Energy and Motivation

[Tengen]

I'm sure a lot of people experience something similar, but looking for a healthy solution to overcome it.

Right now i'm working on my own little project but often times I find myself just killing time (youtube, random forums, news websites) and I hate myself for it. I tend to work in bursts where i'm super-productive for about an hour or so, then my energy, creativity and motivation tapers off. E.g. i recently completed my first landing page design after a week, but i look at it and wonder how I didn't finish it sooner.

This is not a lack of self-belief or giving up hope, just slow progress. I feel like once this project is complete I'll look back and slap myself for taking so long.

Wondering if i should stock up on Red Bull or Monster energy drinks to pep me up. Have also been juicing vegetables for the past few weeks, take hot chocolate based on the bulletproof coffee idea and working out regularly.

Anybody have their own energy/motivation solutions?

 

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[The Duc]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Find your most productive work schedule and don't try and fight it. When you know it is an unproductive time for you stop and get away from the computer. Otherwise it's easy to build a habit of fake work.

2. Read up on Parkinson's Law. You may find that setting specific (and close) deadlines keeps you focused and motivated.

 

[Lauryn]

Work with the natural flow of your best work. I tend to do best when I sleep by 9 or 10 and get up at 3 or 4. I work until 10 - 2 and that's when I'm extremely unproductive. I waffle, I meditate, and on my days off, I even nap at this time. Work with the flow of what works for you.

Then stick to it. You might find one powerful hour is all you really need.

 

[DaRK9]

Death Wish coffee. Stuff is potent.

 

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[Tengen]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Find your most productive work schedule and don't try and fight it. When you know it is an unproductive time for you stop and get away from the computer. Otherwise it's easy to build a habit of fake work.

2. Read up on Parkinson's Law. You may find that setting specific (and close) deadlines keeps you focused and motivated.

Good points. I face Parkinson's Law every week when writing my blog posts, often I find myself struggling to think of something to write about, and suddenly the post manifests itself and i schedule to be published in a few hours.

You might find one powerful hour is all you really need.

This is encouraging. I probably just need to be comfortable with the fact that it's impossible to be switched on for 8 hours straight. Better to be awesome for one hour and chill the other seven.

 

[DaRK9]

Yes, once I switched to 7:45 wake up I did notice after a few weeks that I was more stable with my day as far as a sleep schedule.

 

[TJPB]

Dump the energy drinks, red bull, coffee bullet to the head or whatever, and juicing. They all give you a very short burst of "energy" and then you dive. Over time, your body relies on them and any break in the influx of chemicals/sugar/caffeine puts you in withdrawal mode.

Caveat: pure fresh veggie juice is great....but if the base is carrots, your essentially drinking and overload of carbs.

In reality....breaks and some mindless entertainment isn't bad. For me, excessive downtime from productivity is pure laziness.

 

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[FionaS]

My key in the past has always been using the Pomodoro Technique - 25 on, 5 off, after 2 hours take 30 min.

In the last couple weeks I've added the Miracle Morning, that has made a huge difference as well.

 

[Tengen]

Caveat: pure fresh veggie juice is great....but if the base is carrots, your essentially drinking and overload of carbs.

Any juice recipes you'd recommend? I tried a beetroot/celery/ginger/lemon/apple mix a few days ago and it turned out ok. Ran out of carrots, which was my usual base.

Also if interested - http://fit-juice.com/

My key in the past has always been using the Pomodoro Technique - 25 on, 5 off, after 2 hours take 30 min.

I know a few people who've mentioned the Pomorodo thing, might have to check it out.

 

[hotshot]

My key in the past has always been using the Pomodoro Technique - 25 on, 5 off, after 2 hours take 30 min.

I actually tried this a few days ago & it worked wonders! I think it was you that mentioned it in a previous post. I even downloaded a pomodoro app

There's another tool I use, which can be combined with the pomodoro technique. I was actually going to write a whole thread on it tomorrow. But I'll forgo the speed points and accolades since you already have a thread going on.

Binaural Beats.

Ho-ly shit.

I'm actually still learning about how they work. And although I could pull a bunch of facts from Wikipedia, just try it for yourself.

Put on some somewhat decent headphones, and lower the volume as low as you can, while still hearing the full range of frequencies.

I put this on my iPod and go read in the park - I usually get restless but this somehow makes the reading 10x more pleasant. I don't want to stop.

It can be awkward at first, but if you lower the volume it will eventually become white noise.

It works by "entrainment" of the brain waves - basically matching them to the beat.

You can use binaural beats for all sorts of purposes. There are optimal frequencies for different types of meditation, activity, even sleep.

After using the frequency in the video above for a couple hours, I actually had a hard time sleeping. It put my brain into hyper focus - so I listened to a lower frequency for sleeping, and voila - sawing logs.

Maybe it's the placebo effect at work.

But it works for me

 

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[Nur]

I'm sure a lot of people experience something similar, but looking for a healthy solution to overcome it.

Right now i'm working on my own little project but often times I find myself just killing time (youtube, random forums, news websites) and I hate myself for it. I tend to work in bursts where i'm super-productive for about an hour or so, then my energy, creativity and motivation tapers off. E.g. i recently completed my first landing page design after a week, but i look at it and wonder how I didn't finish it sooner.

This is not a lack of self-belief or giving up hope, just slow progress. I feel like once this project is complete I'll look back and slap myself for taking so long.

Wondering if i should stock up on Red Bull or Monster energy drinks to pep me up. Have also been juicing vegetables for the past few weeks, take hot chocolate based on the bulletproof coffee idea and working out regularly.

Anybody have their own energy/motivation solutions?

use this principle

20 mins break 25 mins break

 

[Y.B.]

Binaural Beats

It's funny you mention them I just launched an ecommerce website around binaural beats & isochronic tones

 

[DaRK9]

Oh there are apps that measure your sleep cycle and adjust your alarm clock to that cycle to wake you when not in REM sleep. I also use that. The one I use is called Sleep Cycle. My friend lent me a cd of binaural beats and idk if it was just my headphone but it just annoyed me. I now use new age/ambient music tracks for sleep. Dean Evenson is the creator of the ones I use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

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[lifer]

Caffeine, Kratom, prescription amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine) etc help a lot. They have to be used responsibly though.

 

[DaRK9]

Pomodoro Timers

I just found this list, I'm going to give "Pomodairo" a shot.

 

[hotshot]

It's funny you mention them I just launched an ecommerce website around binaural beats & isochronic tones

Well now that the cat's out of the bag, may as well start a progress thread

 

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[Y.B.]

Well now that the cat's out of the bag, may as well start a progress thread

Already have..it's on the inside forum

 

[Bowden]

My motivation - I remember when I used to live in my car, and how I don't want to go back to that lifestyle. And now I have a wife and son who depend on me, so that's all the motivation I need.

When you get in a rut just take a step back and do something you enjoy. You don't want to burn yourself out to the point where your work hours are producing nothing. I like golf so I will go and hit some balls at the range or shoot 18 holes.

 

[Mattie]

I'm always on high octane, because it comes down to this. How bad do you want it? I don't motivate myself I've just formed habits. I don't take any substance. What is energy and fuel?

What weighs you down is stress. What is causing your stress? Take out the variables that you can to eliminate stress that are not priority.

Television: weighs you down with negative emotions, feelings, and messages.

Radio: Same thing

Books: Same thing

Friends: Same thing

Job: Same thing

So what needs to go? Everything that goes in must come out in low-energy or high-energy. So what do you put in your mind? Negative-Positive on a daily basis.

It's a choice to remove the stress factors.

Emotions: What do you do with your negative emotions to get rid of them every day? Are you storing up moldy feelings and emotions. Your body could be like a fridge. Every emotion and feeling you store inside sucks all the energy right out of you.

Do you hang around any people that drain the life right out of you complaining in their victim hood? This is a choice to allow others to wear you down emotionally and mentally.

Be aware of what you allow in and out of your psyche. Treat it like your computer. Do you put viruses in your computer and expect it to have energy and performance?

 

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[arfadugus]

Having the right mindset and not being depressed can get you a long way without any drugs. There are a few books that made me go from lazy to super motivated.

 

[JasonR]

Write someone a $250 check, if you don't get your shit done on the deadline, they cash it. Pretty motivating.

 

[Andy Black]

Write someone a $250 check, if you don't get your shit done on the deadline, they cash it. Pretty motivating.

Haha. Straight and to the point.

Even better, take a prepayment. Now you need to DELIVER.

---

Brain dump:

Your desk is for executing, not thinking. Before you even turn on your computer, write down what you want to achieve.

Do plenty of exercise... let your brain think without you forcing it. I go for a 50min walk before I have something important to do.

Remember that the market does not pay for activity. Don't be a busy fool. It's not the number of hours you put in, but the results you get.

Use 80/20 on your time. Find the small things that make a big difference.

When the distraction gremlin raises it's head, know that it's your lizard brain realising you are about to do something that will result in change... and knuckle down even harder!

Always be moving. Baby steps are better than planning a big step. The difference between spectators and players is only one thing: movement.

Good things happen when you move at pace. You can't predict which change will result in a step change... so get into a quicker iteration cycle.

Move at a pace that leaves you slightly breathless... and slightly uncomfortable.

Get real life market feedback. It's a lot more motivating than being in the echo chamber of your head.

Don't wait till it's perfect before you get out of your echo chamber - remember you're moving at a pace you think is slightly too fast.

Launch and learn.

Have a goal bigger than yourself. That's why "making money" is less effective a goal than helping people.

Have a hard rule: when you run out of money, or when you hit your deadline - SHIP!

Know that perfectionism is as bad as procrastination. One is putting off starting, the other is putting off finishing. Both are putting off SHIPPING.

Write first, edit after.

Finally, take glee in finding "problems". Adopt this mindset.

Want more energy and motivation?

KAIZEN! KEEP MOVING FORWARD!​

(Except when you're resting )​

 

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[RogueInnovation]

I tell my friends that I'm going off the radar. I shut off my computer. I sit with a glass of liqour and I sit in the uncomfortable/cruddy place.
I pick and jab at the problem, and bend, and come at it different ways until I'm kinda frustrated, then I just start doing it, and I try not to stop until its done.

Thats how I initiate my work mode.

I also semi taunt myself when I wanna give up and open the computer without work on my mind. I say stuff like "if you don't finish it, I'm going to send it anyways, or you have to call x person and tell them why you bitched out and what they now have to do".

It works for me, and contains the pain down into a few days of worry rather than a fortnight. That nets me ten days to recover and eat drink, go crazy and do whatever the hell I want.

 

[SteveO]

Don't rely on stimulants of any kind. They tend to fade with time.

We have plenty of energy within us to get our shit done. Your problem is not different than 95% of the population. It is difficult to keep ourselves motivated. That is what you need to overcome.

 

[Bigguns50]

Absolutely @SteveO . I think our DNA is such that we just want to survive. Just day to day survival. I mean... it hasn't been that long in the big picture that we did anything BUT survive....to be the hunter and not the hunted.

All great advice btw. Try the above suggestions and find what works for you. We're all different and different things work for each of us.
I have the same issues with motivation too. I used a combination of what has been recommended.

 

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[brewster]

I find that having a To Do list helps me tremendously as I go through the day.

First thing I do in the morning is write out everything I want to accomplish in the day and then start attacking it. As soon as I finish a task, I cross it off the list and it gives me some motivation to start the next task.

Also, it helps me to order the importance of tasks as much as I can and to finish those first. Once I get that done, everything else seems like cake.

 

[Steve Daar]

I just downloaded this awesome extension for Google Chrome:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/momentum/laookkfknpbbblfpciffpaejjkokdgca

Called 'Momentum', every time you open a new tab - - you are reminded of your #1 goal/focus for the day. It also has a little to-do list in the corner if you want to use that too.

Every time you open a new tab and are about to go to some forum, or youtube or whatever your current time suck(s) happen to be - - you'll be reminded of your goal, purpose, work, desire, or whatever your current main motivator(s) happen to be.

So far - - so good for me.

Hope that helps!

 

[Steve Daar]

Haha. Straight and to the point.
Finally, take glee in finding "problems". Adopt this mindset.

Ya'll should read that. Or at least read the last couple paragraphs:

"If you’re looking at problems as barriers between you and where you want to be, then that is your biggest problem.

Instead, if you saw problems as the barriers to entry that are there to reduce your competition, and if you saw problems as stepping stones to your success rather than hurdles, then you would no longer have any problems.

You would have opportunities to get closer to your goals, and further ahead of the competition.

Seeing problems as opportunities, and being able to welcome them, is the biggest competitive advantage there is."

Reminds me very much of Stoicism and Ryan Holiday's excellent book 'The Obstacle Is The Way'.

Thank you for sharing, Andy.

 

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[Andy Black]

Ya'll should read that. Or at least read the last couple paragraphs:

"If you’re looking at problems as barriers between you and where you want to be, then that is your biggest problem.

Instead, if you saw problems as the barriers to entry that are there to reduce your competition, and if you saw problems as stepping stones to your success rather than hurdles, then you would no longer have any problems.

You would have opportunities to get closer to your goals, and further ahead of the competition.

Seeing problems as opportunities, and being able to welcome them, is the biggest competitive advantage there is."

Reminds me very much of Stoicism and Ryan Holiday's excellent book 'The Obstacle Is The Way'.

Thank you for sharing, Andy.

Thanks Steve. I'll load it up as a separate post...

 

[Formless]

use this principle

20 mins break 25 mins break

This is legit.