🧠⚡️Optimizing Productivity Science
A manual for the machine between your ears and its untapped potential.
Those of you who have watched ‘Limitless’ and thought that there is no chance for you to ever reach such levels of brain power, access God-like information retention and never struggle with procrastination again - well, you’re probably right. Nevertheless, all is not lost. Because just like with every machine comes a manual for optimal use and maintenance, there are practices and rituals for your brain, that will monumentally impact your efficiency and make you the effortlessly high-performing human you long to be.
You guessed it. This is the purpose of the article - teaching you the cheat codes for harnessing your brain juice and cultivating a super-brain.
PERCEPTION 👁
First of all, your perception of the task is imperative. If you’re focused on the finished product and your mind has created a mountain out of all that needs doing in order to achieve it, obviously your brain will do everything to resist it. So just do the damn thing - science says the longer you put off your tasks the larger they grow in your head. Procrastination will convince you further that your to-do list is insurmountable. This isn’t true and neither is Santa Claus. Only allow yourself to think about the first small step, for example, if you’re thinking about going to the gym - only think about getting your butt out of the door, the rest will happen naturally. If you have an assignment to write, only allow yourself to think about opening the document and writing a single sentence.
Make it playful. You choose the trajectory of how the task will go, stop assuming the position of it being such a high-pressure and boring activity because it doesn’t have to be. Approach it light-heartedly and things will flow much smoother. Bringing yourself back to the present moment, enjoying any sensations during meditation or a long nature walk can be effective in achieving this. Reaching a state of being free of pressure to perform is where creativity and energy flourish.
The morning pages, stream of consciousness technique by Julia Cameron allows you to clear your mind from monkey jumble with a free-flow of verbal diarrhoea onto the page. Be ridiculous and be unmitigated with your words for the ultimate release. Whatever comes out, no matter how outrageous, is just a thought, you are simply the observer. Watch out for the impending clarity and strap in for an extremely fluid productive output afterward.
BILLIONAIRE ALGORITHM 💸
Set a timer and dedicate a specific time frame where you will do nothing other than the task. Ritualise this time and optimise your surroundings - if you're able to configure the furniture in your workspace, there is a hack that has been coined within the 'billionaire algorithm'. The hack is to point all of your furniture in a given room to face your workspace (desk), this creates the subconscious invitation to the space being pointed at. Consider a living room, where all the furniture points towards the TV, it's unsurprising then, that all you're tempted to do is concentrate your focus on the screen. So find a space where you enter the focus zone, this provides your brain with a cue to initialise focus at will.
BIOLOGY 🧬
It's helpful to also understand your focus biologically. Your brain throughout the day functions within a number of brain waves, each of which governs your mental state. Beta waves are responsible for an engaged mind, the more you practise the given task the easier it will become to enter a high beta state, for the most efficient focus. Further, your brain functions within an ultradian rhythm of a 90-minute cycle whereby your deepest focus will begin after a 20-minute period of resistance, so it’s important to give yourself time to push through.
This resistance is multiplied monumentally when your dopamine system is dysregulated. Forget everything you've been told about rewarding yourself with a cookie after completing a task. As long as you're delaying this gratifying moment and anticipation of dopamine until the end of the task, the task itself will always be bothersome. Instead, aim to attach a sadistic air of pleasure and satisfaction from the effort and internal friction that arises when pushing through the task. Being able to access dopamine during the task supercharges us, due to its conversion to epinephrin in the body.
BELIEFS 💭
If, within your mind exists the belief that you are lazy, bad at something, or unmotivated - delete this information. Wear a different hat, get out of the bogus box that encapsulates you for no beneficial reason whatsoever. You, as a human being, are multi-faceted and endlessly malleable, you can exist at every end of the spectrum, it just takes some dedication and self-belief. It is your choice who you are today - do not limit yourself to a personality trait you or somebody else chose for you.
Stop trying to multi-task. The concept itself is a myth. You will never achieve full efficiency while trying to divide your attention - if you're doing 3 tasks at once, it will take you 3x as long to complete all three. So in reality, you're saving 0 time while also, most probably, compromising the quality and being inevitably more careless in execution. Do the thing with full presence and allow your brain to reach full focus and enjoyment and watch the true magic and speed unfold.
PURPOSE / PLOT TWIST 💢
Some paragraphs ago you were told to avoid the bigger picture to reduce overwhelm, now here we go with a plot twist. Find the balance. Yes, it may be necessary to divide your tasks into small and manageable but do not let this become mundane. Every once in a while embody the big goal, go to the drawing board and remind yourself of the purpose. Resurface your WHY and bring back the tingle down your spine when you visualise yourself living the dream you're working towards today. Lean into your greatness by acting from that space of future you and watch how much more impactful your actions become.
CAFFEINE ☕️
Unpopular opinion but caffeine may not be your friend. I know you won't want to hear this but we need to talk about it. Is the short-lived clarity and boost really worth the inevitable crash and possible sleep disturbance? As soon as your body becomes reliant on caffeine, you become much less able to function between its consumption. Swap out the coffee jitters for a more calm and elevated alertness which can be achieved by matcha. The effects are long-lasting due to slower absorption and do not cause a crash. Chicory root enhances brain blood flow and flavour-wise is very similar to coffee, we all know placebo's a beautiful thing. Last but not least, if you're looking to add a sprinkle of invincibility to your alertness, try a cold shower. With an endorphin and noradrenaline boost, you'll be roaring to go no caffeine required.
TUNES 🎼
Finally, we need to consult your productivity playlist, because as much as you may gravitate towards Adele or some classical rendition of a lullaby, this is not what will induce action and momentum. Unless it makes you want to jump off the walls, it’s not it, keep looking.
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Test out some icpractes that sound reasonable to you, implementing a few at a time. Remember that enforcing a habit may take time so allow yourself some grace and patience.
That concludes the article guys and gals. If you enjoyed it stick around, follow and hop into ADAWell Discord to chat, request or find an accountability friend for your wellness endeavours. If you’ve tried any of the above I’d love to know how it went, if you’re a seasoned practitioner of any, please also share which work for you.
Until next time 🫶🏼