:
www.getsomeheadspace.com
www.calm.com
www.wimhofmethod.com
https://gmb.io/

To Limit Distractions:
MacFreedom
http://fungie.info/bell/#
Put your phone on “Airplane mode”
RescueTime

Phonics & Techniques:
www.coffitivity.com
“Binaural Beats” on YouTube
Mind-mapping
Napping (if you’re a morning person, give yourself two mornings each day!)

Organization Tools:
Google docs & calendar, Evernote, Dropbox
Right Inbox
Apps: Carrot, Lift, Wunderlist, Do It Tomorrow

Further Reading:
“Productivity Habits Guide”: https://www.calendar.com/productivity-habits/
18 Minutes by Peter Bregman
The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte
The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
The 24-Hour Genius by Eric Epstein
“Quiet the Lizard Brain” by Seth Godin:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/01/quieting-the-lizard-brain.html
17 Game-Changing Things You Can Do Today to Stay Focused at Work in the Digital Age

Read more from The Tenets of Productivity series:

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