Unsolicited Advice » Productivity

Priorities, Continued

Surfy — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:55:48 +0000

Ever since Merlin Mann dropped the science of whether a task is a priority on me, I’ve been dumbstruck at it’s simplicity and power. However, no one else seems to get it when I explain this to them. They resist, hate the idea, and move on. Or they don’t care. They think I’ve lost my mind. But the fact is, I haven’t. But it gets better.

In fact, it’s the inverse of Merlin’s Law that I really get: If you are doing something, well, it must be your priority!

So I find myself reading a webpage, reading the paper, shuffling papers, driving to the store and I think to myself:

“Self, this must be your priority”

And invariably I respond:

“This is definitely NOT a priority”

“Then why are you doing it?”

“Okay, not doing it. Done. Refocused.”

See?

Habit Priming

Surfy — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:10:48 +0000

I’m going to categorize this under “obvious but useful”. They say it takes 30 days to develop a new habit. I don’t know who “they” are, but I still read and hear this frequently. This sounds easy, is easy but requires active thought….. and fails for me more often than it should. And then it hit me recently. Attach a new habit I’m trying to instill to another habit that I’m completely stuck with.

For years I’ve been trying to stay on the “take my vitamins” wagon. I always fall off! Irritating! So, I’ve paired it with a habit I have that is unstoppable:

Morning coffee.

I have taken the einstein-ien step of placing my vitamins right next to my super-incredible Nespresso espresso machine.

I think you get the picture. I’m now trying to think of other pairings to prime good habits.

Bad habits, btw, don’t need priming.

Priorities

Surfy — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:51:10 +0000

Q. How do you identify a High Priority task?

A. It’s done.

Merlin Mann is a crazy genius.