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This is 100% free, I will never ask you for money. I just completed my life coach training, and want to get some real experience, helping people reach their healthy goals. We will connect by zoom at a mutually convenient time, preferably weekly. We will assess your situation, set some reachable goals, and track your progress. I have previous training in psychology and hypnosis. Please DM me and I will answer all your questions.

Balancing a full schedule isn't always easy. Full-time work, studies, hobbies, and leisure time - they all require thoughtful effort and execution. Unfortunately, a common pitfall is that we often overburden ourselves, leading to half-hearted efforts across the board.

One area where many of us go adrift is our to-do list. If your to-do list resembles more a 'wish list,' you might be making certain common mistakes. Here’s a detailed breakdown of five habitual errors and the corrective measures I implemented to turn my to-do list into a practical guide towards work-life balance.

1— Quantity Over Quality: A common trap is prioritizing the number of items on our to-do lists, sacrificing the quality of our efforts. I found focusing on fewer, but more meaningful tasks, significantly boosted my productivity and reduced burn-out.

2— Lack of Prioritization: Not all tasks are created equal. Developing a system for ranking tasks based on urgency and impact can greatly enhance our effectiveness. The Eisenhower Box is one method that worked for me.

3— Overlooking Breaks: Rest is not a luxury but a necessity. Including breaks in your schedule replenishes cognitive resources and aids productivity.

4— Lack of Flexibility: Some days won't go as planned. Having a list that can adapt to contingencies and unexpected events is essential.

5— Ignoring Task Dependencies: Some tasks are contingent on others. Understanding these dependencies and organizing your list accordingly can save time and reduce stress.

Work-life balance is a journey, not a destination. It entails continuous learning and adaptation. However, by correcting these mistakes, I've found my to-do lists have become less of a burden and more a practical guide to navigate effectively through varied commitments.

Implementing these changes won't overnight turn your to-do list into a magic wand. However, in my experience, these incremental, quality-focused changes can indeed make a big difference. I hope sharing my experience can aid others in managing their time and tasks more efficiently.

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Are you feeling uninspired, lost, and dependent on food or shopping for fleeting moments of dopamine-induced contentment? If so, I have navigated through that path before, and here's my 3-strike method to regain passion and curb dopamine dependency.

1. Mindful consumption: We all resort to comforts like shopping and binge eating when we feel lost, but acknowledging this fact is the first step. Every time you reach for a cookie or feel the urge to buy a new item, pause and ask yourself: "Am I doing this to fill a void or cause I genuinely want to?" Over time, this mindful check-in can help you curb impulsive decisions.

2. Journaling: I can't stress the importance of this enough. Be it a physical diary or a digital note on your phone, pen down your thoughts whenever you feel overwhelmed. This acts as an emotional outlet and helps unravel your true feelings, your fears, and your aspirations.

3. Pick up a hobby: Rather than striving for instant gratification, focus on building a lifelong passion. Start with something small, a hobby you always wanted to try or a skill you wanted to learn. It may not make you happy instantly, but it will provide a lasting sense of achievement.

Remember, it's okay to feel lost. It's okay to stumble. But as long as you're willing to get back up, every mistake becomes a stepping stone towards a disciplined and passionate life. Let's start small, let's start today. Comment below your thoughts or tips to regain discipline in life!

The best tools, methods and resources I’ve found to use all your brain’s potential:

1. Memory Palaces

Memory is most powerful for visual & spatial information You basically visualize a place you know well, like your house, and then "place" new info in different rooms. So, when you need to recall it, you just take a mental walk through your palace. It's a bit of a grind to set up, but once it's there, it's like a superpower.

There aren’t a lot of apps or tools for this method, but you can start with a Youtube video called “5 Steps to Remember Things With a Memory Palace” and then the post "How to Build a Memory Palace” from Art of memory

2. Spaced Repetition Apps

It's like doing mental push-ups and you only need to allocate 5 minutes per day. These app keeps throwing and repeating info at you, but in a way that's optimized for long-term retention. I've been using Anki and Savealll, and they're pretty dope. Also, check the Youtube video “The Most Important Study Technique I Use as a Medical Student”

3. Mnemonics

These are your quick and dirty memory hacks. There are different types, but my go-to is making up acronyms for lists I need to remember. It's like creating mental shortcuts, and it's pretty fun once you get the hang of it.

4. Learning Resources, YouTubers and coaches

If you're really looking to level up, there's a ton of stuff out there. I've there is a free course in coursera called "Learning How to Learn." Also, YouTubers like Ali Abdaal and Justin Sung are dropping some serious knowledge bombs.

If you're into reading, the book "Make it Stick" is a game-changer. And If you prefer coaching apps you can try WaveAI.

If you got some other brain hacks, let me know!

I just hacked together a dead simple app that has one function: it lets you input any "wins" you have from your day, and view them all in one place. That's it.

Here's a screenshot of the wins list, and another showing how to add a win.

For me, it's easy to forget (especially during rougher bouts of depression) that even the tiniest wins can build confidence and snowball into bigger accomplishments. I built this to give myself some extra motivation to find wins wherever I can (along with a tiny bit of instant gratification when I do something positive), and so that I can look back on my day and feel good about whatever I managed to get done.

If anyone else is interested in using it, let me know in the comments and I'll happily put it on the app store for free. It would also be great to know if there are other features for an app like this that you'd want included. I love hacking on side projects and really want to build something that might benefit even just one person beyond myself.

👋I used to be that person who set ambitious early-morning goals and meticulously planned my day ahead. Yet, when the alarm rang, I'd conjure up an impressive array of reasons to stay in bed, convincing myself that I was simply not cut out for early rising.

However, my demanding job, filled with late-night work sessions, left me drained, and devoid of personal time. If I couldn’t develop the habit of getting up early, reading books, and engaging in physical activities would all be impossible. struggling with low spirits.

I was so eager to develop the habit of getting up early that I read and learned so much about habit-building methodologies and principles. Naturally, I read the bestselling book on habit-building—Atomic Habits. I also read a lot of related articles, hoping to find good methods for habit formation. And I got the one that has changed my life totally! It’s 30 One-Sentence Stories From People Who Have Built Better Habits.

Even though I had heard of the 'Identity-based habits' methodology before, I couldn't truly grasp its core from the dry theory alone, nor did I know how to put it into practical action. However, from this article, after reading the stories of others who had successfully implemented this methodology to build habits, I suddenly understood the specific ways to apply this methodology into practice. The details are as follows.

🌟I created a virtual identity for myself as a disciplined early riser on social media. To my astonishment, this external persona became an invisible force, a wellspring of motivation that propelled me to wake up early consistently. For the past 21 days, I've been living up to this self-imposed image, cultivating the habit of early rising with unwavering dedication. It’s really full of achievement.

With the article, I unearthed the real stories of everyday folks, much like myself, who had orchestrated life-altering transformations by applying the principles of habit-building. Their achievements, vividly detailed in those stories, made the "building identity-based habits" method seem not only attainable but electrifying. Thanks for this article very much! I think if regular individuals like me can achieve remarkable transformations, you can make it too! 😉

Finally, I’d like to refer to this article (Just click and try to read) again, hoping it can change your life and help you successfully build habits. 💪

My task list was a ‘wish list’ that always overwhelmed it. Here are 5 mistakes I was making but not anymore.

If you ever felt overwhelmed with your to-do list or found that it's not really helping you move in the right direction, you might be making a few common mistakes that i used to make too.

Here are those 5 mistakes you might be making too and what you can do about each one

1— Quantity over quality. Focusing too much on the number of items rather than the quality of each to-do

❌ If you are simply writing down every single task that’ll fill your day you’re doing a “brain dump.” ✅ Choose tasks that will help you make progress on your projects.

2— Tasks are not prioritized. Don't assume all tasks have equal importance. Sort your tasks so that you get the most important task done before anything derails your day.

3— Your task list is too long. It's a surefire way to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and even anxious. There's only a finite amount of time in the day. A good rule of thumb is to stick to three to-do list items — five if you’re pushing it. I use Sunsama to keep my tasks aligned with how many hours I want to work in a day.

4— You aren’t using your to-do list to reflect. Write a list of what you managed to finish in a day. Better if you write beside what you intended to do as a way to get perspective on how you’re using your time and what you’re capable of on a daily basis.

5— You aren’t using a to-do list system This means using specific criteria to prioritize each task a certain way, or it can be a system that separates marker and manager tasks. Pick a system that helps you create a calm & focused day.

Note these 3 non-negotiable elements of a to-do list: ✅ Clarity on what you’ll be spending your time on that day

✅ There's no doubt what are the top three most important items on your list

✅ List is prioritized in a way that gets you closer to your goals What's the one mistake you think you're making with your to-do list?

We tend to think of productivity as simply getting more things done. While this might make sense initially, the reality is that we need to get better sense of what we need to give our attention to, not necessarily our time. This comes in handy especially if you often have an overwhelming to-do list.

The Commitment Inventory is an exceptional step by step technique that involves building a to-do list, assigning percentages of attention to items and subsequently trimming the list. I break it down in full right here in case you’d like to know more for yourself - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DklGF4CqrqI Hope this helps and gives your productivity the boost that it might need.

After using the notes app and other to do list apps, I noticed they were either too simple or too complicated for what I wanted. So I created my own to do list app, no ads and completely free. Here's what it looks like: https://imgur.com/a/9EMSeos

Here's the download link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamifiedapps.taskmasterbasic&pli=1

Let me know in comments any suggestions, or ways to improve.

In the past, I always thought that motivation was something I had to strive for.

When I couldn't get up early again, I told myself: getting up early requires strong willpower, such as the motivation to restrain myself from surfing the phone and overcoming sleepiness.

When I missed reading because of the chores after work, I told myself: reading requires strong willpower, such as the power to restrain myself from wanting to slump on the bed as soon as I get off work.

All good habits in my imagination are so difficult! I watch motivational videos or read motivational books, trying to find eternal motivation. But an article I read yesterday simply woke me up. What surprised me the most was tha the secret to maintaining motivation is actually to make everything effortless? Principle: Newtonian physics. Yes, it's the physics formula we learned in school！Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Once a task begins, it is easier to keep it going.

There are three steps to make motivation a habit (I summarized after reading.Welcome any suggestions）: Step 1: Establish a pre-race routine that is so simple that you can't refuse to start. Principle: Motivation often appears after the start. The most important part of any task is to start. Method: Make the pre-race routine extremely simple. For example: James Clear mentioned that his writing habit starts with drinking a glass of water. I'm thinking maybe writing starts with immediately opening the laptop lid. Step 2: Form a set of body language about a certain habit, and gradually integrate it into your daily schedule. Principle: Our mental motivation is closely related to physical condition. Method: Let thoughts and motivation follow your body movement. For example: With writing as the goal, you can form a muscle memory of leaning over the desk every day. Step 3: Follow the same pattern every time. Principle: Repeated repetitions will trigger your habits and tell your brain: I'm about to do something! Method: Use the same pattern For example: Exercise more consistently: Use the same warm up routine in the gym. In addition to making motivation a habit, the article also mentions how to maintain motivation using the Goldilocks rule, how to reach the highest motivation, what should I do when motivation disappears, I am still reading in depth.

Video games are super fun, right? They can be really hard to stop playing sometimes. Ever wonder why? Well, it's because they make your brain release dopamine.

When you play video games, you feel like you've done something awesome when you level up or complete a tough challenge. It's like a little victory dance in your head. But in real life, getting that same feeling can take a long time. Like, a really long time.

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Some people say you can make your real life more fun and increase productivity by turning it into a game. They call it "gamifying" your life. So, I thought, why not give it a try?

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I have built a self-improvement game. It tracks your income, max bench press, and days on Nofap, and generates achievements, so you have something to work towards. It's in its early stages, and is completely free. Try it out at https://selfimprovementgame.com

Hey everyone! I'm a productivity coach, and I focus on helping people improve their daily output. I'm looking for 5 freelancers who often struggle with getting work done, organizing their day effectively, staying committed to their workload, and dealing with their unpredictable schedules. If you find it hard to stay on track and want some help, you can join my 6-week productivity program that's completely free. All I ask for in return is your feedback.

Here are the requirements:

• You should be at least 18 years old.
• You must have been working as a freelancer for a couple of years and consistently face challenges when it comes to productivity and consistency.

If you're interested, please send me a direct message for more information. Unfortunately, I can't contact everyone who comments because Reddit has some restrictions on that. So please contact me directly if you want to join.

This is a familiar feeling with many…

Hustling hard, but never really getting anywhere. You'd finish one task only to have three more pop up. By evening, even if you cross off several items, the guilt of what remains is annoying.

I came across Day Theming & Time boxing to solve this. And they've changed the way I manage my days… leaving me guilt-free time to enjoy after work.

Time-blocking: You divide your day into chunks where each chunk is dedicated to a specific task. So instead of a huge to-do list, you know exactly what you're working on and when.

Pro tip: Before you time block, prioritize your tasks. I use Sunsama to prioritize tasks, label them with themes, and drag them to your calendar accordingly.

Day-theming: Instead of breaking your day into different tasks, you dedicate your entire day to one particular theme or area of work. For example, as a software developer, you could have:

\- Monday: Brainstorming new features \- Tuesday: Hardcore coding \- Wednesday: Reviewing codes \- Thursday: More coding \- Friday: Fixing bugs

With these techniques, I've found myself:

1. Having a clearer mind, thanks to having tasks scheduled.
2. Sleeping better, knowing exactly what the next day looks like.
3. Getting better at saying 'no' without guilt.

I've spilled my productivity secrets. What are yours? How do you prevent endless to-dos from guilt-tripping you?

4 years ago, I had formed a very bad habit. Every time I would get bored, I would unlock my smartphone, open any app, and waste 15-20 minutes on it.

I would do something even worse sometimes – I would unlock my phone to do something important and then see another app and would end up spending 10 minutes on it, forgetting what I was supposed to do.Realizing that this is a problem, I decided that I need to find a way to fix it.

I decided that I would be more mindful of my smartphone usage.

But how to do that?

Decoding my habit of wasting time on my smartphone

In his book “The Power of Habit”, Charles Duhigg explained that there are three components of a habit loop – The cue, the routine, and the reward.

The cue is the trigger that kicks off the habitual behaviour. I decided to figure out the cues that prompt my unchecked smartphone usage and avoid those triggers.

Trigger 1: Being bored and smartphone present in front of me

Me picking up my smartphone when I have nothing else to do is the first behaviour that I need to fix before doing something else. It became a muscle reflex for me to take my phone out of my pocket to scroll Quora or Twitter when I was waiting for something.To stop this from happening, I started keeping my phone away from me. At least for the time I am working.I would keep my phone where it is not visible to me. This made it hard enough for me to keep checking my phone every instant.

One tool I used for some time was a script I made using an Android app called “Automate”. Every time I would unlock my phone, it would show me a message and lock my phone for 10 seconds before I could use it again. This was such a big disappointment that I started hating the idea of using my phone. Needless to say, I don’t use it anymore :).

Trigger 2: Notifications telling me something

Many times when I would be working on something, I would receive a notification from Twitter or Reddit about something I commented on recently and I would get sucked up into it.

I value my attention too much to continue to let this happen.

I started blocking notifications left and right.

Android has this amazing feature where you can block certain “categories” of notifications while allowing other types of notifications. An example is that I can block the “Offers and Announcement” notifications of the PhonePe app while still getting payment transfer notifications.

For social media apps like Instagram and Reddit, I don’t let them run in the background. So I receive the notifications only after I open the app.

I also used the “minimalist phone” launcher app for a while. It would filter notifications from apps that aren’t important in one place that you can look at later.

Trigger 3: Another app reminding me of something

When I set out to do something productive on my phone, I would see another app that would remind me of something that I thought of doing earlier. Now instead of doing the real important thing that I initially set out to do, I would waste my time on this old task.

To tackle this, I decided to change my phone’s default app launcher. I was using the “minimalist phone” launcher (mentioned above) where I would only see 4-5 important apps on the home screen. To find other apps, I would have to swipe left which opens the list of all apps. From there I would have to find the app that I was looking for.

I am using “Niagra Launcher” now which follows the same approach. Here to open Firefox, I would swipe once to open the app list. Then I would click on “F” to show the apps starting with “F” and then open Firefox.

This prevents me from finding other apps that I might start using.

A thing to note

One thing to note is that this cue is not just for apps. I can get distracted from other things – like a WhatsApp message from someone important. Or a new email I receive while I am searching for an important old email. As with other notifications, I try my best to limit my input. I would report and block WhatsApp messages from business accounts who have no right selling their products there. I would unsubscribe from email senders who are not important.

Still, this is not always enough. I have to be mindful of what I set out to do and force myself to not check other messages, apps, and emails. Only once I have completed the task that I wanted to do would I check other things. If I don’t have time, I will add them to my to-do list.

There are other things that I do to limit my smartphone usage that do not come under the “mindful usage” heading. This includes setting time limits on all distracting apps and websites, and not making any friends (hehe).

Some of my favourite tools to help limit my smartphone usage:

• Stay Focused – Android app
• Unpluq – Android and iPhone app

Disclaimer: I have no relation to any of the above mentioned tools. Recommending them only because I personally used them and liked them.

Look it's great in theory to use what fading wilpower you have and just drive through discipline but reality is wilpower gets fatigued through out the day, discipline is a muscle and let's face it we aren't david goggins here so how about using something that will actually work.

You need blockers, Timers and a schedule that can actually block out the distractions not some passing inspiration on a platform who is literally paid to try and make it as distracting and addictive as possible because that's how they get paid.

I'm not affiliated with any of the recommended apps but I highly suggest them or at least something like them.

Getcoldturkey.com - website blocker for desktop

Freedom app - blocker for phone

Liferpg, habit hunter, do it now rpg to do list, task game, etc. - some type of Gamified to do list

Finally you don't have to treat yourself like a prisoner, pomodoro technique can be good and so can rewards. The trick is too just find a balance.

I'll leave off on this: a little each day quickly adds up

30 mins per day = 15 hours after a month of consistent work

1 hour per day = 30 hours per month (damn near an actual work week)

Hell even 5 mins per day can add up to a tremendous feat given enough time and it's a hell of a lot more than doing nothing and pushing it off for another day.

Hello, fellow members of the "Get Disciplined" community! Today, let's delve into how mindfulness can be a powerful tool for cultivating discipline.

It's a common experience to find ourselves caught in a loop of procrastination or distraction, unable to focus on the tasks at hand.

While it's easy to blame external factors, the real obstacle is often our own mind. That's where mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the momnt, aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

So, how can mindfulness boost your discipline? Begin by setting aside just five minutes each day for a mindfulness exercise. During this time, sit comfortably and focus solely on your breath. Feel the air moving through your nostrils, filling your lungs, and then leaving your body.

If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your focus back to your breath. This simple exercise trains your mind to focus on one thing at a time, laying the foundation for greater discipline in all areas of life.

Mindfulness isn't confined to sitting and breathing; it can be applied to any activity. Before starting a task, take a moment to center yourself. Acknowledge any feelings of resistance or distraction, and then consciously choose to focus on the task at hand. Maintain this sense of presence as you work, fully engaging with what you're doing.

You'll find that tasks become less daunting and more manageable, which in turn boosts your discipline and productivity.

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine may seem like a small step, but its impact can be profound. By training your mind to focus and engage fully with the present moment, you're not just improving your discipline; you're also enhancing your overall well-being.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Wishing everyone a disciplined and mindful day ahead!

I message on my Discord channel (only me) what time is it every minute, and in that way I become aware of time. What do you think? Like:

4:39 PM

4:40 PM

4:41 PM

4:42 PM

4:43 PM

4:44 PM

4:45 PM

4:46 PM

4:47 PM

4:48 PM

4:49 PM

4:50 PM

4:51 PM

4:52 PM

4:53 PM

Hello again, r/getdisciplined!

First off, a massive thank you to this incredible community. 2 weeks ago, I introduced Complish (https://complish.ai), a productivity tool designed for ADHD minds to focus.

The response was overwhelming: we gained 1,000+ users, 100 Discord members, and received invaluable feedback that helped us improve the platform. I'm humbled and grateful for your support.

What's New?

Listening to your feedback, we've rolled out some exciting updates:

• Gamified: we introduced ‘focus score’ and basic analytics to keep you motivated to try beat it everyday.
• Break timer: take breaks and don’t get lost in distraction, visual timer to see how long you’re spending on breaks.
• Sound effects: when the timer runs out and when completing a task, there are now sound effects! Giving you that extra pump
• Tab Timer: show timer countdown on the tab so you know how much time left without navigating back to the Complish website

I’m committed to make Complish free forever. Because I believe people with ADHD shouldn’t need to pay for a tool to stay focused.

I’m also going full time making this app so rest assured, there will be more exciting things coming (sneaky preview: create a squad to stay connected with your friends even at work).

​

Check us out: Complish Website

Share your thoughts on our Discord: Discord Invite Link

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and growing together.

Stay focused!

https://postimg.cc/CBBysZwM

I was sitting one day looking at my smartwatch's sleep score percentage and charts.

I suddenly thought that I can apply similar concept on other mental health activities.

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Additional notes

I reward myself with dopamine (30 minutes of video game or sometimes a movie) when i reach 70% for a day, But I don't always reward so that's why whenever I reach 70% I do a Toss.

The total percentage is weighted, as some stuff more important to me is given more weightage and priority in total percentage, you can see how weights work in bottom left.

I noticed that graphs and converting self improvement into subjects and grading myself increases my motivation for some reason. I think maybe it's my nerdish brain at play.

Values in the table are just for display to show how table and percentages work.

You wake up feeling groggy, miss your alarm, then rush through your morning routine. By the time you're sipping that hastily made coffee, you realize you've missed an important meeting. Yeah, that was me two months ago. 🤦‍♀️ It was that very day I decided - I needed a change how I handle my day. I dove deep into understanding routines and schedules, so such mishaps never happen again. Here's what I learned:

Routine is NOT same as schedule!

👉 Routine: This is consistent activities that you do at almost same time every day. e.g. Morning routine: walk, breakfast, to-do list. 👉 Schedule: This one's dynamic. Think timeboxed work, meetings 📆 , and even social activities. It'll change daily based on your commitments for the day.

How I built my routine: 👇 1— Getting clear: First things first, I listed out what I wanted. Not just big goals but everyday stuff too. 2— Customizing for myself: I realized there’s no perfect routine for everyone. So, I made one that matched my day-to-day vibe. 3— Timing it : I paid attention to when I felt most awake and when I just wanted a nap. Then, I planned my day around that. 4— Trial and error: Before settling on a routine, I tried out different things. Changed stuff up based on what felt right and what didn't. 5— Sticking with It: After all that, I found what worked for me. And I made sure to keep at it, even on those days when I didn’t feel like it.

How I build my schedule: 👇 1— Laying it All Out: I start by jotting down all tasks and events, so I can see everything I needed to do. 2— Prioritizing: I rank tasks by what was urgent and what was important. It helps me focus on what to tackle first. 3— Blocking Time: Timeboxing is a game changer. I set specific blocks of time for each task. For this, Sunsama app was super handy. 4— Setting Clear Boundaries: I am always clear about when I’d start, when I'd take breaks, and when I’d wrap up for the day. 5— Regular Check-ins: Life changes, and so do my tasks. I review my schedule every day to make sure I am on track and making the most out of my day. It was a bit of work, but totally worth it. Now my days feel more in sync. Anyone else have tips or tricks they used to build a calm and focused day?