Keeping it real.
Firstly, I am human. I am not always 100% productive. I get lazy. Some days are shitty.
Everyone has been super kind with their words and I am so appreciate of that. I accept these compliments, but also always want to keep it real — some days are shit. You just don’t see it.
I manage to get shit done because I Pavlov-ed myself.
Secondly, here’s the thing about compliments. Accept it but don’t drink the kool-aid.
I understand that people mean well. And I 100% accept it. The dark side is that sometimes, these words do inflate my ego. That’s not a good thing. So I’m learning to accept then let it go. This is why I’m not a fan of compliments. I think they do more bad than good. Ego sucks.
I do worry compliments become a weird Pavlov thing. So I always let it go and move on with life.
Thirdly, here’s how I use Pavlov to my advantage.
As much as people keep thinking that I’m always 100% super insanely productive, I actually manage to Pavlov myself into being productive. It’s a lesson learnt and I’ve been testing it out for months. It actually works, so time to share it.
Like tech, everything is a tool. Learn to use it wisely. And use it to your advantage, to become a better person.
Pavlov-ing Productivity
TLDR: Pavlov + Routine = Sustainable Growth
- Decide what good habits or routine you want
- Do one small thing that triggers this habit or routine
- Keep doing it before you start the habit or routine
- ???
- Profit
My Small Thing: I keep a timer to time my work done — Toggl.
My Habit: I want to start work upon the timer starting. This works because I hate lies. And I’m not going to lie to myself. So when the timer is ticking, I want to be true to the timer by starting work immediately. So this method works for me.
Experience
I start the timer before I reflect daily. I also start the timer before I start on any project. Thus, I accidentally Pavlov-ed myself into getting work done. All I need to do is to literally start the timer. It’s insane how easy it is. The procrastination lies in me starting the timer, because I know that means work. Some days, I am a lazy fucker. So it takes a while to press the button. (It’s weird, I know) But once the timer is clicked, my brain also clicks and I get on to work.
I can’t believe this is something I took so long to learn. And I’m glad I’ve learnt and figured this out! It’s still not all rainbows and butterflies. Some days, my timer does not clock in so much work. And that is okay. Because it’s good to balance “productive working” and “relax to sharpen the saw”.
Love,
L