Keeping Productive...

Have you ever heard of the Gold Star Reward System (GSRS)? Every time you get something done, you get a gold star. Seeing that gold star dumps dopamine into your system because your body gets excited about a job well done. The sad thing is, this system will kill you.

As an adult who went through the GSRS many times, my mind still wants to go through the system and feel the chemical release of dopamine every time I finish a task. This only allows you to accomplish small tasks. Your mind will only allow you to get the small tasks completed because the sooer you can accomplish that next task, the sooner you will have a dopamine dump into your system. This also means you will only get those small tasks done instead of your priorities through the day and literally, you body will fear the thought of starting those new larger tasks because of the wait and distract you will squirrels until you submit or forget about the larger task.

STOP THE GSRS AND GET MOVING!!! A millionaire once taught me a lesson he learned from a billionaire a lesson that changed their lives. Write down your top seven priorities/tasks for the day, and do the first four. Don't worry about the next three, you can do them the next day, delegated them, or by pushing them off, they may not be a priority.

The first problem with most things we place on our Task List is we think of them as priorities and don't don't realize why our minds place them as priorities (GSRS). Many things will fall off our task list if we simply push them to the bottom of our lists.

The second problem with most things we don't put on our Task List is that we will get distracted by the small things we have to get done while we are working on our true priorities. You must keep focus to stay in the flow of your work and to be the most efficient you can be. If you must, and I must, get the small tasks completed before starting your work. Set out 30-60 minutes to clean up the house or do certain tasks, but don't allow your self to put them on a list and then cross them off or give your self a gold star. The less you reward your body/mind for distracting you, the less emphasis it will put in those tasks.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) Write down your 7 priorities for the day and get them done. Don't write down your distractions and don't give them gold stars for completion. Start to train your brain to do what is needed and not what it wants just to give you a dopamine dump into your system. Live intentional and you will be rewarded with productivity.