43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Psyching yourself out

Open Loops: Your Central Nervous System: Your Biological Key to Productivity

Interesting article on ways to jumpstart your brain into action by changing something physical.

By mimicking the sympathetic reactions to a threatening environment (sitting up straight, standing, moving quickly, deeper breathing), it appears to be possible to activate the sympathetic system, which then takes over.  We are ready to act, or in our case, be productive.  We can also change our environment to one that causes the sympathetic system to activate, one that is more spartan, threatening, or simply uncomfortable.  The result?  We take action.  We are more productive.

This doesn’t surprise me a bit, and if it’s all true, it might confirm my hunch that sitting still and staring at a screen all day is a recipe for lethargy, lame thinking, and productivity inertia.

One trick that works for me is to unhook the sitting/desk/computer triad as a necessary combination for accomplishing what I need to do. On unproductive days, I try to shake myself away from even one piece of that combination: walk around, take the laptop to a coffee shop or—best of all—pretend that my time at the computer is very precious (instead of theoretically unlimited as it often is). Maybe play a mental game where I pretend I’m getting on a plane in 30 minutes, or some equivalent.

For some reason, changing just one or two factors about my approach, my setup, my assumptions, or my schedule—even if I know it’s just a self-imposed psych-out—can be just the jolt I need to get things happening.

Got a psych-out trick—physical or otherwise—that helps you get out of a productivity slump?

[Link: Lifehacker]

kadavy's picture

I think it would be...

I think it would be easier to "psych myself out" if instead of working 40+ hours-a-week, I worked 30 hours a week. I would really have to take action to get everything done, and I would have more "away time" to refresh. Isn't that the point of all of the leaps and bounds we have made in productivity in the last ten years - to spend less time working?

If only I had the luxury of making that choice a reality.

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »