What would happen to your life if you made the decision to stop overthinking and start doing more in your day? Let’s say you stopped planning so much of what you should do and chose to actually get stuff done instead. Would your life look different? Would you have more of a sense of pride in accomplishing things daily? I hate to admit it, but I was, at one point, very lazy. I don’t even think it would be classified as laziness per se. I think I was depressed and any small thing felt like a huge mountain I needed to climb. I would spend so much time planning things I needed or wanted to do but could barely get through a task or two before I was done for the day. Completely spent. Motivation was zero. The simplest task, like brushing my teeth and getting ready for the day, felt completely daunting. That is more of your mental state going south than you as an actual person, so don’t beat yourself up. You want to get things done, but for some reason, you can’t.
Eventually, you get so sick of where you are, but at the same time, you have no idea where to start. This is where small daily habits come into play. You start small. You let the momentum build, and slowly the shift begins to happen. Overtime (and a lot of trial and error), I’ve come up with the best habits I’ve incorporated into my day to help me be more productive. I hope you take one or two for yourself, and maybe one day you can work your way up to incorporate all of them into your daily routine. Take what you need. You’re more than welcome to come back for more later.
Keep the Promises You Make to Yourself
This will not only make your days more productive; it will also help you build trust in yourself. Which is exactly what you need when you’re struggling with your mental health. You need to show yourself that you can do things and that you’re worth it to put in the effort. How many times have you said you were going to start something like going to the gym and put it off over and over, and all of a sudden, a whole year went by, and you’ve never even stepped foot in the building? What kind of message is that relaying to your brain about your worth? Stop letting your excuses win. Tell yourself that you’re going to do it and follow through. It will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment, and it will make your self-confidence skyrocket.
Lock In
You can do something repeatedly, but if you’re doing things half-heartedly then do you really see any kind of improvement in it? No. You’re just wasting your own time. If you’re going to commit to something, give it all you got. Instead of just going through the motions, try. Lock the fuck in. Do things with intention to actually reap the benefits from it.
Do Whatever Task Will Get You Going
I’ve heard so many times: Get the hardest thing on your to do list done first. While this may work for a lot of people, I found myself wasting time, procrastinating because doing the hardest thing seemed like so much. Remember, at the beginning of this journey, it was hard for me to brush my teeth, so doing the hardest thing first? That was a no for me. I found it was better and I was more productive whenever I got myself going the quickest. Advice isn’t always one size fits all. If you find yourself struggling to get the hardest thing done first, start with anything that you are willing to do, and let the momentum build from there.
5-4-3-2-1
I cannot take credit for inventing the five second rule. We all have Mel Robbins to thank for that. However, I can attest that it does in fact work. Anytime I’m trying to avoid starting something, I count down 5-4-3-2-1 and then I blast off. It’s like a trigger. I must get up and do the task. Two instances this really comes in handy: getting out of bed and starting a set at the gym. I don’t give myself time to think, once I get to one I know I have to act.
Stop hitting snooze
This was probably the toughest of them all for me to conquer. I love my sleep and it seems like it’s never enough, so I dread having to get out of bed in the morning. I’ve learned the longer I put it off though, the less productive my day ahead will be. Your morning sets the mood for the day, and we want to set the tone of productivity, remember? I’ve noticed that on my days off, often times I’ll wake up before my alarm. I used to lay in bed and either toss and turn trying to get those extra few minutes of sleep, usually unsuccessfully, or I’d lay and scroll on my phone. Lately, I’ve managed to get out of bed and just get my day started earlier because the two options prior were doing me no good. Stop hitting snooze. The extra nine minutes aren’t worth it.
You Can Suck, but You Can’t Skip
Listen, I know not every day is going to be a high-performance day. Those are the days it’s most important, despite every fiber in your being not wanting to, to just show up. You build discipline when you do things, even when you don’t want to, especially when you don’t want to. So, you can suck (maybe do a walk on the treadmill instead of doing your whole weightlifting routine), but you can’t skip (you still got to make it to the gym).
Treat Your Days Like a Basketball Game: Play Every Quarter
This is my take on Mamba Mentality. I like to view my days in quarters. Let’s say I had a bad morning. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, everything that could go wrong did, and I didn’t even have enough time for my morning cup of coffee. We’re all allowed to have a bad morning and to let it piss us off for a little while, but it will not ruin a whole day. Come noon, we’re going to let whatever happened this morning go. We will start fresh, drop the attitude, and step into a new quarter because a bad five minutes does not equal a bad day.
Sometimes, the Grass is Greener
I am living proof that things can change. You. Your circumstances. Your mental health. Your daily routines. It can all get better. Sometimes you have to take a chance on you and believe in the possibility of good things. It’s out there waiting for you to take the steps to get to them. I hope this helps guide you in the days ahead. May they be most productive yet. The hardest part is the start; everything else is downhill from there. See you on the other side.
The proof is in the rewrite. Here’s to redefining priorities, embracing life, and healing out loud.
Xo-J.
Leave a Reply