Mindset

5 Things That Made Me 10x More Productive

by Olivia White

Look, I’m not saying I’m a productivity wizard now, but I am saying I only lost my keys twice this week and that’s basically a miracle. Here’s what helped:

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1. Writing It Down, Like, Immediately
If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist. It floats away into the ether with my dignity and my ability to remember why I walked into the kitchen.

2. Embracing the “Ugly First Draft” Rule
Turns out, the key to getting stuff done is letting it suck first. I lower the bar so far that it’s basically underground, and then somehow… stuff gets finished. Magic.

3. Setting Ridiculously Tiny Goals
“Write a novel” = paralyzing.
“Open the laptop” = manageable.
Tiny goals feel like cheating, but they trick my brain into starting, which is honestly half the battle.

4. Saying “No” to Humans Who Drain My Soul
Turns out, when you stop letting soul-vampires nibble on your energy, you have way more time to do important things. Like build a pillow fort or answer emails. (Mostly the pillow fort.)

5. Rewarding Myself Like a Toddler
Sticker charts. Chocolate bribes. Dance parties for sending ONE email. I basically run on positive reinforcement like a caffeinated Labrador.

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Moral of the story:
Lower your expectations, celebrate tiny wins, and don’t let Karen from accounting guilt you into joining her 5 a.m. jogging club.