ROUTINEThe Golden 90 Minutes
How you start the day has an enormous effect on productivity. To get things done in the morning, “Four Hour” productivity guru Tim Ferriss suggests having the first 90 minutes of your workday vary as little as possible. “I think that a routine is necessary to feel in control and non-reactive, which … makes you more productive.”
GOAL SETTINGKeep It to Yourself
You’ve probably heard that you should tell a friend your goals for the year, because such a declaration will motivate to achieve them. But according to Psychological Science you need to make make an exception with “identity goals” because they are less likely to be achieved if made public. Tell everyone you’re committed to being a better boss, a caring doctor or a more active citizen, and you may slack off — most likely because your brain confuses telling people with taking real action, the report says.
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MOTIVATIONTime to Shrine
Need a New Year pick-me-up? Jim Krause, author of Creative Sparks, suggests creating a small “personal shrine” in your office space. Include things that are important to you — a thank-you letter from a patient, mabye—and use it to get yourself in the zone for wow-ing your patients and customers.
PRODUCTIVITYAction = Results
Want a way for your customers to leave your business feeling they’ve done some good? Urban Tails Pet Supply in Minneapolis, MN, offers a register round-up. “Customers can round up to the nearest dollar, with the difference going to a (local rescue),” manager Megan Trombley told INVISION’s sister magazine PETS+.
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PSYCHOLOGYStop Saying Should
I should really work out tonight, I should talk to more strangers at trade shows, I should fill out Brain Squad surveys. The word implies reluctance and guilt. Start saying “want” instead of “should,” recommends Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor at the University of California, Riverside and the author of The How of Happiness. The positive language will help you clarify and prioritize what you really want to be doing at the moment — and it can help you see healthy business behaviors you’re not psyched about (hey, those surveys really aren’t so bad) in a motivating way.
SELF-IMPROVEMENTFight Bad Habits
When it’s too difficult to deny yourself that cigarette, donut, or new coat, tell yourself to wait just 10 minutes before you give in. This “mini” delay in gratification will build self-control over time, says Kelly McGonigal in her book The Willpower Instinct. “Ten minutes doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but with practice, 10 minutes can turn into 20, 30, or 60 minutes, and soon you might be able to put off gratification for as long as you want. According to McGonigal, with this strategy the brain treats this like a “future reward” and takes away the overwhelming need for immediate gratification.