Saying “done” After Completing Tasks Can Increase Your Productivity
Whether you’re proudly announcing it to the world or just sighing in satisfaction, making a statement “done” has a positive effect on your brain. Spending a lot of time “done” to yourself can even increase your overall productivity.
You are probably familiar with this feeling of relief when you finish an assignment, but making a firm statement to yourself that you are “done” can help your brain feel even better. Psychologist Leslie Sherlin , co-founder of SenseLabs , explained to Lisa Evens of Fast Company that the phrase “done” triggers not only an emotional response, but a physiological one as well:
… that when we are focused on a task, the electrical activity of the brain increases. But the moment we say we’re done with something, the electrical activity in our brain switches from activation to a more relaxed state.
According to Sherlin, this relaxed state of mind is similar to the state of those who meditate or practice other mindfulness techniques. Serotonin is released , making us feel good and satisfied, strengthening our confidence in the next task. Sherlin invites you to take advantage of this feeling by breaking down your work into smaller tasks so you can say “done” more often. So get down to work step by step and mark each completed task with the victory word “done”. Your productivity can skyrocket if you increase it.
Why This 4 Letter Word Can Change Your Productivity | Fast Company