On Monday evening I hit the gym for the first time in a week or two and certainly for the first time since I started walking on two legs sans boot! It was exhilarating both during and after. But greater than the enjoyment of a hard workout was the lightbulb moment that hit me right in the middle of my 2km row. Every time I began a 100m sprint (I was doing an intervals session), each stroke became easier and easier once I pushed past those first few tough strokes; once I’d gained momentum. And it’s the same in life. It’s always hard to get started – on a project, housework, a job application, a business plan – but once you start, remove all the distractions and keep going, you find it is so much easier than you first thought!
Every driver has experienced it. You’re on the motorway/highway/freeway and the drive is smooth and exciting, but annoyingly a driver cuts in front of you and forces you to push on the brakes or you reach a line of traffic that slows you right down. All that momentum and speed you had is lost. And it’s particularly worse for me (I drive a Toyota Yaris Hybrid). My car does NOT like accelerating up hills and will probably only break records like: ‘the slowest to go from 0-60mph’. So I truly detest losing momentum. And I expect so do you – in your car and in life! I link momentum to flow – I get in a flow once I’ve been writing for a little bit or when working on a project, or reading. In this state I am most productive and produce my best work. So when I suffer an interruption, my flow is ruined and I have to slowly build back up the momentum to get to that peak speed again. Has this ever affected you or is it just me?
I’m sure I’m not alone, and in case I’m right on that, here is one quick and easy tip to beat the inertia, get you started and ensure maximum momentum for heightened productivity in your life:
Ask yourself the million dollar question:
“What 3 things can I do today to bring me closer to my dream life?”
I’ll share the 3 things I came up with the other day as an example:
- Job hunt (apply to at least X amount of jobs today)
- Blog (write at least one blog each weekday)
- Practice my presentation for Sunday. (I’ve been invited to speak at a Business Workshop!)
It’s as easy as that! I have so much time in my day now I’m going through this period of recovery and it would be so easy for me to lay in bed til the afternoon and waste my days away (trust me, I’ve done this and it’s VERY easy.) This one question keeps me on track and as I start, complete the first task, put a tick against it or completely cross it from my daily ‘to-do list’ and move on to the next project, I gain momentum that fuels me not just for that day but for the next and each and every day ahead!
For more ideas about productivity and getting the most out of your day, check out this previous post on time management: 8 Simple Time Management Tips.
And by asking yourself: ”what three things can I do today to bring me closer to my dream life?” you give your subconscious the opportunity to delve deeper. Even if you don’t know exactly what you want to do that day, if you meditate on that question, the action steps that you must take each day to get closer to your dream life will begin to reveal themselves.
This was my day the other, but when I wake up and ask myself that question on another morning it may not give me the same answer! Give the question a real go (meditate on it briefly when you ask it to yourself) and let me know what you are challenged to achieve that day!
I hope you can reach your momentum and become your most productive self!
What’s the best tip you’ve used to get in to a great work flow? Feel free to share it in the comments below or drop me an email (contact)!
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