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How to manage your time more effectively (according to machines) - Brian Christian

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Table of Contents arrow 2

1. Procrastination is An Emotional Behavior

2. Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Priorities

3. The Procrastination Equation

4. Take Control of Your Environment

5. Eliminate Your Choices

6. Use the Pomodoro Technique

7. Blackmail Yourself

8. Use Apps to Force Yourself to Focus

9. My Personal Tips for Beating Procrastination

10. 3 Books to Help You Stop Procrastinating

11. Close Your Browser and Get to Work

Your big project is due this week.

The deadline has been looming on your calendar for days, weeks, maybe even months. But with each passing minute it becomes harder to focus. So you fight the resistance: you check Snapchat for the 11th time, you drink another coffee, you put it off until tomorrow when you'll "have fewer distractions."

But we all know that day never comes.

As a recent college graduate currently navigating the professional world, I can confidently say that permanently eliminating distractions is an unrealistic goal. However, with the right mindset and strategies, we can curb our tendency to procrastinate. This post will tell you exactly how to do that.

But if we are to work against procrastination, we first need to understand procrastination.

The human brain is often as irrational and indecisive as it is powerful. The rational part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) is locked in a constant battle with the more emotional, instinctive side (the amygdala).

As nice as it would be to use logic to convince ourselves why we shouldn't put off important work, our brains aren't that simple. We are emotional creatures, and our emotions are often what play the biggest role in our tendency to procrastinate .

This is especially true for those who have a hard time regulating their emotions. Even though we might feel guilty for putting things off, we tend to rationalize our behavior by convincing ourselves that it's really not a big deal.

For example, a study conducted at Bishop University had students react to stressful events in which procrastination actually caused a problem, including a scenario where someone came back from a sunny vacation with a suspicious mole, but put off going to the doctor for a long time.

In this situation, the chronic procrastinators made statements such as, "At least I went to the doctor before things really got worse," rather than things like, "If only I had gone to the doctor sooner."

The no-big-deal responses are called downward counterfactuals: reactions that downplay consequences in an effort to improve one's mood in the short term. This is in contrast to upward counterfactuals: reactions that embrace consequences so as to learn a lesson for future reference.

Even though most of us (myself included) feel guilty about procrastinating, our craving for emotional pick-me-ups when confronted with difficult or boring tasks prompts us to rationalize counterproductive behavior. This keeps us locked in a never-ending cycle of inaction.

The Biology of Procrastination

When a research team in Germany did fMRI brain scans on 264 adults, they found a link between difficulties in taking action on tasks (procrastination) and a greater amounts of gray matter volume in the amygdala, which is the brain's "fight or flight" center.

In other words, chronic procrastination can literally change your brain structure. But don't worry - our brains are extremely adaptable. The right habits can rewire our brains for the better.

In fact, a study done in 2013 showed how just 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation can actually shrink the amygdala. And as the study notes:

"As the amygdala shrinks, the prefrontal cortex - associated with higher order brain functions such as awareness, concentration and decision-making - becomes thicker."

The findings from the fMRI scans reflect the results of another study done at Brooklyn College, which discovered a correlation between procrastination and problems with executive functioning, meaning our self-awareness that allows us to control our behavior.

When the researchers tested students on procrastination and then on nine measures of executive functioning, such as self-monitoring, emotional control, and organization, they found that higher levels of procrastination were significantly related to problems on all nine scales.

So, to sum up these insights, the current body of research points the finger primarily at our inability to self-regulate our emotions and mood as a significant cause of procrastination. Even though we can sense the harm we're doing, giving into our emotions doesn't just make procrastination seem okay, it just reinforces a mental pattern.

Forgive and Forget

If you find yourself falling into the procrastination trap, the last thing you should do is shame yourself for it. In fact, a productive first step to better habits is forgiving yourself for the past procrastination you've done.

In one study of 119 college students preparing for midterm exams, researchers discovered that students who forgave themselves after procrastinating on their first exam were less likely to put off studying for the second one.

As the researchers note, procrastination is really a " self-inflicted wound that gradually chips away at the most valuable resource in the world: Time."

You're Not Alone

Procrastination can make us feel isolated at times, but it's encouraging to know you're not the only one on the battlefield. Even the greats were preoccupied with their occasional lack of motivation. Walter Isaacson's biography on da Vinci makes that clear, stating:

"The most obvious evidence that he was human rather than superhuman is the trail of projects he left unfinished...."Tell me if anything was ever done," he repeatedly scribbled in notebook after notebook. "Tell me if ever I did a thing. . . . Tell me if anything was ever made."

Carl Richards once said that "If you want to carve an elephant from a block of wood, you don't start the process with fine-grit sandpaper."

Richards is a financial wiz, but the metaphor has strong implications when it comes to procrastination. Your project is your sculpture, and if you want it to turn out well, you must start with blunt instruments and broad strokes, not obsessing over the details (leave that for the end).

It's easy to succumb to shiny object syndrome where we're tempted to fantasize about the fun or popular facets of our projects while the most important part, sitting down and doing the work, gets thrown to the wayside.

"You know what trying to sand an elephant out of a block of wood actually is? It's daunting," says Richards. "And what daunting means is that you're probably going to quit before you even start. Maybe you'll take a few passes, and perhaps you'll get as far as shaping a leg or a trunk. But eventually you're going to give up. The process is just too slow."

Perfectionism is the enemy of productivity and the friend of procrastination. It's only after making those initial violent chops (starting the project) that sandpaper (fixing the details) can be effective.

So, grab your (proverbial) chainsaw and go wild.

Dr. Piers Steel, a Distinguished Research Chair at the University of Calgary, is a procrastination expert. No, that doesn't mean he's good at procrastinating - it means he has devoted his professional life to helping people combat procrastination.

In Dr. Steel's book, The Procrastination Equation, he presents an equation that explains your current level of motivation to accomplish something:

(Expectancy * Value)

______________

(Impulsiveness * Delay)

I know you didn't come here to solve math equations, but this can give you some key insights into why you're not getting as much done as you'd like. Let's break down these variables

Expectancy: How confident you are that you can actually get this thing done

Value: How much this task means to you.

Impulsiveness: How easily you give into temptations

Delay: How long you have to wait before you received the expected rewards of completing the task

If you need to stop procrastinating, evaluate your situation based on these four variables and identify your strong and weak points. Rather than flailing hopelessly, you'll gain a better sense of self-awareness. Maybe you need to curb your impulsiveness. Maybe you should incentivize your tasks so there's less delay between action and reward.

No matter what the case is, all of the following actionable tips can be applied to create a more favorable outcome for your personal procrastination equation.

First things first: if your environment is littered with temptations and distractions, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage from the get-go. For example, working in your dorm might seem convenient, but if video games and food are within sight, you may be tempted to take a lot of "study breaks."

If distractions fuel your procrastination, the first step you'll need to take is to find the optimal study space. People's preferences for study spaces differs greatly. For example, I prefer libraries and other silent places while others need the bustle of coffee shops or student centers to feel comfortable. Regardless, here are a three tips to keep in mind when creating your study space:

1. Remove distractions: video games, your phone, unnecessary snacks, and maybe even people (just be nice.)

2. Keep it consistent. Your brain loves patterns, and if you return to the same space over and over, your mind can channel its energy into work instead of wondering why you're moving from place to place.

3. Make sure everything you need is within arm's reach. If you "accidentally" leave your notebooks or calculators in other places, you're giving yourself an excuse to interrupt your workflow. Pack up and stay put.

I should also mention that taking control of your environment isn't just limited to physical items: you need to take control of your digital environment too. This can mean putting your phone on airplane mode to eliminate notifications or closing out ESPN, Reddit, Facebook, or whatever else sucks your time.
For more advice on taking control of your digital environment, here's how to make your phone less distracting.
In his 2004 book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, psychologist Barry Schwartz makes the case that reducing a consumer's number of choices reduces anxiety for shoppers. For example, an ice cream shop with 237 flavors is more overwhelming than a shop with seven.

The same theory applies to students and professionals: the more options we have, the harder it becomes to zero in on a specific task. Instead of knocking out one task at a time, we squander our time wondering, planning, and procrastinating instead of doing.

The solution? Become a robot.

Robots are programmed to operate on a specific set of commands-they don't think about options, they just do whatever they're programmed to do. In the same way, we must break down our to-do list into small, manageable chunks and check them off one at time. This way, you can channel your resources more effectively without wondering what needs to be done on an hour-to-hour basis.

Having autonomy and freedom of choice are important parts of a healthy life, but sometimes we need to pull the reins in to be more productive.

Contrary to popular belief, Pomodoro is more than just a zesty, delectable pasta sauce. The Pomodoro Technique is one of the most effective strategies to combat procrastination and work efficiently.

If you're not familiar, the Pomodoro Technique is a time management philosophy developed by Francesco Cirillo. It's based on time intervals that promote bursts of intense productivity, followed by brief rest periods.

Here's how it works:

1. Choose one task to work on and be specific-no multitasking or vague goals like "do homework." This needs to be tangible like "outline my essay" or "solve problems 1-4."

2. Zone in for 25 minutes. This isn't 25 minutes of loose focus-we're talking about eyes-glued-to-the-work type focus. Think of it like being on a treadmill: you can't let up or else you'll fall flat on your face.

3. Take note of your distractions. Huh? I thought we were supposed to ignore distractions. Not now: whenever you catch yourself thinking about another assignment or what's on TV tonight, jot it down. This way, your thoughts are trapped on paper instead of constantly floating around your brain.

4. Take a five-minute break after your 25-minute sprint. Have a stretch, get a drink of water, or walk around. These brain breaks will recharge your mind keep you from burning out.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 until you complete the task.

If you want to dive deeper into the Pomodoro Technique, find out why it works, and learn how to fully optimize it, we dedicated an entire article to it last year: How to Stop Procrastinating and Focus: A Guide to the Pomodoro Technique.

People have probably told you to "hold yourself accountable," but this strategy takes accountability to a whole new level.

Merriam-Webster defines blackmail as: "extortion or coercion by threats of public exposure or criminal prosecution." This sounds intense, but blackmailing yourself into getting stuff done is a surefire way to make procrastination a thing of the past.

Here's how it works:

1. Pick a challenge: make it specific and give it a deadline. For example: "work out five days per week for an hour" or "write 500 words every day for a month."

2. Find someone to blackmail you. The blackmailer you choose will hold you accountable throughout the duration of the challenge. Ideally, this person will check in on you daily and won't tolerate excuses.

3. Make the deal. This is the part where you'll decide the consequences if you fail to accomplish the goal (this should be fun for the blackmailer, but scary for you.) Here's a template to follow: If I don't [insert task] by [specific date], I will [some extreme action that you hate with a burning passion.]

The standard contract usually involves betting money-for example: If I don't complete my essay, I will give John my rent money.

But wait, you say, I can't afford that!

That's the point.

The deal should be costly enough that you have to complete the task. There's no shortage of options here. You can blackmail yourself into donating to a cause you don't believe in or a political party you disagree with.

The key is to pick a blackmailer that will actually hold you accountable and follow through on the deal if you fail.

Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and similar services are great in moderation, but it's no secret they can disrupt our work. If you can't resist the allure of those icons and notifications, it might be time to (temporarily) shut them down.

While there isn't a magical solution to eliminating distractions for good, there are some amazing technologies which work wonders when it comes to fueling productive, uninterrupted work sessions.

Here are 3 applications that will keep you laser-focused during your next work session:

Freedom is an app that allows you to block distracting websites on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. In addition to blocking websites, Freedom can block applications like Slack and Skype, which are notorious for bombarding users with notifications.

Once you launch Freedom, you can set a timer for your ideal focus time (see the Pomodoro Method above). You can also schedule set blocks of time for Freedom to block distractions.

Note: While Freedom works across platforms, recent Apple updates have disabled its ability to block apps on iOS devices. It can still block distracting websites, but not the temptation to pull up CandyCrush or swipe through Tinder. To block apps, you now have to use the iOS 12 "Screen Time" feature.

Describing itself as "goal-tracking with teeth," Beeminder is an app that can make you pay (quite literally) for procrastination. It's based on the principle that if you can quantify a goal, you can track it.

To use Beeminder, you set a goal with some sort of quantifiable input. For instance, let's say you want to spend 1 hour studying math each day. Each time you complete a study session, you input that data into Beeminder.

If you miss a day, then Beeminder will make you pledge money (starting at $5). The next time you miss a day, you'll be charged that amount, and the amount will increase each time you fail to meet your goal

Thomas used Beeminder to stick to a strict blog post publishing schedule for over 3 years, and you can use it in a similar way to make sure you're meeting your goals.

Beeminder can automatically get data from apps like Habitica, Todoist, and Strava (to name just a few). This means that you could create a recurring task called "Study math for 1 hour" or "Go to the gym," and Beeminder will automatically check if you've completed it. Learn more about Beeminder here.

Created by behavioral economists at Yale University, SticKK encourages behavioral change through loss aversion and accountability instead of shutting out the distractions that fuel procrastination. You can think of it as the tech version of the "blackmail yourself" tactic mentioned above.

Here's how it works:

1. Set a goal. This can be anything from losing 15 pounds to writing an essay.

2. SticKK prompts you to make a commitment contract which entails pledging money and choosing a referee to hold you accountable. SticKK mentions that financial stakes increase your chances of success by up to 3x.

3. If you fail to meet your goal, SticKK automatically sends the money to a cause you hate.

As of now, SticKK users have a total of 428,000 commitments created with $38 million on the line-that's a lot of people who are tired of giving into procrastination.

Of course, the above are just a few of the many apps out there that can "force" you to stop procrastinating. To learn about even more, check out the video below:

Over the past 23 years, I've been fortunate to learn from some extremely smart people. Their advice, while tough to swallow at first, has helped me immensely. I've narrowed down my goals, learned to focus, and eliminated the clutter that keeps us from achieving our potential.

Here are four reminders that keep me plugging along, even when I don't feel like it.

Accept the Part of You That Wants to Be Lazy

Anthony Bourdain called it a guy. Steven Pressfield calls it the Resistance. Regardless of how you label it, awareness that you have a tendency to be lazy is half the battle. It's impossible to escape that temptation to say, "Screw it, I'll do it tomorrow."

Renouncing laziness only intensifies it. But if you accept that you're tempted to binge-watch your favorite TV show or eat an entire carton of ice cream, this ironically puts you in more control than the people in denial. We all want to slack off to some degree. It's just a matter of accepting that desire and keeping it in check.

Reevaluate the Work You're Doing

Jason Fried, the founder of Basecamp, says that distractions can serve a purpose: "They tell us that our work is not well-defined, our work is menial, or the project as a whole is useless."

If you continually find yourself putting assignments off to the last minute, it might be time to reevaluate why that's happening. When I was in college, I noticed a pattern with my procrastinating: I only did it when the work didn't interest me. However, once I settled on my major and got into a groove, I looked forward to the work.

In short, the procrastination solution might be to stop doing work you hate and find the work you love.

Have a "Why"

Simon Sinek wrote an entire book on the importance of starting with "Why?" There's a reason for that: purpose facilitates action. It's incredibly hard to justify pain and discomfort without having an underlying purpose for doing what you do.

Waking up early, working out, and writing every day all sound great in theory, but if there are no real consequences for abandoning those commitments, it makes it a lot easier to fall off the wagon. Make a promise to someone you love. Start a challenge with a friend. Sometimes, willpower alone isn't enough to ward off that temptation to procrastinate.

Avoid Toxic People and Situations

Jim Rohn said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Or as Goethe said 170 years earlier, "Tell me who you associate with and I will tell you who you are." The company we keep sets the standard for what we perceive is acceptable. Laziness and indifference can be as infectious as physical diseases .

It's not just people that influence our behavior-as I mentioned earlier, your environment matters too. Look at your social media feeds, the apps on your phone, and even the food in your pantry. Does your environment encourage you to put things off or do them?

I've found that readers enjoy the book recommendations I include in my articles and newsletter, so I figured I should include some of my favorite books books about time management, prioritization, and overall productivity.

This book by time management expert Laura Vanderkam is must-read for prioritization, habit forming, and overall productivity. After interviewing dozens of successful people, she distilled her findings into this practical guide.

Clear's philosophy of habit-forming is taking the world by storm, and for good reason. The premise of his book is based on the choice elimination strategy we discussed earlier. In particular, the part about breaking down large goals into tiny, manageable chunks. By focusing on these "atomic small" habits, we can decrease our temptation to procrastinate and build sustainable progress.

Cal Newport is the go-to guy for insights on time management, productivity, and overall success in academic and professional life. In Deep Work, Newport makes the case that the most valuable skill in the future will be the ability to focus intensely without giving into our increasing distractions. The book is part cultural criticism, part rigorous training regimen - it's sure to change the way you approach your work.

Procrastination may have gotten the best of you in the past, but the good news is that you're in control. At the end of the day, nobody is forcing you to put off your work. Once you realize this, you're free.

"The right activities are as accessible as all the bad influences," says the writer Ryan Holiday. "They are as plentiful as anything else. What you decide to do with those assets is up to you. But choose wisely, because it will determine who you are."

Now stop procrastinating and start doing.
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How to Stop Procrastinating: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need

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C.I.G. is supported in part by its readers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

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Every Successful Person Masters This Skill | Focus, Discipline, and Time Management Affirmations

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There have always been plenty of ways to increase your productivity. The key here, is that the information about productivity is always changing. You can't pick one productive way that fits you - and then never read another article or study about productivity. There will always be another app.

You can use hacks like the Pomodoro Technique, create a daily routine, and plan your entire day. You can even ditch bad habits, such as multitasking and having too many meetings. Just remember to always have eyes and ears to newer and faster processes and tools that will help you on your way.

How fast will you become - for now - a lot faster. Later, who knows -but, you will become more and more amazing.

Another effective way to be more productive is by "embracing" new things - including scheduling apps. These handy apps eliminate those back-and-forth communications when scheduling appointments, events, and even tasks. A quick app entry will make every part of your life quicker.

The 10 Best Productivity Scheduling Apps for 2022

The problem - you may be thinking is that there are too many scheduling apps available on the market. This means that you may end-up spending too much time searching for a scheduling app that best suits your needs. To help narrow down your decision, here are the best productivity scheduling apps out there.

Instead of playing phone tag or exchanging lengthy email threads, Calendar uses a smart scheduling link to essentially automate your scheduling. Simply send your availability via email or through an embedded link. The other party then picks the best date and time for them. After that - the event is added to everyone's calendar. Literally three or four clicks. Boom! Done.

Even more promising is that Calendar uses machine learning to make suggestions for when, where and how your meetings can take place. Calendar also sends follow-ups to ensure that every attendee confirms the meeting.

You can even use the free Calendar app to help manage your team. This because the apps intelligently categorizes project meetings in order to determine the relationship between your plans and the people attending the meeting.

Todoist is the perfect productivity app for scheduling tasks and reminders on your own calendar so you always know what you need to achieve each day and nothing will slip through the cracks!

The way Todoist is able to do what it does is through their many integrations. The most notable integrations are their Google and Microsoft integrations but they also integrate with several other softwares including project management tools Monday.com and Jira.

You can start using Todoist for free with their free plan. They also have two paid plans with more functionality. These include the pro plan, which is 3$ a month, and the business/ teams plan, which is 5$ a month.

Any.do stores all of your todos, lists, and reminders in one convenient location. The app also comes with a calendar so that you can plan out your day, week, or month. There's also location based reminders and how you can share your tasks and calendar with others.

As if that weren't enough Any.do also comes with Assistant. This feature automatically analyzes all of your tasks so that it can automatically do it for you. This means if you have recurring tasks, events, or meetings Any.do Assistant will take care of it for you on it's on.

The app syncs across all devices and plans start at just $2.09/month.

Notion is another app that places all of your work in dashboard. This includes everything from your calendar, lists, todos, notes, Kanban board, and spreadsheets. Like Plan, this means you and your have team have everything needed to stay on the same page without switching between applications.

Notion integrates with Google apps, Slack, Twitter, Figma, and around 50 other popular apps. However, one of the coolest features is that the interface will fade away when you start typing. That means you won't get distracted by notifications while working.

You can try Notion for free and it works across most devices. Later you can pick the plan you want, after trying it out.

Doodle has been a favorite scheduling app for years. And there's a good reason why. It's one of the simplest ways to find the best availability for everyone to meet - it's also kind of fun.

Simply suggest a date and location and then invite participants to vote in a poll. When the votes are in you can then select the most popular option. Since Doodle integrates with your Google or Facebook account events are automatically synced to everyone's calendar - even if the don't have Doodle account.

For individual users Doodle is free. However, for teams and more robust features like reminders, you'll have to go with a Premium account starting at $39/year.

You just scheduled an appointment with a high-profile individual. You obviously want to be prepared when meeting them. This involves beefing up your knowledge regarding their company or the latest news involving them, their organization, or industry.

Instead of searching for this information yourself you can let Accompany do the legwork for you.

Containing the profiles for over 250 million people, Accompany provides a rich calendar, executive briefings, and a curated news feed. This allows you to quickly view information like quarterly reviews and professional history so that you're completely prepared for the meeting.

While Accompany is free, it's only available through the App Store.

IFTTT is one of the best productivity tools around. That's because you can essentially automate everything from controlling your smart devices to scheduling social media posts to muting your phone at bedtime. For example, whenever you publish a blog post on WordPress IFTTT will automatically post it to Facebook.

There are a ton of date and time triggers that can make you productive. This includes reminding your team to submit expense reports at the end of the month through Slack, receive SMS and calendar reminders, and saying when you're busy/available with blink (1). The possibilities are endless.

If you're in the service industry then you definitely want to check out Acuity Scheduling. It allows clients to book appointments online so that you no longer have to deal with those back-and-forth communications. Acuity also lets clients reschedule events on their own and even pay for your services through PayPal, Square, and Stripe.

When an appointment is booked Acuity will automatically add the appointment to your Google, Outlook, iCloud or Office 365 calendar.

If you're working solo, Acuity is free. Plans start at $15/month. Acuity is also part of our top calendar apps for business owners.

Setmore is another tool that lets customers book an self-book appointments with you in real-time. Because Setmore integrates with WordPress, Wix, Weebly, and Facebook there are a variety of ways for customers to book your services. Once an booked, you, your team, and the customers will receive SMS and email reminders to help lessen no-shows.

You can also use the Android or iOS app to create recurring events, book classes, and accept online payments. For larger businesses there's even a live call answering service - but you'll need the $89/month plan.

Finally, if you have team then you'll want to use Sling. This app will schedule your team in a matter of minutes while also eliminating conflicts by receiving real-time updates on double-booking and time off request.

You can also use Sling track your team's hours and export these timesheets for payroll. And, you can keep communicate more effectively with your team through group messages or creating a unique newsfeed for your team.

Sling is free if you're just looking for a tool to schedule your team, for additional features you'll have to select a paid plan which starts at $1.75 per user.
Updated February 2022

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The 10 Best Productivity Scheduling Apps

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There have always been plenty of ways to increase your productivity. The key here, is that the information about productivity is always changing. You can't pick one productive way that fits you - and then never read another article or study about productivity. There will always be another app.

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Learning how to plan - especially if you're new to organizing your time - can be a frustrating experience. And for some individuals, the reason could be their brains.

As a time management coach, I've seen some incredibly intelligent people struggle to plan. For example, very creative people who think in pictures can initially have a difficult time translating their conceptual ideas into practical actions that then find a space on their calendars. They need someone to guide them step-by-step on how to go through this process. Or some individuals who do an amazing job on identifying and executing on their top priority can falter when it comes to tracking and completing other tasks concurrently, including managing others.

In reading the book Thriving in Mind: The Natural Key to Sustainable Neurofitness by Dr. Katherine Benziger, I came to understand the scientific basis for what I had observed in my clients - that some people's brains are naturally wired for maintaining order, while others' aren't.

It all comes down to brain science. Those with natural brain dominance in the back-left part of the brain are most comfortable making linear plans and following them. These individuals typically don't have a need for my coaching help and often don't understand why others struggle. But those with brain dominance in a different quadrant of their brain will find planning much harder. That's because the neurochemistry of their brain causes them to use 100 times the energy to think in "planning" mode as someone whose natural dominance is back left.

You and Your Team Series

Resilience

Just as we tend to recognize that skills like creativity, analysis, or writing can come much easier to some than to others, ease with planning is something that we're either born with or we're not. But it doesn't mean that we can't develop those skills by actively building neuro-connections in our brain through persistent practice.

As a time management coach, I've intuitively picked up on the importance of this truth. I've seen clients who have never been able to plan effectively in their entire lives develop this skill simply by looking for help, keeping at it, and pushing through the struggle - essentially, building resilience.

Here are some key steps in using knowledge of your natural brain strength to build resilience with planning:

Recognize your natural strengths and weaknesses. If you find planning extremely difficult, you likely don't have natural brain dominance in the back-left part of your brain. To find out what part of your brain dominates, do the self-assessment in the book Thriving in Mind or participate in the more formal Benziger Thinking Styles Assessment. Learning this can help you better understand what works for you and then use that to adjust your habits. By taking the Thriving in Mind self-assessment, for example, I gained clarity on why certain types of work came so naturally to me and why I found myself avoiding other types of tasks.

Accept the difficulty. If we think something should be easy when it's hard, we tend to get upset and are more likely to give up. But if we set expectations that a task will be difficult, we may still flounder, but we're more willing to work through any issues, since we understand that challenge is part of the process. When my coaching clients first start planning, they describe it as frustrating, disorienting, tiring, or even anger-inducing because they don't want to accept the limits of reality in terms of how many activities can fit in a day. The clients who accept and work through those feelings are the ones who make the most progress. They find that on the other side, they have more peace, more confidence, and more clarity on how to structure their time well.

Let go of all-or-nothing thinking. One interesting phenomenon I've observed with people whose natural brain strength is not in planning is that they tend to fall into all-or-nothing thinking. They think that they must follow their plan perfectly, or their efforts have been wasted. Or if they can't plan every day, they shouldn't plan at all. Instead, view learning as a process where improvement counts and every day matters. This will build your resilience because you won't beat yourself up as much when you deviate from your plan, and in turn, you will find it easier to get back on track.

Find systems that work. Instead of forcing yourself into an established scheduling process, find a system that works for you. For example, if you tend to have a strong tendency toward visuals (a common front-right brain dominance quality), find a way to organize that takes that preference into account. Put to-do items on sticky notes, draw on whiteboards, or use mind maps. If you love spreadsheets (often found when you have a strong front-left brain dominance), put your to-do lists and plans in Excel, or consider using apps that will allow you to track your progress in a numeric fashion. If you like to see time as a flow and rhythm (a favorite of back-right dominance), use tools like paper lists that will allow you to adapt and adjust the cadence of your day as needed, instead of feeling boxed into rigid time frames. There is no wrong way to plan. Experiment until you find the right fit.

Borrow other people's brains. If you know people who excel in planning or have organization skills, ask for their advice and insight. They may be able to easily offer potential solutions to problems that overwhelm you. Getting suggestions from others on organization systems that you can then test, instead of trying to develop your own, can save you lots of time. A few caveats: Avoid critical people who may discourage you in your learning process. Change is tough enough without being torn down. Second, ask them for simple solutions. Don't aim for expertise in an area when you're just learning; a basic level of knowledge is a good start.

Keep trying. One of the definitions of resilience is "the ability to spring back into shape." When you find yourself getting frustrated in the process of planning, have self-compassion when you make mistakes, refocus when you get distracted, and adjust your plan when new issues crop up. For example, you may decide to move a project you thought you would get done today to the next day. Or you may reach out to a colleague for help on getting a certain deliverable done.

Understanding what's going on in your brain as you acquire time management skills makes a dramatic difference in your ability to encourage yourself and work through frustration and roadblocks. When you convince yourself that you can change and accept that you'll need to work harder than most, you have a much higher chance of being resilient in the process of improving your planning.

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Planning can be hard for everyone. But even if you feel like planning just doesn't come to you naturally, there are steps you can take to get better at it. Based on new research, the author offers several strategies to improve your approach to planning.

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What does it take to maintain straight As at MIT or Harvard? What does it take to be a straight-A student in high school, while juggling varsity sports and numerous activities?

I recently had the chance to interview 29 straight-A students while researching my new book, 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management. I collected a wide range of advice and I'm reminded by my own teenage daughters that there is no one way to achieve productivity and success as a student.

However, what is clear from the word cloud analysis above is that there are consistent themes among the academic elite.

Secret #1: Limit Social Media Use

The topic that most frequently came up was the lure of social media. Almost everyone mentioned the siren call of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Most of the students I interviewed mentioned that they use "access blocking" apps or browser plug-ins to literally turn-off access to distracting sites. The ones most frequently mentioned were SelfControl and StayFocused.

Caitlin Hale was a 4.0 student in high school and now attends medical school. In an email she explained:

Staying focused on schoolwork can be a pretty daunting task, especially with all of the social media apps pinging in the background. I use an app called SelfControl, which lets me set the amount of time and specifically which apps I want to avoid-including Facebook and Instagram.

Victoria Shockley was a straight-A in high school and graduated summa cum laude from NC State University in only three years. She told me:

Limit your time on social media until AFTER your work is finished. This is a big one - it's so easy to get distracted scrolling through our Facebook newsfeeds or checking out photos on Instagram. We can start chatting with a friend or surfing through Twitter and before we know it, half the night is gone.

Jane Ninivaggi takes it a step further. Her advice:

There is nothing wrong with social media, but it can take over a student's life if they are not able to disconnect from it. During exam weeks, I delete Twitter and Instagram off my phone. I also make sure to leave my phone at home when there is something that I know I need to put all of my focus into.
Secret #2: Use a Calendar
There is the old saying, plan your work, then work your plan-and straight-A students plan with a calendar, not a to-do list. This theme was consistent with what I discovered from almost all of the ultra-productive people I interviewed. (See my article: Millionaires Don't Use To Do Lists.)

Coraima Medellin, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, shared the power of time-blocking enough hours per class.

Managing my time was something that I struggled with a lot when I first started at Penn...It's been suggested that for every hour of class lecture you attend, you should study for two to three hours...[I use] a weekly schedule that I put my work schedule and my class schedule in and then wrote the times that I planned to study for each class. I found that it works when I have an exam or a huge paper coming up to keep me motivated and focused.

Jacqueline Kopicki color codes her different obligations:

I put everything in my calendar on my phone, and I color code my activities and appointments. For example, I will code athletics one color, the school musical practices another color and my assignments another color.

Krystie Seese,a graduate student at Post University, plans her schedule a week in advance. She told me:

This process has yet to fail me. At the beginning of each week I plan what I will complete each day specifically. This helps alleviate the overwhelming feeling of seeing 10-12 assignments that need to be done. As I complete them, I check them off. Simple as that!
Secret #3: The Power of Priorities
I discovered that high achieving students were very conscious of the limited number of minutes in each day, and also very astute in that they knew not all assignments are weighted the same. Investing more time into a high-value assignments, and working on what was due sooner were keys to their success.

Jason Khoo is part of the President Scholar Program at California State University Fullerton and on the Dean's List for the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics. His advice:

Maintaining good grades is having a good understanding of the construct of your grade. Most classes are weighted and thus different assignments and tests have a larger impact on your grade. Know when the most important assignments, tests, and projects occur, then make sure at that time you are ready to work. I've seen many people who are excellent planners and never procrastinate only receive B's and C's. This is because they don't properly weight their effort.

Nihar Suthar, an undergrad at Cornell University, stresses putting school work first.

Prioritize! I always prioritize the most important tasks that I have to get done for the day. The first on the list for me is always schoolwork, then writing (I write books), any athletic practices, and then hanging out with friends. I find that if you prioritize, you will almost always be able to get all your work done and have extra time to spend with friends as well.

Joshua Eickmeier, an online hybrid MBA student at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. In my interview he said:

You need to set your priorities early on and stick to them. I suggest that you maintain time with family and friends, but be quick to cut low-value activities like video games or TV shows. When you have to make more difficult choices, look at things from a long-term perspective. Don't waste time feeling guilty about your choices - think of them as effective compromises that will lead to your long-term success.

While there is no single path to excelling at academics, limiting social media, setting proper priorities and using a calendar is advice that can increase anyone's level of productivity and success.

--

Kevin is the author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students and 239 Entrepreneurs.

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Time Management Secrets From 29 Straight-A Students

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What does it take to maintain straight As at MIT or Harvard? What does it take to be a straight-A student in high school, while juggling varsity sports and numerous activities? I recently had the chance to interview 29 straight-A students while researching my new book, 15 Secrets Successful People Know [...]

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Tools - hardware, software, apps, etc. - come and go. That's the nature of progress. But what never goes away is knowledge.

Once you know a way to be more efficient and effective - a new approach, a new mindset, a new strategy or technique - that tool is yours forever.

And so is your ability to get more done.

Fortunately, learning ways to be more efficient and effective is really easy, especially if you listen to the experts. Here are 10 of the best productivity podcasts - check them out and let me know what you think.

Many believe that David Allen, author of Getting Things Done (or GTD, as disciples call it), wrote the definitive book on time management. In his podcast, David uses the GTD system to help listeners achieve what he calls a "mind like water." Among the various topics discussed: technology, creativity, and improving mental flow.

Jeff Sanders's weekly podcast, The 5 AM Miracle, is all about "dominating your day before breakfast" by developing powerful early-morning habits and rituals. Sanders says this approach is key to his personal success as a marathon runner, entrepreneur, and healthy vegan. Sanders features well-known celebrities and experts like Deepak Chopra, Stephanie Gibson, and Ted Ryce, who share their views on getting the most out of life.

Aimed at members of the "creative economy," or those who view themselves as more creative than organized, Todd Henry's Accidental Creative podcast covers a range of topics including leveraging competition, minimizing regrets, and common leadership mistakes. Todd's weekly show shares his insights as well as those of his guests, who include Dan Harris, Cal Newport, and Laura Vanderkam.

Whether it's minimizing the workweek or maximizing your fitness, Tim Ferriss is all about the "minimum effective dose." Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig." Tim's weekly podcast shares the results of his own life experiments as well as those of many famous guests.

Regardless of the topic, Tim always asks his guests about their morning rituals and habits for productivity.

Self-described "productivity enthusiast" Mike Vardy hosts a weekly show that examines tactical time-management techniques to boost efficiency and effectiveness. Recent shows have explored the topics of mindfulness, ADHD, tracking productivity data, and how to be productive while homeschooling your kids.

Two minutes. That's how short each of Ray Sidney-Smith's ProdPod productivity podcasts is. However, a lot of actionable information is packed into every episode. Recent topics include rewarding yourself for reaching your goals, kaizen, and several book summaries. No matter how busy you are, you can definitely make time for ProdPod's episodes.

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin bring together a great talk show about productivity, constraints, tools, and communication. While each episode lasts an average of an hour and a half, listeners are entertained by the duo's funny antics on the side.

Unlike most of the other podcasts that offer quick actionable tips, Back to Work offers a deeper look at important topics, including work, identity, and expectations. Not your ordinary podcast.

Seeing so many people feeling overworked and overwhelmed, New York Times best-selling author Kevin Kruse sought to uncover the secrets behind achieving productivity while also feeling a sense of peace and balance.

Each 15-minute show is based on insights gained from his interviews with more than 200 highly successful people, including billionaires, Olympic athletes, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, and even straight-A students.

Albert Einstein said, "The only source of knowledge is experience." Erik Fisher sure knows this by heart, since his podcast features interviews with people who share their successes but also their lessons learned from failure. Recent themes explored by Fisher and his guests include remote management, inbox zero, creativity, and hustle.

Known around the globe as the leading expert on self-discipline, best-selling author Rory Vaden knows a thing or two about habits for success. He is the leader of a multimillion-dollar global consulting firm, which brings practicality to the advice he gives. His podcast also features other renowned experts, including psychologists, entrepreneurs, and even his grandmother.

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10 podcasts that will help boost your productivity

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Tools - hardware, software, apps, etc. - come and go. That's the nature of progress. But what never goes away is knowledge. Once you know a way to be more efficient and effective - a new approach, a new mindset, a new strategy or technique - that tool is yours forever.

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Principles of Effective Time Management for Balance, Well-being, and Success

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The principles below are derived from research on time management, motivation theory and much experience working with university students. Think of time management techniques as tools to help you do what you value the most. Make these tools into an expression of your values—what’s most important to…

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How a student changed her study habits by setting goals and managing time | Yana Savitsky | TEDxLFHS

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Study With Me (No Music) - 2 Hour Pomodoro Session With Breaks

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Managing crises, getting the best output from employees and beating stock market expectations are all everyday things for some of the most successful business leaders in the world. However, just like you and me, they too are slaves to the same 24 hours that we get. How is it that they manage to have such startlingly different trajectories in life as compared to the average Joe on the street?

Thanks to some serious time management skills and a single minded focus on productivity.

Let's take a quick look at five of the best in the business and find out what makes them tick.

Elon Musk

Musk splits his time managing three different multi-million dollar companies. One has made electric cars a real, viable option on the road. The other is one the first private companies to put spaceships into orbit. And the last is the second largest solar energy installer in the United States. Juggling such high technology companies in such varied industries, while still managing to make a success out of them definitely deserves some mad time management skills. However, as he admits himself "I've actually not read any books on time management."

So how does maximize his 24 hours on the planet every day? Through sheer discipline.

Musk leads a highly planned life, with a strictly regimented schedule. He spends Mondays, Thursdays and part of Fridays at Space X, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Tesla Motors and the last half of Friday at the Tesla Design Studio.

He prides himself on this email prowess and uses email as his one-stop shop for getting things done.

Musk has five children from his first marriage, whose custody he shares with his ex-wife. With a large family, Musk makes it a point to keep his weekends free and devotes his weekends to chilling out with his family. Even though he works 14 hours a day, it does not mean giving up on family time. With a clear demarcation between work and life, Musk is proof that you can make everyone happy.
Takeaways:

1. Don't let your work life overtake your personal priorities.

2. Defend personal time zealously while you put in the best you can at work in the five working days of the week.

3. Discipline and a good tool that suits your work style are two essential aspects that help your work flow smoothly and on time.

Jeff Bezos

The brains behind the largest (and first) e-commerce site in the world, Jeff Bezos is not just another techpreneur. This is a guy who is, like his company, is obsessed with the customer. A large part of his day is spent in observing people shopping and adapting insights from his observations onto Amazon.

Some professionals spend their entire day being sent out on random errands from the emails. Not Jeff Bezos.

While Bezos does read and reply to his emails, he makes sure he has what he calls "proactive" days. Every Tuesday and Thursday, he takes a break from emails and meetings and planned life. He spends these days at malls or shopping centers gaining new customer behavior insights or checking out every inch of Amazon.com with an objective of making continuous improvements to it.

As a founder and CEO, Bezos is often invited to speaking events and industry conferences to share his wisdom. Instead of flying into a small town equipped with just your ideas and a fresh suit. At events where you are not even a speaker, there still a ton of things to do, such as speaking with interesting people for a possible hire and enticing them to come to Amazon, getting a gist of what ecommerce trends are catching the fascination of the masses, and so on.

Travel is an inevitable part of Bezos' life. But he manages to maximize his travel time in true Bezos style. Instead of watching movies or simply chilling on his flights, he brainstorms new ideas, reads up on world affairs and maybe catches some well-deserved shuteye.

Amazon and Bezos both believe in the value of saving time very deeply. This means every new idea for Amazon, is A/B tested live on the site and results can be had in just about an hour after it passes Amazon's stringent requirements. "You get to accelerate time incredibly with that kind of testing," Jeff likes to say.
Takeaways:

1. Dictate your own time, if not every day then at least for two days in the week. Not only will your brain thank you for the welcome change, it will actively work more efficiently on your 'non-proactive' days.

2. Don't waste precious time - your daily commute, business travel and more - offer key chunks of time that can be usefully applied to tasks that need some deep thought.

Richard Branson

Richard Branson is nearly a universal favorite as the flamboyant serial entrepreneur who began life with a jointly owned record company called Virgin Records.

Branson is surprisingly fit for a sixty plus year old corporate suit. He actually wakes up early at 6:00 a.m. to go running and work out. He claims that his morning workout leaves him feeling recharged and raring to go.

After that heart thumping workout, Branson creates a list of things that need doing for the day and gets going on those. This list does not just include official things to do, but also new business ideas, people to speak to, potential new companies waiting to be set up and more on those lines. While making those lists of things to do, Branson makes sure that he includes as many things as can humanly possible to be achieved. In his words, "My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them."

Finally, he does not let email overwhelm himself. After going through his daily list of 300-400 emails every day, he personally replies to a few immediately. Being a CEO a few times over gives him the option of dictating answers to emails to his assistants and delegate the rest of his emails to the right members on his team.
Takeaway:

1. Branson's lists can translate into tasks on a collaboration tool like Wrike and be shared easily with team members to whom you want to delegate tasks.

2. Spend some time working out those muscles and your brain ticking each morning. A healthy body harbors a healthy mind. Invest in a fitness band like Fitbit or even one of those watches to keep track of your overall health as well as the calories you burn each day.

Over to You

As Henry Ford once said, "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs." Managing time is a matter of taking charge of your time instead of being at the mercy of the clock and endless timewasters like email and meetings. Take your pick among the business wisdom from each of these leaders and tell us which one will work best for you!

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7 Time Management Lessons from 3 of the Busiest Business Leaders

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Managing crises, getting the best output from employees and beating stock market expectations are all everyday things for some of the most successful business leaders in the world. However, just like you and me, they too are slaves to the same 24 hours that we get.

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Time Management: Creating a Master Weekly Schedule

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Eight Ways to Take Control of Your Time

1. Make a to-do list every day

Put the most important tasks at the top, even if they're things you dread, and tackle them first. Don't forget to list things you want to do so you have items to look forward to. Try motivating yourself with a reward if you complete everything on your list.

2. Keep your work with you

This way, you can get something done if you have extra time, such as while you're on the bus or waiting for an appointment.

3. Don't be afraid to say no

It's OK to say "no" if a friend asks you to go to a movie one night, but you have a test the next morning. Instead, find a time that works for both of you to see the movie.

4. Find your productive time

Are you a morning person or a night person? You'll be more efficient if you work when you're at your best.

5. Create a dedicated study time

One of the most important time management tips for high school students is to set up a time devoted only to studying or homework. Shut off your phone. Respond to calls or texts only when your work is finished. Texting or engaging online during this time is distracting.

6. Budget your time

Figure out how much time you usually spend on your activities. Then create a weekly schedule to follow. Determine how much free time you have before you add any commitments. And remember to schedule time to relax.

7. Don't get sidetracked

If you find that you're wasting time on unimportant things, you need to stop, check your to-do list, and get back to what's at the top. You may be procrastinating because you need to figure out how to move forward on a school project. If that's the problem, check with your teacher to clear things up so you can get moving.

8. Get a good night's sleep

Your brain needs rest to perform at its peak. If it's time to sleep, put the things you still need to accomplish on the next day's to-do list, and go to bed.

What now?

For tips on how to tackle homework efficiently, read Take Control of Homework.

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Eight Time-Management Tips for High Schoolers - BigFuture

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Do you find it challenging to manage your time in order to succeed academically? Discover eight time-management strategies for high school students.

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the definitive TIME MANAGEMENT GUIDE for busy but lazy people

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Don't try to do everything on this list all at once! Read it and then highlight one or two new strategies to implement immediately. Once you have successfully implemented those strategies, you can gradually add more into your routine.

1. Write down daily, weekly and term goals in order of priority and work on top priorities.

2. Prioritize each task based on its importance and its urgency.

3. Do not get distracted by urgent but unimportant tasks (e.g., the phone ringing).

4. Complete one task before starting another.

5. Use SMART goals - specific, measurable, acceptable to you, realistic, and
time-specified.

6. Ensure that goals are consistent with your values.

7. Review goals often and eliminate tasks not related to your goals and values.

8. Find someone to hold you accountable for your goals and task completion.

9. Monitor, evaluate, and continually improve on how you spend your time.

10. Use calendars - term, weekly & daily.

11. Carry your daily schedule with you.

12. Develop a system of frequent reminders for deadlines.

13. Know your limitations and do not
over-schedule yourself.

14. Get sleep, exercise and relaxation to keep your energy up.

15. Figure out your peak times of day for energy and do difficult tasks (e.g., studying) during that time.

16. Do the most difficult tasks first (e.g., studying for your least preferred course).

17. Study in 50-minute blocks with
10-minute activity breaks.

18. Identify your learning style and use study strategies suitable for that style.

19. Review lecture notes within 24 hours of lecture - you will retain 60-80% more and need to study less!

20. Spread memory work over the term. It will take fewer total hours to learn something over several study sessions than it will in one "cramming" session.

21. Learn memory enhancement techniques.

22. Plan for slightly less time for reading than you think it will take - work expands to fill the time available.

23. Read and understand instructions before starting on a project.

24. If you do not understand instructions for a project, ask questions until you do.

25. Start papers and creative work early to let your subconscious work for you.

26. Break down big tasks (e.g., a research paper) into stages and set deadlines for each stage.

27. Allow extra time for the unexpected.

28. Use little windows of time (e.g., waiting in line) by always having small tasks on hand.

29. Do not trust your memory - write it down.

30. Have a note pad, agenda, or PDA with you at all times to record ideas, tasks, and time commitments that come up.

31. Combine activities - e.g., read on the bus.

32. If you cannot read on the bus, listen
to recordings of class or your own recitations of study notes.

33. Plan strategies ahead of time to ward off typical distractions.

34. Group related tasks and errands located in close proximity to each other.

35. Return calls and check e-mails at a fixed time, not during your peak energy times.

36. Keep easy tasks by the phone and do them while on hold.

37. Schedule your typical time-wasters - TV, MSN, computer games etc. - for a limited amount of time that you stick to.

38. If you frequently stay up late to chat with friends overseas, ask them to do the same for you instead some of the time.

39. Learn to say "NO" more often.

40. Delegate tasks that you do not have to do yourself.

41. Communicate clearly to reduce time spent clarifying or dealing with misunderstandings.

42. Keep a clean desk and a good filing system to reduce time spent looking for things.

43. Handle mail once and throw out what you will not read.

44. Learn from your mistakes.

45. Don't spend time and mental energy on regrets and recriminations.

46. Reward yourself for tasks completed.

47. Keep lists of possible rewards on hand to minimize effort in developing rewards.

48. Keep rewards time-limited and within your budget.

49. When you finish something, cross it off your list of goals - it looks good and feels good.

50. See additional time management resources at Resources for Effective Time Management (SFU SLC).

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Student Learning Commons: Top 50 Time Management Strategies

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Don't try to do everything on this list all at once! Read it and then highlight one or two new strategies to implement immediately. Once you have successfully implemented those strategies, you can gradually add more into your routine. Write down daily, weekly and term goals in order of priority and work on top priorities.