5 Principles of Productivity That Actually Work

We've all heard productivity tips, tools, tactics, and hacks, but does any of that sh*t actually work?

Join me for today's video where I discuss 5 simple productivity principles that might actually make a difference in your life.

I am Mark Manson, 3x #1 NY Times bestselling author of:

I share other types of content to make you a less awful human in these places:

[intentionally]

1) Work with your biology, not against it.
2) Find the minimal viable action.
3) You only improve what you measure.
4) Don't fight your emotions, leverage them.
5) More is not always better.

[aleildoc]

“Or maybe you’re just a fucking human and you need a break” is the best productivity hack I have heard in the last decade

[CaterinaDaniella]

I will be forever grateful to you, you changed my entire life and I will continue to preach on your behalf for the whole world to hear you saved me from huge financial debt with just a small investment, thank you Charlotte Miller.

[TITAN]

1) Work with Your Biology, Not Against It: Understand that different productivity advice works for different people. Listen to your body and find what works best for you, as this may change over time.

2) The Minimal Viable Action: To overcome procrastination, start with the smallest, most manageable action related to your task. Motivation often comes after taking action, so just getting started can help you keep going.

3) You Only Improve What You Measure: Tracking your progress is key to improvement but be cautious about the metrics you choose. They can sometimes lead to focusing on quantity over quality.

4) Don’t Fight Your Emotions; Leverage Them: Optimal productivity comes from working on things you care about. Passion drives you to work harder and overcome obstacles, so try to align your work with your interests.

5) More is Not Always Better: Putting in more hours doesn’t always lead to more output. Beyond a certain point, additional effort can lead to diminishing or even negative returns. It's important to recognize when to stop.

[beirdoh]

You helped me decide to get sober. Now it's been 2 months alcohol free and I feel great.

[_morya]

Man this is the only guy I will take motivation and productivity advice from on the internet.

[thefrub]

YES! I've been noticing that there's so many different terms for the same technique. What you call the minimal viable action, my dad would call "just get one foot out the door"
My friend would call that "just show up and then see what happens"
And I always called it "just peck away at the problem a little"

[TranThuyLanHuong]

Secret Pathway To Triumph blew my mind. I’ve shared them with friends, and they’re all amazed at the shifts in their mindset.

[adamlax]

The minimal viable action one is a massive one for me. Getting started is always the hardest bit

[SergiDassi-prtt]

Dude is exposing the real stuff out there....! Protect him at all costs! 🎉❤

[GR_BackingTracks]

#6. Weed is not helping your productivity.

[Shawn-ucto]

Sometimes I have to stop reading self help books. If I read too much, I get this sense of "Why haven't I done this for my entire life?" Then I start to feel discouraged instead of encouraged.

I agree, more is not always better.

[ryan]

only thing that worked for me was 'Unveiling Your Hiidden Potential' by Bruce Thornwood

[MegaGuapo]

Once again, Manson's simplicity and brilliance shows me the light. Simple is very hard to do my friends.

[simon.voggeneder]

Regarding the last point: I love Cal Newport's idea of "fixed schedule productivity", where you have a set amount of time available to do your tasks and when it's time to stop, you stop. You did what you could. Of course, sometimes it's not possible to stop (because of deadlines), but the majority of workdays should have a clear limit.

[Holtzorthegrey]

Thanks for reminding me how much time I’ve wasted on all that BS. I’m glad there’s at least one person out here doing the good work.

[beeyondai]

Love how you're challenging the productivity cookie-cutter approach and emphasizing individuality. 🎯 It's refreshing to hear a successful creator remind us that it's okay to pave our own path and listen to our own rhythms instead of blindly following the crowd. Really resonates with me!

[hnnhml]

Marks efficient way of teaching is a productivity hack in itself

[amrt]

4:32 Mark watching "Let Me Solo Her beats Malenia!

[shiviefmn]

Damn, That Office workplace looks delicious. I can be productive there all day