How to Make the Most of Your Momentum When Reaching Your Goal
Momentum is the key force behind your productivity. This is the reason that sometimes you can work effortlessly, and sometimes it is like pulling out teeth. You can structure your day to gain momentum and strategically weather it.
A couple of years ago, entrepreneur Zach Shapiro wrote, ” Momentum is the hell of drugs .” It made me realize that you can be much more efficient and effective if you create and use this momentum to achieve your goal. There are several ways to do this.
Minimize “context switching”
Programmers use the term “context switching” to describe when tasks are stored in computer memory to be retrieved later. Switching from one process to another and restoring the context takes time – for example, saving and loading registers and memory maps, updating various tables and lists, and other administrative work.
Context switching happens in real life as well. Working on a task continuously is easier than stopping and returning to it later. You need time to focus and focus on your previous thought. In fact, when something or someone interrupts your current task (or when you distract yourself), it can sometimes take up to 25 minutes to just get back to where you were. This is why multitasking is so ineffective .
Maintain momentum by minimizing context switching. Forget multitasking. If your job requires many different tasks to be completed throughout the week, focus on themed days . Use a 3 + 2 to-do list to keep you focused on specific tasks throughout the day. If possible, clean up your schedule to help clear up your head clutter.
Set aside an administrative day for errands and small tasks
It seems to make sense to endure the dull ache around the house and errands for a week. However, it can be tedious to remember that you need to do your laundry or go to the grocery store after a long day at work. It could have been a total annoyance as well – death by a thousand paper clippings. Instead, set aside half a day or a day to meet those commitments for the entire week.
Author and computer science professor Cal Newport shares the idea of only doing small tasks one day a week (each commitment that can be completed in less than 20 minutes and / or doesn’t require serious thought). This can include doing laundry, phone calls, cleaning, filling out applications, or paying bills.
Once these details are gone, you can fully immerse yourself in the work and get the most out of it because you know that everything else is done. You can focus all your energy on what you need without distracting you from these little hassles.
List tasks to warm up and cool down work sessions
Small wins are the key to building and maintaining momentum. Make a list of simple, less time-consuming tasks to complete whenever you approach a work session or start running out of gas. With this checklist, you can immerse yourself in productive work without much planning.
When the writer Ryan Holiday wants to procrastinate, he turns to his task list, which is always necessary to perform (his list is to create notes and view flagged emails). You can make a similar list of tasks that contribute to your work, work, or home. For example, in my previous job, I had to read industry news and explore possible new ideas for blog posts.
Since you don’t have to think and plan so much, you have a list of things to do during times when your mind is relaxing or resting. In some ways, these tasks can be compared to the mental stretching that some people do before and after exercise.
Plan calm, slow, scripted mornings to set the tone for your day.
If you get a good head start in the morning, you will lay a good foundation for the rest of the day. On the contrary, if you start your day off quickly and reactively, you increase the likelihood that you will be exhausted for the rest of the day. Plan the first hour of the morning carefully to gain momentum for the rest of the day.
Author Tim Ferriss advises on his podcast to keep the first 60 minutes of the day slow and calm. More importantly, these morning tasks or routines should be organized so that you can take the list and give it to someone to copy. For example, Ferriss starts each day with transcendental meditation and journaling.
If you prefer your morning to be action-oriented, you can be productive with your most important task (like eating a frog ). We’ve also covered many different morning routines previously.
Momentum changes the world
Momentum doesn’t have to be a fluke. Minimize context switching and take care of everything you do so you stay focused throughout the week. Make a list of tasks to complete when your momentum slows down or to warm up. Start your day on a slow, calm and orderly morning to get a boost.