Today I want to back up a level and look at the pieces of the procrastination puzzle.

A high-level procedure for overcoming procrastination might look something like this:

Recognize Procrastination –> Find a Remedy –> Apply the Remedy

One problem we face in overcoming procrastination is that there are many remedies. And usually only one or two of them is/are the magic bullet(s) we need to overcome a particular case of procrastination.

I’ve listed over 20 potential remedies below, and I suspect there are many others I haven’t listed.

Because there are so many potential remedies, we need an effective troubleshooting guide to find the right remedy for a particular case of procrastination, and that will be the topic of future posts.

In this post I simply want to ask what are the remedies for procrastination? I will post the list I came up with, and then I want to ask you if you can think of other remedies for procrastination.

The Initial List of Remedies For Procrastination:

1. Clarify your goals.
2. Get stuff out of your head and into your planning tool
3. Break a plan down further
4. Re-factor a plan into a clear, compelling construction story.
5. Resolve conflict in plans.
6. Uncover dependencies in a plan so you can do things in the right order
7. Brainstorm/free write/outline (discover what the pieces of the puzzle are)
8. Break off a SCRUM sprint to work towards a feedback-oriented deadline.
9. Re-prioritize your project queue using cost-benefit/risk-reward analysis
10. Schedule items
11. Research a solution to an obstacle
12. Consult with an expert about how to overcome an obstacle
13. Outsource a task
14. Insource a task
15. Make changes to your work environment to reduce distraction (includes moving low priority plans to a maybe-later list)
16. Implement a work/rest rhythm
17. Improve physical energy: get rest/recreation/sleep/improve diet, etc.
18. Play motivating music.
19. Make yourself accountable to someone for completing a project
20. Create a reward for yourself for completing a project
21. Do mental contrasting to increase the perceived value of an outcome
22. Create implementation intentions to rewire existing negative cues, or establish new positive cues for productive behavior.

That’s my list so far. If you can think of any others (or you want to ask a question or comment on this), post your comment/question below.

Thanks

Remedies for Procrastination The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

You can tag any task with any tag you want to define. And the interface makes it super-intuitive and easy to use.

But let me caution you. Don’t go crazy with tagging. It will defeat the purpose of using a planning tool that allows you to break down projects as fast as you can type.

I will say more about tagging your tasks in upcoming posts, but here’s a quick overview.

In this post I’ll do the following:

1. Make some general comments
2. Show briefly how to tag your tasks (a video is forthcoming)
3. Make some concluding remarks.

General Comments

If you come from a “Getting Things Done” or Franklin/Covey background, you could already implement those systems pretty well with the Fractal Planner, but the addition of tags now allows you to implement those systems pretty much to the letter.

All Fractal Planner tags are user-defined. Here are some sample tags you might add:

• phone calls
• email
• errands
• priority values (’1′, ’2′, ’3′, etc.)

As I said above, I want you to resist any temptation you might have to add too many tags.

You should NOT, for instance, feel the need to tag every task you add. That would add an extra layer of bureaucracy to your planning system, and slow you down as you break down tasks. One of the main benefits of using the Fractal Planner is that you can break projects down lightning fast, and not have to make decisions about the tasks and subtasks as you create them.

Tags are most useful when you have tasks that can be done at the same time, or in the same context, but they’re scattered among your projects, so they don’t naturally show up in one place together.

For instance, I think having a “phone” tag — ha ha “phone tag” — makes a lot of sense. If you’re the kind of person who likes to set aside a block of time to do all your phone calls, regardless of which project they’re a part of, tagging your phone call tasks gives you a way to pull up all your phone calls into one to do list so you can process those tasks efficiently.

How To Tag Tasks

This is a super-quick explanation. More documentation (including a video) is coming.

At first you will have to define a new tag category or two.

Next to every task you have your function icons. If you expand those icons to get the full set, you’ll see a “new tag” icon.

Click that, and you’ll get a popup page that allows you to define a new tag category.

Once you define that tag, it will show up in the tag list.

If you want to tag an item, just click on the tag icon, and it will disappear from the list and show up next to the item description.

Then when you want to view all the tasks that have the same tag together you use the form at the bottom of the page.

And here’s what the tag view page looks like.

Concluding Remarks

The tagging feature is complete and ready to use.

If you don’t use the Fractal Planner yet, and are familiar with Getting Things Done, this will give you one more reason to get started today.

Take care.

Sincerely,

Jim

Tagging Your Tasks (Part 1: Introduction) The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

“While No One Was Looking, Life
Suddenly Got a Lot More Complicated”

Complexity is overwhelming. It’s like being in one of those nightmares where you have a goal and everything you try to do to reach your goal moves you further away from your goal.

Except this is a nightmare you don’t just “wake up from”. You have to actually figure out how to manage the increasing complexity of the modern world, or get crushed by it, and left for dead in its wake.

Over the years productivity systems have sprung up to help us manage complexity of the world.

In the 1970s and 1980s Stephen Covey developed the best productivity system the world had ever used up to that time.

And since then, his book, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” has helped millions and millions of people reduce stress and become more productive.

That system helped people manage the complexity of the 1970s and 1980s.

But the world has gotten more complicated since the 1980s.

Much more complicated.

And his system lacks a key feature that would let it “scale up” with the increasing complexity of the world.

In the 1990s David Allen developed a new productivity system. He published his book “Getting Things Done” in 2002.

GTD dealt with complexity better than “7 Habits” did. And through his book and speaking and consulting activities David Allen has helped millions and millions of overwhelmed people get their acts together. He has helped them reduce stress, and get more done in a very complex world.

I am a big fan of David Allen, and still use many of his techniques.

And his system is well-enough designed to handle the complexity of the 1990s, and early 2000s.

Allen’s procedures bought the world some time.

But since GTD was published, . . . the world has gone on to get even more complicated.

And Allen’s system, like Covey’s, lacks an essential feature that will allow it to “scale up” with the increasing complexity of the world.

The main problem with existing productivity systems is that . . .

The ORGANIZING STRUCTURES They Use
Don’t “Scale Up” With the Increasing
Complexity of the Modern World.

The problem isn’t Allen’s procedures. It’s the structures he (and almost everyone else in the world) uses to manage stuff.

The Getting-Things-Done system uses simple lists — and lots of them.

Simple lists, being essentially linear, can’t keep up with exponential growth in complexity.

And that means that his excellent flow management procedures can start to become a bit awkward under an ever-increasing load.

But there’s good news . . .

About two years ago I discovered something that should have been obvious long before now.

After re-reading “The Nature of Technology” by Brian Arthur, I realized that the same organizing structure that generates most of the complexity in the world can also be used to tame it.

AND, it just so happens that this same structure is the one our brains naturally use to understand and break down problems.

It’s no coincidence, really.

The complexity of the modern world was CAUSED by the activity of human brains. And now all those brains are networked together in unprecedented ways, creating more and more complexity all the time.

What Happened Next Felt Downright Magical

I developed a new organizing tool for myself using the organizing principle discussed in the Nature of Technology.

And I worked with it for a while in conjunction with the best productivity procedures I knew — the ones I learned from people like Stephen Covey and David Allen.

And you know what? It completely simplified everything.

The awkward parts of other systems suddenly felt natural.

I had a completely clear mind for the first time in years (and that persists to this day).

Everything felt natural.

And the world suddenly got simpler again.

I Want to Teach You the
Productivity System of the Future

It’s called the Fractal Planning System.

The power of fractal planning lies in the organizing structure you use to manage all your “stuff” (ideas, goals, hopes, fears, plans, information).

If you use the wrong organizing structure, especially in today’s complex world, you will have problems.

If you use an organizing structure that matches your brain’s natural organizing principle, you will breeze through projects like nobody’s business.

Here are some specific benefits of fractal planning:

• Less overwhelm (You might even be able to clear up your mind permanently.)
• Less flailing in the dark (You’ll understand why you’re doing what you’re doing much more of the time.)
• Less time wasted looking for stuff (Things will show up right when you need them to.)
• Less frustration (You’ll have an effective way to deal with unexpected complications)
• Less mental tiredness (You’ll easily get things out of your head and into your plan as you work.)
• No more premature mission statements or daily and weekly rituals that grow stale over time. (Meaning and purpose will start to bubble up from below more of the time, and your sense of purpose will evolve with you as you learn new skills, gain new experiences, and face new opportunities.)
• No more fuzzy plans. (You’ll learn a new way to rearrange your plans into clear, compelling construction stories.)

Here’s What You Get

This module contains the following:

• An 80 minute video presentation of “Fractal Planning”. Format: digital streaming/digital download.
• An mp3 version, so you can listen in your car, or while taking a walk
• Supporting PDF files that summarize the method, and provide troubleshooting questions
• Links to supporting resources on the web for further research
• A PDF document containing the presentation slides.

I Want “Early Birds” to Get a Great Deal

In line with the SCRUM for One concepts I explain elsewhere on this blog, I am developing the Work With Flow Workshop in pieces.

Eventually the whole workshop will sell for $249 (or something like that).

However, I am offering the modules as they come out on an a la carte basis for just $27/module.

Just click the “buy now” button, watch the videos, and start organizing and running your life the way nature designed:

Enroll Today, and Get Your
Stuff Handled by Tomorrow

$27

NOTE: If PayPal does not automatically redirect you to the thankyou page, click on the link that says: “Return to Quizzix Software Development”

If you didn’t complete Module One (“New Habits”), when it first came out, you still can

If you didn’t get the first module of the Work With Flow Workshop (New Habits), you can still get it here for “a little” more than the early bird price:
New Habits (Module One of the Work With Flow Workshop)
Here are some of the comments people made after taking the first module (New Habits):

“I want you to know that it works!”

“The New Habits module enlightened me on a new and easy way to create, change, or modify habits.

Procrastination has done me no favors. It’s one habit that has caused me to lose money, time, and a lot of potential for growth in many areas of my life.

Well, that is now changing. What made the big difference? Your easy-to-understand [habit training technique]. Very clever. I just want you to know that it works! And I’m using this 3rd Step, along with Steps 1 & 2, of the Plan A you laid out for us in other areas of my life. I’m blown away with how life-changing this is for me. Thank you so much.

And just a few notes about the 1st Module itself. I love the idea of the homework assignment that you gave us. Easy, but still challenging enough to “really want to give it a go!” Your presentation is easy to understand because you have a way of keeping it simple and clear. Also, I love the nice-funky music you have as a lead-in and between your presentations.

Oh yeah, one more thing! Price is very sweet too Looking forward to the next module. The best way I can sum up what the “New Habits Workshop Module” did for me is…..”Up-n-Out!” (Willy Wonka)”

– Ken, Nagoya JP

“. . . very insightful.”

“I bought this right away b/c I trust your expertise – it didn’t disappoint. I watched the first module right away and thought it was very insightful. I won’t give away any secrets, though ”

– Michael Shearer netexperienced.com

“I’ve modified what I automatically eat during the day when I’m hungry, . . .”

“The strategies work.

I’ve modified what I automatically eat during the day when I’m hungry and added 2 or 3 one minute exercise sessions to each day. According to my measurements I’ve lost 5 pounds in 10 days while gaining muscle through using this method.

I’ve implemented a few other simple habits. I started 11 new habits at the same time, so revisiting the list of statements helps, along with reinforcing through visualization.

Using this approach with my children changes what could be nagging reminders into an experiment together in strategy. That experiment is not yet finished. I’ll let you know how it goes!”

– Sarah Hurty, Carlton, Oregon

Sincerely,

Jim

Fractal Planning Takes Us Back To Simpler Times The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

As I develop the Work With Flow Workshop, I gain clarity about some of the terms I’m using to describe the fractal planning system. Working definitions are starting to crystalize.

I call them “working” definitions to highlight the fact that they are not complete or bulletproof definitions. In philosopher-ese, the definitions don’t provide necessary and jointly sufficient conditions for identifying the things they define.

Instead these definitions do other kinds of “work”. They serve to standardize my use of the terms, give a pretty good idea of the meaning of the terms, and to provide a clear sense of how terms are related to each other.

I thought it would be good to have a post on the blog to keep track of fractal planning definitions. This can serve as a reference resource. I intend to add to this post when new working definitions reveal themselves.

For now they are grouped conceptually. I might opt for an alphabetical listing at some point.

Fractal Planning (working) Definitions

FRACTAL PLANNING SYSTEM: a fractal planning system is a productivity system that gives prominence to fractal organizing structures and reactive flow management techniques.

PRODUCTIVITY SYSTEM: A productivity system is a collection of organizing structures and productivity procedures

ORGANIZING STRUCTURE: An organizing structure is a place to put, arrange, and find stuff you need to complete your projects.

PRODUCTIVITY PROCEDURE: A productivity procedure is a set of actions you take (or outsource or automate) to make progress on your projects. A productivity procedure is a general purpose set of actions that can be used on any project, as opposed to a specific series of steps that are unique to a particular project. Example: the clear mind procedure.

FRACTAL ORGANIZING STRUCTURE: A fractal organizing structure is an organizing structure with the following features:

• An outlining tool with:
• Focus Features (zoom/pan/show/hide)
• Fast breakdown of tasks to arbitrary depth
• Rearranging Features (task and children serve as a single unit)
• Task Processing Features (various)

REACTIVE FLOW MANAGEMENT: Reactive flow management is a method for maintaining a state of flow as we work. It assumes we will work with flow when we have a compelling outcome, and that some things (flow killers) will distract us out of this state from time to time. Reactive flow management uses flow restoration procedures to counter each kind of flow killer as they show up.

FLOW: Flow is a mental state that involves fully-immersed, energized focus on a project while working on it.

FLOW KILLER: A flow killer is something that distracts a person out of their state of flow.

FLOW RESTORATION PROCEDURE: A flow restoration procedure is designed to counter-act a particular kind of flow killer. A flow restoration procedure should not take long to implement, so that flow is not substantially interrupted, and should eventually become internalized as a habit. Example: when your flow is interrupted by compulsive looping on unrelated thoughts, the clear mind procedure is an effective flow restoration procedure.

—

There are many terms left to define. If there are any terms you would like to see defined, let me know by leaving a comment below.

Fractal Planning Definitions The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

Let me be clear. As someone who makes much of his living selling original copyrighted material, I think the world would be better with less online piracy.

However, as I’m sure you’re aware by now, there is much to be concerned about in the “Stop Online Piracy Act” being considered in the US congress currently.

One of my favorite quotes about it came from Paul Myers:

“Going after pirates this way is like using a flamethrower to get fleas off your dog.”

Paul’s being nice. It’s more like using napalm.

And here is one of my favorite YouTube videos explaining some of the concerns with the legislation.

I’m not a bandwagon guy. And I hardly ever sign petitions, but I’ve signed this one:

Google’s SOPA petition

If you haven’t signed it yet yourself, consider doing so.

Jim

SOPA Explained The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

Stay tuned to the blog, because the second module should be available shortly after New Years, and there will be an early bird period where you can get it for just $17.

Overview of the Fractal Planning SYSTEM

I wanted to share with you the broad outline of the Fractal Planning system.

It’s at a high level of description, but if you’ve been following the blog, and using a fractal planning tool, it might give you a nice big picture of your current planning practices — and maybe whet your appetite for the Fractal Planning module when it’s released

Basically, a planning SYSTEM is made up of planning STRUCTURES and planning PROCEDURES.

The structures are primary.

Good structures make good procedures naturally follow.

Bad structures make even good procedures seem complicated.

Here are the main structures and procedures of the Fractal Planning Personal Productivity System:

Fractal Planning Structures

• A single fractal master plan for your whole life
• A maybe later list
• A stock plan library
• Auxiliary tools (calendar, etc)

Fractal Planning Procedures

And here are the PROCEDURES used in a fractal planning system. It’s simpler than it looks. Basically everything revolves around getting things done, and knowing how to deal with interruptions that threaten to get in the way of that.

A. Planning Skills

• Breaking Down Procedure
• Coherent Story Procedure (very powerful)

B. Proactive Work Engagement Habits

• Get Stuff Done Procedure (everything else supports this!)
• Daily Work Rhythm
• SCRUM for One

C. Reactive Flow Management habits

• Clear Vision Procedure
• Clear Plan Procedure
• Clear Mind Procedure
• Unexpected Complication Procedure
• Anxiety/Boredom Procedure
• Impatience Procedure
• Exhaustion Procedure

Don’t Have Module One (“New Habits”) Yet?

For those who still have not yet picked up Module One, you can still get that at a slightly higher price (but still below the prorated full price of the completed workshop). Click here to get Module One (and to learn more about it)

Overview of the Fractal Planning System The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

There’s a neat chart toward the bottom of this post. First, let me say a few things to put the chart in context.

Our goal is to work with FLOW.

We need effective strategies for dealing with
9 things that can kill our flow.

When we work with flow, we’re happy, we feel good about ourselves, we have a sense of clarity about our goals and our plans, we can let go and get lost in the process, and we usually get more done with less stress.

When we work with flow, we’re not anxious or bored. We’re not watching the clock. We don’t feel overwhelmed, exhausted or particularly confused.

When we work with flow, we don’t even think about procrastinating. Why would we? We’re having fun pursuing a goal that’s important to us, and we feel like we’re good at what we do.

Our goal when we work is to first get into a state of flow, and then to try to stay there.

So, how do we do that?

Previous Advice About Working With Flow

This use of the word “Flow” was popularized by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. And he gave three conditions for working with flow.

Csíkszentmihályi’s FLOW Conditions:

1. Have a good skill to challenge match (so you’re neither bored nor anxious)
2. Have a clear goal.
3. Get frequent feedback on your work, so you can gage your performance.

Those things are clearly important. But I think some things are left out in this formulation.

I think we also have to spend some time thinking about all the things that could take us out of flow, even if those conditions are met.

In the post, “5 Ways To Maintain Flow as You Work” I considered a couple other criteria that should be added to Csíkszentmihályi’s conditions.

Two Additional Conditions:

• Having high physical/mental energy
• Having a clear mind

And I think that gets us closer.

However, . . .

I think we can do even better . . .

There are actually many, many things that can drive us into a state of flow, and many, many things that can pull us out of flow. These are our flow conditions, and there are exactly 28,567 of them (just kidding).

A list of 28,567 flow conditions (or whatever the number is) wouldn’t be very useful.

That’s why we lump things together into broader categories. Csíkszentmihályi had three conditions for flow. I suggested extending it to 5 conditions. And now I’m going to suggest that 9 categories will do the trick even better (or 3 super-categories if we do some more lumping).

Our goal is NOT to come up with the “correct” set of flow conditions, so much as to come up with the most useful set of flow conditions.

There is an art to choosing a set of categories like this. Too many is not good, even if it’s more accurate, because it’s too much to keep in mind.

Too few is not good because we risk leaving things out, or lumping things together that are quite different from a practical point of view.

The bottom line is this: our set of flow conditions must serve our most practical concerns.

And our most practical concerns are to be able to 1) recognize things that prevent us from working with flow, and 2) train ourselves to automatically overcome these flow “killers”.

That’s the goal. If we have a set of criteria that will allow us to do THAT, then we’re in business.

Notice that I’ve framed this to be a set of flow “KILLERS” instead of flow “CONDITIONS”. I think that’s a better way to think of it, because I think our natural state is to pursue our goals with flow, and it’s better to remove the things blocking that than to try to set up conditions to enable it.

Assuming your body and mind want to be in a state of flow, it’s the killers that can take you out of flow. They are the triggers we need to identify.

And I now think all nine of these Flow Killers are worth tracking. If we can learn to recognize these 9 conditions quickly and train new responses for them, we will be able to work with flow most of the time.

Nine Flow Killlers:

• Fuzzy Goals
• Sketchy Plans
• Overwhelm
• Unexpected Complications
• Interruptions
• Boredom
• Anxiety
• Impatience
• Exhaustion

And these 9 flow killers can be grouped nicely into three main categories.

Three Kinds of Flow Killers:

• Clarity Killers (fuzzy goals, sketchy plans)
• Focus Killers (overwhelm, unexpected complications, interruptions)
• Energy Killers (boredom, anxiety, impatience, exhaustion)

So, you could say that there are 9 flow “killers” and 3 flow “conditions” (with sub-conditions under each).

The 3 Main Flow Conditions:

1. Have clear goals and plans.
2. Maintain clear focus as you work.
3. Maintain positive energy as you work.

Or, to use a car analogy, to get where we’re going we need:

1. A destination and a good route.
2. Sustained effort to keep the car moving forward on the route.
3. Gas in the tank (and no leaks).

Kind of makes sense, right?

Now this doesn’t supplant Csíkszentmihályi’s conditions. They’re in there. It’s just that there’s more in there with them.

So, we’ve identified the flow conditions/killers, and now we need a strategy for using them to stay in the flow more of the time. Here is a reasonable strategy:

• Set up the flow conditions you can set up ahead of time.
• Understand what triggers you to get out of flow.
• Train new habits, so that when the triggers happen, you can take actions that keep you in a state of flow.

To help you start thinking along these lines, I want you to consider this chart.

It contains all 9 flow killers (organized into the three bigger categories), and it suggests which kinds of thoughts might serve as triggers for each, and which actions you should take to stay in a state of flow.

This chart is a work in progress, but it seems to me to be a good start.

Clarity Killers

Focus Killers

Energy Killers

If you’ve taken the New Habits module of the Work With Flow Workshop, then you can see how to use this chart to try to work with flow more often.

Each trigger thought or feeling can be re-trained, so it leads to more productive behavior. Just train them in the way outlined in “New Habits”.

If you didn’t hear about the New Habits module when it was first released, don’t worry. I’ve re-released it. The price is a little higher than the early birds paid, but still below the rate you would pay if you wait for the whole workshop to be completed. Click here to read more about the New Habits module.

In the remaining 5 modules of the WWFW, we will be going into much more detail about how to set up your environment to start with flow and how to train new habits that will allow you to stay in a state of flow as you work.

Feel free to ask clarifying questions and/or make suggestions in the comments below.

9 Things That Take You Out of Flow The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

Train New Habits So You Can
Get More Done in Less Time
Without Using Will Power.

I once heard a speaker say that your current habits will keep you in your current rut.

We’ll call this the “Static Habit Principle”:

The Static Habit Principle is wrong.

The Static Habit Principle assumes that all habits have immediate effects only. They change you a little bit and then you are stuck at that level until you do something else.

Some habits are like that, but not all.

Some habits set you on a path to improvement.

And while some people adopt mostly static habits, others tend to adopt habits that set them on a path to improvement.

If you’re reading this post, you’re probably in the second group. YOU are most likely industrious, creative, at least somewhat entrepreneurial, and have successfully completed some creative projects in the past.

You probably ARE making progress with your current habits. And it’s quite possible your current habits do have you on the road to wild success — eventually.

HOWEVER, . . . there is a good chance it’s taking you longer (perhaps much longer) to get to your ideal outcome than you thought it would.

And there’s a good chance that you could use BETTER habits — habits that will get you moving faster toward your ideal outcome than you’re moving right now.

So let me offer an alternative to the Static Habit Principle. We’ll call it the “Dynamic Habit Principle”:

Even if the Static Habit Principle doesn’t apply to you, the Dynamic Habit Principle probably does.

Your current habits probably have you on a slow train to success. And a few new habits could secure you at ticket on a much faster train to success.

Well, I have good news for you. I’ve recently discovered a secret for forming new habits quickly and easily.

Over the last few months I’ve changed several habits. And these new habits are speeding up the pace at which I am approaching my goals.

Just in the last few months I’ve established the following new habits:

• I now get core value creation work done for the first two hours of almost every single work day before doing anything else.
• I maintain a clear mind all the time.
• I immediately recognize when I feel confused about my plans, and I break them down further right away (without wallowing in confusion first).
• I immediately recognize when I’ve lost motivation for a project and immediately regain clarity about my outcomes (instead of losing motivation and finding a distraction to procrastinate with)
• I immediately move to solution whenever unexpected complications show up (rather than brooding about it and saying “why me?”)
• I stopped biting my nails almost instantly! (This had been a lifelong habit I was previously unable to break)
• I’ve lost 21 pounds (I do think the right kind of diet advice helps, too, though)
• I’ve cut down on coffee consumption (so I’m sleeping consistently well again at night)
• I’ve trained myself to be a decent disc golf player in a short amount of time (my new obsession)

I’ve never made so many positive changes in such a short time — ever.

New Habits Can Be Established Very Quickly

You may have heard that “due to limited will power” you can only really effectively train one habit at a time, and that it takes about 30 days to make a habit stick.

Not so.

There is a way to make things happen much faster.

And this “secret” isn’t just some tired advice you’ve heard a hundred times before.

Researchers at Cornell and NYU have
unlocked two big habit training secrets.

It involves a couple techniques that are being actively researched at places like Cornell University and New York University.

The researchers of both techniques have shown consistently powerful results time after time.

And I’ve seen these powerful results in my own life time after time.

The research started in the late 1990s, but has yet to trickle down into the mainstream (and when people do get wind of the techniques they often misapply them).

Because the techniques are so new, there’s also a lot of room to refine the techniques beyond what the researchers themselves have done.

And I’ve done this. I’ve combined these two new techniques with the theory of motivational conflict I used in my PhD research and developed the “Work With Flow Habit Training Method”.

After tinkering and trying things in different orders, and things like that, I’ve got the method so it’s working like a charm for me.

I believe it will work wonders for you as well.

Here’s the thing.

This procedure for forming new habits is very simple.

But the details matter.

And I’m going to lay it all out for you in the first module of the “Work with Flow” workshop.

The first module is titled “New Habits”.

Now you might be wondering, . . . if our goal is productivity, why start with habit training?

You’ll see why by the end of the module, but let me see if I can give you some idea right now.

Our goal is to work with FLOW

Our goal is to work with what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “FLOW”.

For the most part, when you work with flow, you will enjoy your work, work better, and work longer (if you want to).

The problem is, there are many obstacles to “FLOW”.

Some of these obstacles are bad habits we have.

And some of these obstacles can be overcome with new good habits.

The Work With Flow Workshop is currently slated to have six modules. “New Habits” is the first.

In most of the other modules we will discuss some planning and productivity techniques that will allow us to work with flow pretty much all the time.

In order to get the most out of these techniques, it’s best if they simply become HABITS.

And that’s why our first module is about how to very efficiently establish new habits. That way, when it’s time to learn a new habit that will let you work with flow, you’ll be able to incorporate it very quickly and easily.

Now, our main agenda is working with flow, but you probably have some health and personal habits you’d like to train as well.

And that’s one of the side benefits of this training. Yes, we will be training some new productivity habits. But you can also use this material to train some new health and wellness habits as well.

Over the last few months, I’ve personally established new productivity habits AND new health habits.

And you can, too.

So, . . .

What’s In This First Module?

Here are some of the things we will cover in the first module of the workshop:

• A method to help you short circuit your anti-productivity urges (this method is so powerful it even helped heroin addicts stick to complex plans while in withdrawl)
• The exact formula for this method that works the best (slightly different formulations will yield dramatically different results)
• How to use this method to work on several habits at the same time (you really can work on more than one habit per month — much more)
• The right way to think about your goal so it motivates you to achieve it (you might currently be doing it in a way that actually reduces your motivation to achieve it)
• Two kinds of will power (and how to use the easy kind)
• Why our will power gets drained (and how to maintain high levels)
• Why we often don’t do the things we want to do (and how to change that)
• Why we often do the things we don’t want to do (and how to change that)

“I want you to know that it works!”

“The New Habits module enlightened me on a new and easy way to create, change, or modify habits.

Procrastination has done me no favors. It’s one habit that has caused me to lose money, time, and a lot of potential for growth in many areas of my life.

Well, that is now changing. What made the big difference? Your easy-to-understand [habit training technique]. Very clever. I just want you to know that it works! And I’m using this 3rd Step, along with Steps 1 & 2, of the Plan A you laid out for us in other areas of my life. I’m blown away with how life-changing this is for me. Thank you so much.

And just a few notes about the 1st Module itself. I love the idea of the homework assignment that you gave us. Easy, but still challenging enough to “really want to give it a go!” Your presentation is easy to understand because you have a way of keeping it simple and clear. Also, I love the nice-funky music you have as a lead-in and between your presentations.

Oh yeah, one more thing! Price is very sweet too Looking forward to the next module. The best way I can sum up what the “New Habits Workshop Module” did for me is…..”Up-n-Out!” (Willy Wonka)”

– Ken, Nagoya JP

“. . . very insightful.”

“I bought this right away b/c I trust your expertise – it didn’t disappoint. I watched the first module right away and thought it was very insightful. I won’t give away any secrets, though ”

– Michael Shearer netexperienced.com

“I’ve modified what I automatically eat during the day when I’m hungry, . . .”

“The strategies work.

I’ve modified what I automatically eat during the day when I’m hungry and added 2 or 3 one minute exercise sessions to each day. According to my measurements I’ve lost 5 pounds in 10 days while gaining muscle through using this method.

I’ve implemented a few other simple habits. I started 11 new habits at the same time, so revisiting the list of statements helps, along with reinforcing through visualization.

Using this approach with my children changes what could be nagging reminders into an experiment together in strategy. That experiment is not yet finished. I’ll let you know how it goes!”

– Sarah Hurty, Carlton, Oregon

This module contains the following:

• A 63 minute video presentation of “New Habits”. Format: digital streaming/digital download.
• An mp3 version, so you can listen in your car, or while taking a walk
• Supporting PDF files that summarize the method, and provide troubleshooting questions
• Links to supporting resources on the web for further research
• A PDF document containing the presentation slides.

And, remember, if you follow the Fractal Heads blog, and you enroll in these modules as they come out, you get a great deal. You can still get this module for $27 on an a la carte basis.

Note:

Releasing the workshop in parts allows me to get feedback and testimonials along the way, and it allows you to get a great price. (The full workshop will probably go for $249 — which is still a great deal, but not as good as this one

A La Carte Enrollment Will End When
all Six Modules are Completed.

You can watch enroll in the first module, “New Habits” today, and start training some new habits today.

Just click the “buy now” button, watch the video, and start training new habits into your life right away:

NOTE: If PayPal does not automatically redirect you to the thankyou page, click on the link that says: “Return to Quizzix Software Development”

$27

P.S. I’m really excited to get your feedback about these methods. I’d love to hear your thoughts about how the presentation can be improved. But also, I look forward to hearing over the next couple weeks how your life is being improved with new habits.

Sincerely,

Jim

Announcing the “Work With Flow” Workshop The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

In this post I want to briefly describe three of the main patterns in use today, and make some observations about them.

First, there’s the “Pagan Pattern”.

I got this rhythm from Eben Pagan. And he got it more or less from Loehr and Schwartz. He recommends working for 50-90 minutes, and then taking a 10 minute break to either zone out or maybe even do some calisthenics or something to “change channels” for a bit.

“Changing channels” can get the blood pumping, and perhaps, one might speculate, allow the brain chemicals that fuel concentration and creativity a chance to replenish themselves a bit before getting back to work.

Second, there’s the Mann Method (10+2)*5.

I got this work-rest rhythm from Merlin Mann over at 43 folders. With the Mann Method, you work for only 10 minutes, followed by a 2 minute break to day dream or do jumping jacks (your choice). And you repeat that rhythm 5 times in an hour.

If you work out the math, it does indeed add up to an hour. 10 minutes of work plus 2 minutes of break is 12 minutes per mini-cycle. And 5 mini-cycles times 12 minutes per mini-cycle is 60 minutes.

Third, there’s the Pomodoro Program (or Tomato Technique).

It’s more commonly known as the Pomodoro “technique”, but I already started down an alliteration alley (why stop now?).

If Pagan’s Pattern is the Papa bear of rhythms, and Mann’s Method is the Baby Bear of rhythms, then the Pomodoro Program is the Mama Bear of rhythms.

And, indeed, the Pomodoro is often my Goldilocks solution.

With the Pomodoro method, you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. Then you repeat that mini-cycle maybe 4 times before taking a longer break.

Two Questions

1. Which method is best?
2. Is there any science behind any of these rhythms?

My answer to the first question is that no one of these patterns is absolutely best for me at all times. I work better with one or the other at different times. And my answer to the second question is that I don’t know. But there are some interesting observations that bear on the question.

Some observations

All three patterns have expression in every day life.

Pagan’s Pattern could also be called the “School Pattern”. Think back to high school, and then college if you attended college. What rhythm was used there? Well, roughly a 50 minute class period followed by a 10 minute break. Maybe it was 55 minutes of class, and 5 minutes of break. And maybe in college it was more like 80 minutes of class with a 10 minute break for some classes. But it was something like that, and that “school” pattern matches up well with the Pagan Pattern.

Mann’s Method could just as well be called the “Broadcast TV Method”. Think of an hour long broadcast TV show. These shows have trained us to pay attention for 10 minutes at a time, with a 2 minute (or so) break for commercials/bathroom/snack-run.

And using the Pomodoro is much like watching a modern sit-com on DVD or some other digital medium (not a live broadcast). These shows have trained us to pay attention for about 25 minutes, followed by a break before we watch the next episode.

One might argue that the Pagan Pattern, Mann Method, and Pomodoro Program work well for us because they match up well with these pre-existing attention-inattention patterns.

So why were those patterns developed in the first place?

Are they arbitrary, and just got enshrined by historical accident?

Or do we have innate rhythms, and trial and error led our school systems and entertainment industries to hit upon these natural rhythms?

In some sense it doesn’t matter, because, whichever way the explanation goes, we do seem to have attention spans that match up fairly well with these rhythms. Or maybe I’ll avoid overreaching and just say that I, myself, seem to have an attention span that matches up well with these rhythms.

Personally, . . .

My favorite method right now is the Pomodoro Method. Though the Pomodoro rhythm often morphs into the Pagan pattern when I’m working well, because I will sometimes find myself blowing right through the first 5 minute break, and it winds up being 50-70 minutes of work, and then I take a 10 minute break.

I do find, however, when I’m writing a lot, and not sure how to proceed, so that I am more prone to writers’ block, my favorite method is Mann’s (10+2)*5 method. There’s something about committing to only 10 minutes at a time that helps me just dive in and start writing in those cases.

Anyway, all this to say that, in my experience, there is great wisdom to simply working with our pre-existing attention span patterns — whether they are deeply rooted in our biology, or simply trained into us by school systems and television programs. All three of these patterns (Pagan, Mann, and Pomodoro) have worked well for me.

If you haven’t tried breaking your hours down into periods of regular work and rest, I highly recommend it.

If you use the Fractal Planner, there is a rhythm timer built in to it, and you can choose any of these rhythms.

If you don’t use the Fractal Planner you can pick up a cheap kitchen timer at Walmart or some other place like that for under $5. Those work very well, too.

OK, so that’s that. If you are in control of your own work schedule, start using one of these work-rest rhythms if you’re not already.

On another note, …

I’m making progress on the first module of the big workshop I’m developing. I’ve got the slide show done, and am working out the script a bit. The first module is a bit bigger than I originally planned, but I’m very pleased with how the presentation has come together so far. And I’m very excited to share a new habit training technique with you that’s based in good recent science, and has been working wonders for me personally.

I’ll say more as I get closer to offering the first module. I really look forward to seeing what you think of it.

Take care.

Jim

Pomodoro and Other Work-Rest Rhythms The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.

I want to produce the best productivity workshop in the world.

And I think I know mostly how to do that.

I’ll tell you my plan, and then you can tell me your ideas.

It will be a 6-session workshop.

Each module will stand alone and be immensely practical.

Each module will give students a new super power.

Each module will help students simplify their lives, increase their productivity, and make their stress melt away.

Each module will build on the last, . . . until . . . by the end . . . students feel completely in control of their lives and are masters of low stress productivity.

Here’s my current tentative outline of the 6 modules:

Module 1: New Habits — How to train new habits, break old ones, and overcome procrastination faster than ever with a new scientifically tested method that’s easier than any method you’ve probably ever tried. There are two kinds of will power, most people use the hard kind. I’ll teach you how to use the easy kind. We will use this new skill to help us put new productivity habits into place during the rest of the workshop.
Module 2: Fractal Plans — which 2 lists you need to run your entire life, and how to break down almost any project in 5 minutes or less. Plus some other tools that all work together to seamlessly extend your brain’s natural planning powers.
Module 3: Clear Mind — How to clear your mind, and keep it clear from now on. (How to handle random thoughts, interruptions, interpersonal friction and unexpected complications)
Module 4: High Energy – How to set up work/rest rhythms that match your natural energy rhythms. How to manage your energy for a work day, a work week, and for a whole big project.
Module 5: Compelling Story — How to re-work your plans as you go so they continually present a clear, compelling story of how you will complete your project. How to be the Steven Spielberg of project planning.
Module 6: Relentless Drive — How to stay motivated during big projects with SCRUM for One and other tricks.

Each module will include classroom-style instruction in the form of a powerpoint presentation, practical examples with screen capture video and slides, and a question and answer teleseminar session (or the recording for students who can’t be there).

This is a big project.

It will take a while for me to produce all this.

But it’s important, so I’m intent on doing it. People need to know how to do these things. It will change their lives, as it has changed mine.

Many in-person productivity workshops like this go for $995 or so.

But I’m going to take a lesson from Eben Pagan.

He produced his “Wake Up Productive” program, made it conveniently digital so you could participate at home, and gave better content than many higher priced seminars for half the price — $495.

So I’ll try to one-up Eben.

I’ll try to present an online, digitally-delivered workshop that’s even more likely to result in new powers of low-stress productivity, and I’ll cut Eben’s price roughly in half.

I’ll probably offer the complete workshop as a 6 session workshop (one per week for 6 weeks) for something like $249.

But I don’t want you to wait for me to finish the whole thing and pay that price.

I want you to get the modules as I produce them, and pay a lower price.

Like I said, this is a big project.

And, in order to keep my head in the game, I’m going to have to go all “SCRUM for One” on it

My plan is to produce each module, one at a time, and then offer each module to my current blog readers on an a’ la carte basis for something like $17 each.

This will allow me to get feedback along the way — and hopefully some good testimonials, too.

Since there’s a teleseminar call involved, I’ll probably have to limit the number to something like 50 students per module so everyone who wants to ask questions will have a fair shot of being able to do so.

So, that’s the current plan. I’ll say more as the first module get’s closer to completion.

So, what do you think?

The Best Productivity Workshop in the World? The Fractal Planner: Get more done with less stress. Thanks for subscribing to the Fractal Heads feed. Here is your complimentary copy of Clear Mind, Effective Action.