If you’re anything like me you have probably had moments of inspiration where you decide you want to do something productive. But then it’s a week later and you’re wondering why you haven't gotten to it yet – and you realise you just didn’t have the time. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t really procrastinate. You just have a very busy schedule between workm, and a social life, and a personal life – there simply just wasn’t enough time to get to this productive thing.
Time for an uncomfortable truth.
In 99% of cases, you absolutely did have the time. It's a bit absurd to say you didn't have any time in the 168 hours we all get every week. Elon Musk is off building rockets with the same number of hours. You did have time, you just didn’t use it.
So how do you get around this problem?
One life hack is to schedule time in your diary to do productive things, or even the admin things you would otherwise put off.
Yes, yes – I sound like a maniac for scheduling "work" on a weekend. But it's not stupid if it works, right?
If you have any task on your radar that you think you might put off, a great way to make sure it gets done is to put in the block in your diary ahead of time to dedicate towards it. It probably doesn’t sound like it would make a difference – but for me it completely changes my mindset about it.
Now I know the task is coming and I know when it’s coming. which means I no longer have to worry about it ahead of time, or worry about procrastinating. When it gets to time, I just think: I have a protected hour now solely to do this one thing, let me get through it so I don't have to worry about it again. And that is a much greater level of motivation then I would’ve had otherwise.
Do try it out and let me know if it works! (reply to this email)