It’s not just your environment that makes it difficult to begin a task, of course. It is also your mood: Ali Abdaal

We think that productivity is all about hard work. That the road to success is lined with endless frustration and toil. But what if there’s another way?

Dr Ali Abdaal – the world’s most-followed productivity expert – has uncovered an easier, happier path to success. Drawing on decades of psychological research, he has found that the secret to productivity and success isn’t grind – it’s feeling good.

If you can make your work feel good, then productivity takes care of itself.

In this book ‘Feel Good Productivity’, Ali reveals how the science of feel-good productivity can transform your life. He introduces the three hidden ‘energisers’ that underpin enjoyable productivity, the three ‘blockers’ we must overcome to beat procrastination, and the three ‘sustainers’ that prevent burnout and help us achieve lasting fulfilment. 

Big Ideas from the book Feel Good Productivity:“When not obsessing over whether you truly are motivated, much advice turns to another principle: discipline

The book is structured into three main parts: Energise, Unblock, and Sustain.

1. Energise: This section introduces concepts of Play, Power, and People. It emphasizes the importance of incorporating fun, harnessing inner strength, and building meaningful relationships in boosting productivity.
2. Unblock: This part deals with overcoming common productivity barriers like lack of clarity, fear, and inertia. It provides strategies to tackle these challenges and improve focus and efficiency.
3. Sustain: The final section is about maintaining productivity over the long term. It discusses how to prevent burnout through conservation of energy, recharging, and aligning activities with personal values. The focus is on maintaining well-being and happiness as a foundation for sustained productivity.

When you step into the right ‘play personality’ every day abounds with opportunities to see life as a game filled with surprises and side quests

Energise

1. Play:
   • Sense of Adventure: Approach life and tasks with a spirit of adventure, viewing each day as a game filled with surprises and quests.
   • Finding the Fun: Seek the fun element in every task, inspired by Mary Poppins’ philosophy that every job can be enjoyable.
   • Lowering the Stakes: Treat failures with less seriousness and more sincerity, recognizing that not every problem requires a stern approach.
2. Power:
   • Culture of Empowerment: Netflix’s success story highlights the power of creating a culture where employees have freedom and responsibility, fostering a sense of personal empowerment.
   • Autonomy in Work: Encouraging autonomy at work leads to better ideas and innovation, as demonstrated by Netflix’s approach to its staff and projects.
   • Creating Your Power: Understand power not as control over others, but as personal empowerment – the energy that comes from feeling in control of your work and life.
3. People
   • Relational Energy: The concept that interactions with others can significantly enhance mood and productivity.
   • Comrade Mindset: Rethinking teamwork as not just a set of behaviors but as a psychological state, where mutual support and collaboration are key.
   • Synchronicity with Others: Working in sync with others, even if not directly collaborating, can lead to increased productivity and a desire to help both oneself and others.

Beyond Motivation

• Moving Beyond Motivation and Discipline: The book argues that motivation and discipline alone are not effective strategies for overcoming procrastination. Instead, it advocates for the ‘unblock method,’ which involves understanding the root causes of why we feel bad about work.
• The Unblock Method: This method is about identifying and addressing the underlying reasons for procrastination, such as negative feelings like confusion, fear, and inertia, rather than relying on motivation or discipline alone.
• The Fog of Uncertainty: A major blocker of productivity is uncertainty, which leads to ‘uncertainty paralysis.’ This happens when we are overwhelmed by unknowns or complexities, preventing action and progress.

Understanding the ‘Why’:

Your primary goal is not to become an expert or a master. It’s to enjoy and to recharge.

The Role of Commander’s Intent: To overcome the ‘fog of uncertainty,’ understanding the ‘why’ behind actions is crucial. This is based on the military concept of ‘commander’s intent,’ which focuses on the purpose, end state, and key tasks of a mission. This approach helps to clarify goals and adapt actions to changing circumstances.

The Five Whys: A technique for maintaining focus on the ultimate goal by continually asking ‘why’ to ensure that every action aligns with the overarching purpose. This helps in avoiding distractions from short-term tasks and irrelevant goals.

Determining the ‘What’:

From Abstract Purpose to Concrete Goals: Once the purpose (the ‘why’) is clear, the next step is to determine the specific actions (the ‘what’) required to achieve the goals. This involves turning abstract intentions into concrete plans and goals.

NICE Goals: This concept suggests setting goals that are Near-term, Input-based, Controllable, and Energising. It contrasts with traditional goal-setting methods like SMART goals, focusing more on the process and enjoyment rather than just outcomes.

The Crystal Ball Method: A technique for anticipating obstacles before they occur by imagining future scenarios where tasks remain unstarted. This method helps in planning for potential issues and finding ways to mitigate them.

Time Management and Implementation Intentions: Recognizing the limited control we have over our time, the book suggests using implementation intentions (‘if X happens, then I will Y’) to build new behaviors into daily routines, and time blocking to allocate specific periods for different tasks.

Overcoming Inertia

Newton’s Law of Inertia and Productivity: Newton’s First Law of Motion, commonly known as the law of inertia, is a fundamental principle that also applies to human behavior and productivity. It states that it takes more energy to start an action than to continue it, which is why overcoming inertia is crucial for productivity.

Reducing Friction:

1. Environmental Tweaks: Modifying the environment can significantly reduce the energy needed to start a task. A study on shopping behavior showed that minor changes, like adding a green inlay in shopping trolleys for vegetables, significantly increased the purchase of vegetables, demonstrating the impact of environmental cues on behavior.
2. Physical Environment and Default Choices: Engineering our environment to make desired actions the most obvious choice can greatly reduce friction and make it easier to get started.

Reduce Emotional Friction:

The ‘Five-Minute Rule’: This technique addresses the common feeling of ‘can’t be arsed’ (CBA). It involves committing to work on a task for just five minutes, focusing solely on the task at hand. This helps in taking the first step, which is often the most challenging part of any task.

Bias to Action:

Defining the Next Action Step: This approach involves asking, ‘What’s the next action step?’ to move from abstract goals to concrete actions. It helps in focusing on achievable steps, thereby reducing the intimidation of large goals and calming nerves.

Track Your Progress:

Monitoring and Celebrating Small Wins: Progress tracking, as exemplified by author Brandon Sanderson, can be a significant motivator. Tracking, whether it’s word count, workout logs, or learning journals, helps in recognizing and celebrating progress, thereby maintaining momentum towards goals.

Supporting Yourself in the Long Term:

Accountability Partners: To maintain motivation over the long term, finding an accountability partner can be effective. This involves connecting with others who share similar goals to encourage and support each other in achieving them.