
Ask HN: How do you create productive habits? - lilcarlyung
One of the things I do to deal with procrastination, and that I&#x27;ve had the most success with, is to develop what I consider to be productive habits. Basically, it just means me using a daily todo with tasks that I consider to be productive. I&#x27;ve tried out apps such as Streaks (http:&#x2F;&#x2F;streaksapp.com&#x2F;) and I&#x27;m currently using Daisy (http:&#x2F;&#x2F;daisyapp.xyz&#x2F;) to aid me with this.<p>Although I am successful with this, I&#x27;m always on the lookout for more efficient (and perhaps more fun) ways of doing this. So I&#x27;m curious to hear what you people do to create productive habits? Any apps or other methods you suggest for habit creation?
======
muse900
Personally speaking, no apps helped me beat procrastination. What actually
helped me a lot is figuring out that I am unhappy and depressed in my life and
why is that. Once I figured that out I set for big changes, and stopped caring
a lot for things that made me unhappy. I appreciated things I got, I started
going on trips around the world and met my wife. After being happy in life I
found my self in a very positive mood and very keen to explore things and not
just sit in-front of a computer browsing youtube or other things that didn't
help me in life.

Another thing that helped me a lot, although am a software engineer and I
write code for a living, I said I'll only use computers, phones and whatsoever
while I am at work. When am off work I am completely off tech, including TV.
That forces me to enjoy time with my wife and go out do things, workout etc.
Now of course this might not work if your goal is to make research or I don't
know create app's per se or your own company. Although making sure that your
hobby, goals, work whatever that is only takes part of your time a day and not
the whole day tends to help into having a balanced life.

Good luck.

Edit: also something I forgot to mention those apps you mentioned might work
for some people that like task specific programs etc, personally I find it
that I couldn't program my life at all, I'd rather having it in a natural flow
than having appointments with life, but thats just me, I see people that are
quite happy with having a schedule.

~~~
fratlas
I absolutely agree with you. I downgraded to a smart phone that only runs maps
and has a camera and this has forced me to semi switch off tech when I'm away
from my computer. My friends think I'm crazy (mostly because I'm a developer
who doesn't have a "smart" phone).

~~~
Omnipresent
I'm genuinely curious to know what phone or plan you use that only runs maps
and camera. Google Maps or soemthing like openstreet map? I'm looking to do
something similar. Any info would be appreciated.

~~~
fratlas
It's an iPhone 4 with a broken mic which I got for free. It's too old to run a
lot of distracting apps (VSCO, Snapchat etc) and I can't call people. I have a
$20/month (AUD) prepaid plan for 1GB data which gets me through easily. I
guess it can only figuratively run maps/camera, but it's enough to keep me
from using it 24/7\. Battery also lasts several days because I use it so
little.

~~~
wingerlang
I use and iPhone 4 (conveniently my mic is also broken) and I am not upgrading
since I get /so/ much use of it. I feel it can run everything I would want
from a smart phone.

My battery lasts like 10 minutes though, and the camera is kind of broken.

~~~
fratlas
I swear every iPhone 4 has their home button and mic broken eventually. I
think the battery life dives dramatically after some point which I haven't
reached. Will probably upgrade after that happens.

~~~
wingerlang
Actually the mic works, I just get/give no sound when in a call. Works
perfectly everywhere else. Home button works as well, but I mainly use
something like Assistive Touch anyways.

~~~
8note
i had that happen on my nexus 5. for me, it was a bug in the headphone jack,
though i didnt bother to go about fixing it.

in a call, the phone thinks theres another mic installed, and tried to use
that instead.

------
jacquesm
When I really have to work I use a chess clock. Old fashioned, mechanical,
large and an ugly reminder of my time 'off the clock' because then the _other_
clock starts to tick. The ratio between those two is the thing to maximize and
it's extremely easy to use. Stop working just push one button, start working
press again on the opposite side.

Very useful little trick and way easier to use than anything online or in an
'app'.

~~~
loumf
RescueTime is a pretty good approximation of this for me and is automatic.

~~~
4ndr3vv
Two different solutions; RescueTime is good at analysing how your time is
spent after the fact. A chess clock is a great real time stopwatch "oh man
i've been googling rhubarb crumble recipes for 14 minutes..."

~~~
ivm
If you're on Mac then Qbserve[1] (our app) will show feedback on your
productivity in real time.

[1] [https://qotoqot.com/qbserve/](https://qotoqot.com/qbserve/)

------
icc97
Ok here's an obvious list of things that should be useful. Obviously you agree
(as I do) with the Leo Babuta concept of 'habits' versus 'discipline' [0]. I'd
say these are just the basis - but I believe all of them will help if you can
apply them consistently. But I'd also say that there's not much point in
trying other techniques until you feel you've consistently tried these for a
year or more (potentially I'd say up to a life time of trying).

1\. Headspace (daily meditation) [1] - helps with focus

2\. Wait But Why on procrastination [2]

3\. 4 Ways to get motivated [3] - I like the second one about a 'pre-game
routine' doing the same physical activity just before starting work. I do the
yoga 'sun salutation' twice (takes about 5 minutes, helps with back problems)

4\. Leo Babuta's free 'Focus' book [4]

    
    
      [0]: http://zenhabits.net/discipline/
      [1]: https://headspace.com
      [2]: http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html
      [3]: http://plan.io/blog/post/146892730063/4-ways-to-get-motivated-when-you-dont-feel-like
      [4]: http://focusmanifesto.com/

------
ksikka
Constrain the time you have to do something.

Work often fills the time you give it. If you try to achieve something in a
short amount of time, you'll be forced to work at 100% with full focus to get
it done ASAP. I'm always amazed at how sometimes a dreadful task takes 10-20
minutes when I'm forced to do it in that timespan, but if I have an hour to do
it, it'll take an hour.

To make the constraint feel real, put yourself in a situation where you only
have a short period of time before something else must happen, like a meeting.
Then you can trick yourself to get started and see how far you can get in 20
minutes.

~~~
icc97
This does seem like a sensible way to invoke the panic monster - but for me
it's often undermined by the fact that it's just me that tried to put the
artificial deadline there and my brain happily ignores it moving onto the next
deadline.

There was something similar laid out in this blog [1].

    
    
      [1]: http://www.raptitude.com/2015/03/how-to-get-yourself-to-do-things/

~~~
ksikka
Thanks for sharing that blog post! I really liked this aspect of it:

"You finish a thing by starting it until it’s done."

I read another blog post whose thesis was "To avoid procrastinating, think
about starting instead of finishing". That helped me a lot too. Once you
start, work isn't as bad as it seemed.

------
vonnik
Read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. He has some good suggestions. One
of the best ideas in there is that certain small habit changes create
behavioral cascades. For people trying to lose weight, just writing down what
they eat at each meal has a huge effect. When you make up in the morning,
making your bed increases the likelihood that you'll do other things that
require discipline. The idea is to get many small wins, because they
accumulate and give you momentum to tackle harder and harder tasks. When you
draw up your goals, the trick is to state the goal, imagine the obstacle that
might prevent you from achieving it, and then figure out what you'll do in
that scenario. That's the thinking behind the WOOP app:
[http://www.woopmylife.org/](http://www.woopmylife.org/) which I'm not
affiliated with, fwiw. Finally, in your HN profile set "noprocrast" to yes. ;)

~~~
chatmasta
The best takeaway from that book is the "cycle" of habit: cue -> routine ->
reward. The message of the book is that if you have a bad habit, e.g. smoking,
there is a "cue" that causes you to engage in the "routine" of smoking, for
the "reward" of nicotine. Unfortunately, these cycles are hard wired into our
brain, so once they're fully established, we can't change them. The author
offers the solution: keep the "cue" and the "reward," but change the
"routine." The first step is recognizing the cue. Once you know what it is,
you can replace the "routine" with something more benign, that also leads to a
reward.

So for procrastination, maybe the "cue" is your code compiling, and the
"routine" is typing "n -> down -> enter" into your address bar to get to
hacker news, and the reward is some sort of stimulus. You can fix this habit
by recognizing the "cue" of code compiling, and swapping it out for a new
routine, like 30 pushups, to get a stimulus reward of energy.

~~~
vonnik
totally agree! digging in a little more, he talked about the cycle of:

cue -> craving -> action -> reward

and the whole question is, how do you find rewards that instill craving which
will lead you to an action that changes your lifestyle?

------
samstokes
Beeminder
([https://www.beeminder.com/overview#how_beeminder_works](https://www.beeminder.com/overview#how_beeminder_works))
has been life-changing for me, taking me from zero to working out 3x/week and
meditating 4x/week, and currently helping me learn to blog more regularly.

It's in the same category (habit formation) as Daisy and Streaks but with a
somewhat power-usery focus. You commit to any number of quantifiable goals
(e.g. "work out three times a week for the next 6 months"), it reminds you to
stay on track, and if you fall behind, actually charges you money. The idea is
to tie your long-term goal ("work out regularly") to your short-term sense of
immediate priority ("work out today or it'll cost ya").

One of the reasons it works for me is that it fits with a flexible schedule. I
don't have to work out at 8am every Monday; I just have to work out sometime
early in the week. I can build up a "backlog" and "spend" it later. Conversely
if I have a crappy week and let habits slide, it reminds me to make up for it
the following week.

The Beeminder team also blogs regularly on the subject of habit formation and
self-control - e.g.
[http://blog.beeminder.com/flexbind/](http://blog.beeminder.com/flexbind/)
which goes into more detail on why they've designed the system the way they
have.

------
pdq
Pomodoro technique [1].

Break your time/tasks into 25-minute chunks, where you focus on a single task
(no context-switching, pauses, breaking). Rinse, repeat.

I use Flat Tomato on the iPhone, and I can track how many pomodoros I complete
each day/month, which gives a good feedback as to my goal tracking.

[1]
[http://caps.ucsd.edu/Downloads/tx_forms/koch/pomodoro_handou...](http://caps.ucsd.edu/Downloads/tx_forms/koch/pomodoro_handouts/ThePomodoroTechnique_v1-3.pdf)

~~~
avindroth
I tried the pomodoro technique multiple times, and it failed. The reason for
its failure was the lack of emphasis on setting up the right atmosphere.

Now a pomodoro (I use Productivity Planner, made by the guys who made 5 Minute
Journal, so I keep track of my pomodoros) doesn't "count" unless I check
everything off of the pomodoro prep checklist.

1\. Airplane Mode / Turn Cellular Data Off (for urgent calls)

2\. Freedom app (blocks websites)

3\. Music (atmospheric, mostly)

4\. Sign & Lights (let people know I am working, and have the right lighting)

5\. Snacks & Tea / Energy Drink

6\. Water

Then I lock the door, start the timer, and off I go.

Ever since I created this checklist, I have rarely been disrupted from my
work. Sharpening the saw is quite important to saving willpower.

~~~
snehesht
I used to do this during exams, suits me perfectly.

Another suggestion, If you're working on a side project or studying, try to do
it early in the morning ( for me it's 4am ), you'll feel less distracted.

~~~
avindroth
Early morning works well. Most of my effective pomodoros are before 11 am. I
start around 6 or 7 am, and get most of the crucial things I want done for the
day, done.

I don't even try to work after dinnertime if the work requires a lot of
discipline. They never pan out for me. Better to sleep earlier and spend
morning hours more effectively.

------
er_d0s
I find that my procrastination comes from tasks that my brain thinks are too
hard, so what I do is I make todo lists, I break the task down into smaller
more manageable tasks until they're small enough to digest easily. The more
tired/cbf/bored I am, the smaller I make the tasks.

Also, for avoiding distractions I usually keep a piece of paper on my desk
titled "distractions", if my mind wanders, I write down the thing it wandered
to, if it happens again I put a dot next to that thing, surprisingly I never
get more than a few dots before it's completely out of my mind for the day.

I kind of feel like this is somewhat related to the whole concept of
mindfulness, rather than being stuck in your own distractions you observe them
and move on... These two things help me immensely.

------
chris11
I recommoned BJ Fogg's tiny habits course:
[http://tinyhabits.com/](http://tinyhabits.com/). It's a really simple and
easy free email course that shows one way of creating new habits.

How do you like those two apps? I'm currently trying out strides, but it seems
like I only use it when I'm logging stuff. I'm kind of wondering if a paper
calendar would be better to keep the logs right in front of me.

------
sdenton4
I keep this on my desk, in a spot where my eyes land whenever my head starts
to wander: [https://bwitzenhausen.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/butler-
wal...](https://bwitzenhausen.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/butler-wallpaper-
habit.jpg)

"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you
whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your
stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice."

~~~
kiba
I have a set of mandatory activities, which I do for one hour and forty
minutes.

When I have motivation or interest, I pushed on.

With this, I released a rewritten version of a factorio mod(thank god that I
didn't decide to try to rewrite all of it). I am also on the last leg in
completing a story.

However, I got whacked with a computer hardware failure, exiling me from osx
and data...

Now, I'll have to find other activities worth doing in lieu of a working
computer until it get fixed. :(

------
rrecuero
Funny enough, the moment I stopped caring so much about time and optimizing
it, the more productive I got.

Before I found that no matter how much time I had, I was always scrambling.
This may be a bit too philosophical, but focusing on moment to moment and
bringing attention to the problem at hand really helps.

I recommend reading Jacob Needleman's book about Time and the Soul.

"It is not, therefore, the rapidity of change as such that is the source of
our problem of time. It is the metaphysical fact that the being of man is
diminishing."

\--Jacob Needleman, in Time and the Soul

------
buzzybee
My phone's calendar app has become crucial to me. Recurring tasks - work
cycles, fitness, etc. - get a recurring block, with a well-defined start and
end time. Non-programmed to-dos("remember to bring a..." "don't forget to take
care of...") are accomplished by throwing in the task somewhat arbitrarily at
a moment in the future when I might be able to do it. Between those two I
always "find the time" to work on what I intended to work on and my stress
about what needs doing goes way down, while my consistency goes up.

Sometimes the schedule slips or I sleep in and let a bunch of tasks slide;
this is an expected failure mode and I build it into how I use the calendar. I
do not think about strategies to be productive anymore - my maximum capacity
per day is acknowledged by setting those start and end times, and if I want to
produce a lot then I aim for consistency.

------
mtriano
Personally, I'm a big fan of "Baby Steps" by Dr. Leo Marvin. It means setting
small, reasonable goals for yourself, one day at a time, one tiny step at a
time. Just set up long range plans and when executing, focus on the immediate
step you are facing. Baby steps.

------
mettamage
Here's a meta comment.

When I look this thread as of now (11 July 18:00 in Amsterdam), I see almost
no nested comments in the middle.

Typically when I read nested comments I see: agreements, disagreements or new
perspectives. In most HN threads the most upvoted comments have the most
nested comments, but it is also quite common to see a lot of nested comments
somewhere in the middle in topics that have this many upvotes and I don't see
them.

The upvoted comments and the nested versions are quite original -- 'soul
searching'/self therapy, broken iPhones, blackberries and chess clocks. I
haven't seen half of it in productivity books, perhaps variations of it, but
the variations wouldn't allow me to think of a chess clock.

I'm thinking of why there are fewer nested comments in the middle. It might be
because: 1\. big enough personal differences in habit formation (my hunch) 2\.
we're all saying the same thing but we don't recognize it or we do but don't
react 3\. there's simply no need for further comment

------
bemmu
After years of trying to learn Japanese through osmosis by living here, this
year I managed to get myself to seriously study again despite not going to
school anymore.

It's a combination of a study app called Nihongo and a reminder/streak app
called Commit. Now after studying about 30 mins daily for 6 months I've
started to really enjoy my study sessions, and the joy of seeing the
characters I've learned in my daily life. Now when the Commit reminder comes
up I've usually already started my study.

~~~
hikarudo
Not related to habit formation, but may I say what worked for me when learning
Japanese in Japan?

Take the Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken. Bookstores sell material to study for it.
It's great having a study milestone.

Start reading, if you haven't already. Books, magazines, anything. A kanji you
see "out in the field' for three times becomes yours.

To improve listening skills, I recommend watching lots of jdrama. If you don't
understand a dialog, listen again.

And most importantly, interact as much as you can with Japanese people. This
is harder than it sounds, because... Japan.

------
tunesmith
I find it useful (essential, really) to understand how my todo tasks relate to
my longterm goals. If I can't draw a line from my task to my goals, then it's
less motivating.

------
biswaroop
Nobody's mentioned Strava yet. (Other sports trackers work as well)

Cycling and running every morning does the trick for me. Starting the day
early with the burning desire to complete something in the shortest possible
time leaves you applying that mindset to everything else you do. Sadly, this
also means I'm noticeably less efficient on days I don't exercise in the
morning.

Keeping track of my rides and runs gives me a good perspective on competition.
I'm trying to beat my own records, and see how I compare to others. I feel a
constant need to improve, and this helps me push myself in a healthy way in
other tasks.

------
atlih
What we are dealing with here is what the author Steven Pressfield calls
"Resistance". He has two great books on the subject that helped me a lot and
you should check out: The War of Art (2002) and Do The Work (2011)

Procrastination is basically a consequence of letting resistance run amok and
by dismantling the resistance, all the wind goes out of the procrastination.

Looking for an app or some cutting edge new way to deal with a 10.000 year old
problem (that was also solved 10.000 years ago) is pretty much just putting a
band-aid on it.

------
avindroth
Nothing beats the Productivity Planner[1]. A simple, well-designed, and
minimalist planner that gets the job done. I have never been more in flow
during work hours.

Five Minute Journal, made by the same guys, is also great for worrying less
and living in day-tight compartments.

I highly recommend using both in concert.

[1]: [https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-
productivity-...](https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-productivity-
planner)

------
cylinder
Can I hijack and ask, how do I become a "determined" person with grit? Is it
learnable? If something becomes too hard, I just convince myself the success
is not worth it or not attainable.

I might actually be right. Success might not be worth it. It seems winners are
usually more motivated by hatred and fear of losing / failure than the joy of
winning. You see this with sports stars all the time (MJ).

~~~
alextheparrot
Have you listened to the Freakonomics podcast [1] on this exact question? It
was an interesting exploration of "How to get more grit". If I remember
correctly, many of the episodes around that time period (May of this year)
were about getting good at things/self-improvement [2].

[1]
[http://freakonomics.com/podcast/grit/](http://freakonomics.com/podcast/grit/)

[2] [http://freakonomics.com/archive/](http://freakonomics.com/archive/)
(Around episode 245)

------
michaelsealy
The best app is probably sitting in front of you. It is called an old
fashioned calendar. Intention and discipline are the keys to getting stuff
done. You have to develop a powerful WHY. Why do you want this change so bad?
Once done the next thing is to not leave it to will power and chance. Schedule
the time on your calendar. I believe in starting small and using the lowest
barrier to entry. Plan your day the night before and time block what needs to
be done. Don't worry about perfection. You need consistency first. You need to
become the person that shows up when you say you will. You have to develop
character. The last piece of the puzzle is understanding that motivation is
not a prerequisite to creativity and taking action. You will find both of
these bubbling from within as you start to act in a consistent manner. Do it
later translates to do it never and robs energy from your creative genius that
can and should be spent on the task at hand.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

------
zoom6628
For me to do lists are waste of time. I use Wunderlist to keep lists of things
that i might do/read/work on sometime in future. I use my calendar for things
that must happen.

None of this is a way to 'solve' procrastination. The best way to overcome it
is to do something. Anything. 5 minutes on 'the task' is better than 5 minutes
wasted on something unrelated. Find a method to get yourself to do something.
Even 60 seconds is enough because it is more than nothing. As you do that
regularly you will overcome your procrastination.

As other posters have mentioned though you do sooner or later need to find the
root cause. It could be one of many things, but only finding that will help
you to make real progress.

Wish you all the best.

------
esusatyo
The most effective way that I have used: 45 minute work, then 5 minute
bathroom break + stretches, then 45 minute work, then 15 minute break. Repeat.

The key is to understand that your body needs many little break from time to
time, regardless of what your brain thinks.

------
Mz
For me, this typically involves a lot of analysis as to what the obstacles
are. There are typically multiple things conspiring to turn me into a slacker
and it doesn't generally work to just knuckle down and do it. Figuring out the
underlying causes and addressing those is what works for me.

So, you might try spending some time asking yourself 'Why?' x, y or z is
failing to get done. Be really honest with yourself. Don't tell yourself
anything PC. Then, if you still want to get it done, solve those issues first.

~~~
ympavan
Nice advice. Its inspiring.

------
bellebethcooper
I created an email course (also available in book form) about this exact
thing! [0]

But a few things I've found really useful are:

The Momentum app, which lets you quickly check off habits in the iOS
notification centre widget. [1]

Starting small until the behaviour of a habit is ingrained, then increasing
the time and effort. Eg. start with a 15 minute run until you're used to
running 3x/week, then increase your time gradually until you're running 45
minutes every time, rather than jumping in the deep end. It's easier to keep
up a habit that's small and easy, and to increase the activity once you've
made it habitual. [2]

Only work on one new habit at a time, because it will take focus and
discipline at first. [3]

Once your habit is solid, develop others by stacking them together. [4]

[0]:
[https://habits.bellebethcooper.com/](https://habits.bellebethcooper.com/)
[1]: [http://momentum.cc/](http://momentum.cc/) [2]:
[http://blog.bellebethcooper.com/french-
habit.html](http://blog.bellebethcooper.com/french-habit.html) [3]:
[https://exist.io/blog/keeping-up-habits/](https://exist.io/blog/keeping-up-
habits/) [4]:
[http://blog.bellebethcooper.com/pushups.html](http://blog.bellebethcooper.com/pushups.html)

------
artagnon
Maintain a healthy balance in life. Read fiction, listen to podcasts, go on
long walks, chat about non-technical things over coffee/lunch everyday. Oh,
and get ample sleep. Beyond that, it's creature comforts around your desk: a
good coffee machine, a sitting+standing desk, good natural lighting, a
whiteboard, a scratchpad, a relatively new iMac.

Habits are easy to create when it's convenient to have them. That's mostly
what I'm pitching.

------
Zelphyr
I finally developed a daily meditation practice by starting small and focusing
more on developing a habit first. I read somewhere that if you do something
every day for 45 days you create new neural pathways. I don't know if the
research backs it up but it's a nice thought.

So for six weeks I committed to meditating for any amount of time every day. I
didn't care what the time was though I strove for five minutes.

After successfully doing that I bumped it up to a minimum of ten minutes every
day for the next six weeks. The next six weeks I upped it again to 15 minutes.
And on and on.

I actually found when I got to 25 minutes that my commitment felt like it was
waning a little. No problem, I dropped it back down to 15 minutes. When I feel
I'm ready I'll start increasing it again.

That all started last October and I've only missed two days. More importantly,
I feel better than I think I ever have. I think soon I'm going to apply the
same approach to exercise.

------
hacknat
By being interested in what you are working on.

~~~
dominotw
But you have to get to the point of developing interest in the first place.
Developing Passion needs hardwork.

------
KerryJones
I think you're definitely on the right track, but I have a slightly different
philosophy.

I try not to use any sort of app -- as I believe that can be used as a crux --
other than what I have learned. So, I have learned a few key points.

* _Focus on less things_ [[http://jamesclear.com/buffett-focus](http://jamesclear.com/buffett-focus)]

* _Don 't break the chain_ [[https://www.writersstore.com/dont-break-the-chain-jerry-sein...](https://www.writersstore.com/dont-break-the-chain-jerry-seinfeld/)]

* _Be present in every moment_ (don't multi-task, either with thought or action) [[https://www.amazon.com/Way-Peaceful-Warrior-Changes-Lives/dp...](https://www.amazon.com/Way-Peaceful-Warrior-Changes-Lives/dp/0915811898)]

------
Scarblac
Block the "Hot Network Questions" div on Stack Overflow using a little browser
script. Saved hours per day...

------
ioddly
I wrote an application that I use for exactly this purpose:
[https://github.com/ioddly/meditations](https://github.com/ioddly/meditations)

It's a little rough around the edges at the moment, and there are no
executable builds, but it tracks completion so that you get a big picture
view. For example it tells me I have exercised 9 days this month, 100% of the
days I've set out for this month, and am on a streak of 100+ days.

Aside from that, meditation and removing distracting things from my
environment have been most important (for example blocking timesink websites
on my work computer). And the work of James Clear has been very influential on
all of this: [http://jamesclear.com/](http://jamesclear.com/)

------
staunch
Work on something you would be really excited to work on even if you were a
retired billionaire. Great projects pull work out of you.

The important thing is not to fool yourself into working on something you
think you're excited about but deep down are really not that excited about.

------
cel1ne
The following applies to all methods:

1\. Keep in mind that "forcing" yourself to do something takes considerable
energy.

You can imagine a second inner you, that's, for one reason or another,
actively sabotaging your efforts to get something done. Now you can barter
with that second you and get it to agree to work, but if you push it too far
it will relapse.

So: It's important to get a feeling for your motivational energy. If you
managed to overcome procrastination successfully yesterday, don't expect the
same today.

Just like in sports, give yourself a rest when needed and be realistic about
your daily potential.

2\. Not all work is created equal. There is more creative and more repetitive
work. If you don't feel productive, do the chores.

------
asimuvPR
I've personally had success with starting small and simple. I pick a habit
that promises improvements and do one small and simple thing every day related
to it. As it becomes a habit I can see results and adjust accordingly.

The best habit I have formed is to see the benefits of actions and forcing me
every day to do them (by starting small and simple).

Its not a race. It takes time. Sometimes years. Be kind to yourself. You will
make mistakes. Identify the mistake and learn from it. Then move on.

------
junipergreen
For regular, consistent productivity (not just the occasional project over a
day or two) I have to change my physical environment. This means having an
office I go to (or library when I was a student) that--and this is key--is far
away enough from my home that it's not convenient to just leave and go home
when I'm sick of working. It has to be more of a hassle to go home than to
just do another half hour of work (and then another, and another, and so on).

------
yc8329
Whilst @ work, I try the following: __Stayfocusd -> Nuclear option (blocks
access to websites you identify as blocked. 2-3 hour sprints is what I
attempt) __Switcheroo (I redirect multiple click-bait news websites that I
involuntarily type to HN) __Use 'Distraction Free' mode on editors I use for
programming (IDE / TextEditor - e.g. SublimeText) __RescueTime (to reflect on
how it all turned out) __I mute conversations in apps that permit it

~~~
yc8329
Oh, and I'm never logged into FB / Twitter in my browser and my password is
50+ characters long.

The underlying theme is context switching is pretty darn expensive.

------
Ultimatt
My solution is to embrace procrastination. Just makesure your procrastination
tasks are worth doing. If its the TV or reddit thats bad. If it's housework
thats a step up. If it's a side project you would otherwise procrastinate
starting thats actually perfect. Ive been my most productive when I was
procrastinating trying to avoid writing my PhD thesis. I ended up with more
research I had to write about which was the main danger!

------
elliotec
Highly recommend reading The Power of Habit
([https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055PGUYU/ref=dp-kindle-
redirect?...](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055PGUYU/ref=dp-kindle-
redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1))

It goes over strategies and psychology of habits and how to change bad ones
and form good ones. I literally just finished this book before opening HN to
see this, and I loved it.

------
narrator
HabitBull([http://www.habitbull.com/](http://www.habitbull.com/)) is great app
for this. It also ties into quantified self analysis pretty well. I had some
great luck with implementing GTD with Omnifocus and Focus GTD for personal
projects.

------
baccheion
What helps with procrastination is Adrafinil (precursor to Modafinil that
doesn't require a prescription), Memantine, PhenylPiracetam Hydrazide, working
on things that are interesting, and filing away (or having someone/something
else do) whatever you don't like doing.

~~~
ultrafez
Putting off or tasking someone else with jobs you don't want to do doesn't
seem like the healthiest long-term strategy.

------
syngrog66
Do something productive. Do it again. At whatever frequency. Continue.
Solved/answered.

------
jseliger
Have something I really, really want to do, and do that thing until it's done.
Sort of the top idea in your mind:
[http://paulgraham.com/top.html](http://paulgraham.com/top.html).

~~~
sdegutis
This is difficult when you have 3 things that all tie for #1, and since they
need to be sorted into #1 through #3, that sorting isn't stable sorting, so
each time you mentally sort it, they might end up in another order. So #1
changes all the time.

~~~
bbcbasic
If they tie just make an arbitrary decision. E.g. pick the least fun one. Or
more analysis on which should win if that is appropriate.

------
heurist
Mind-expanding drugs and doing things I like doing have removed the need for
extrinsic motivation to produce. I've never been able to keep up a solid habit
(except weight lifting, of which I enjoy the benefits).

------
pella
Change is very hard ..

my favorite:

ALAN DEUTSCHMAN :Change or Die (2005)

[http://www.fastcompany.com/52717/change-or-
die](http://www.fastcompany.com/52717/change-or-die)

------
0xmohit
One way of staying productive is to add the following entry to one's _/
etc/hosts_ file:

    
    
      0.0.0.0 facebook.com twitter.com

------
tdaltonc
I use Dopamine.

[http://www.UseDopamine.com/](http://www.UseDopamine.com/)

Full disclosure, I'm it's co-founder.

------
nokya
If you were able to defeat procrastination with a todo list, you were not a
procrastinator.

You just needed some organisation in your daily activities :)

------
partycoder
Best thing is to commit yourself with other people and through those
commitments you will feel forced to do whatever you need to do.

------
cnp
I have to say, Google Inbox has utterly changed my life with its Reminders
feature

~~~
Chris2048
though it's dangerous to tie yourself into these things...

------
p4wnc6
For me, the ritual of measuring progress or adherence to a desired habit is a
huge help, but I find that the presentation and availability of this
measurement in app form is not helpful and generally is actively harmful for
progress.

Here is an example. I have lost a significant amount of weight in the past
year and managed to build good exercise habits and eating habits, keep the
weight off, and feel very happy with the physical shape and condition I am in.

I tried using apps like Lose It to count calories, record exercise, etc., and
it did not work at all. The neurotic clawing feeling that the app was always
there to get me, to demand me to check it, to obsess over my progress,
pressure to share my progress on social media, etc. etc., was self-defeating.

What ended up working was I bought a cheap electronic scale from CVS and I
weighed myself whenever I felt like it, and did not write down or record that
number. Sometimes I would weigh myself consistently, other times I would
weight myself very frequently / very sparsely. I put no pressure on myself to
weigh myself every day, to record or keep track of my current weight, or
anything similar.

Basically, weighing myself was like a throw-away activity. I happened to see a
number on the tiny LED screen. I might remember it; I might not. Who cares.
But I did make sure to check in with that scale any time I felt like it.

It was similar with counting calories. Actually, what I found worked very well
here is to establish decent calorie estimates for composable food items. Know
the calories in the things I usually combine for a salad. Know the calories in
the pasta I buy. Know the calories in bread, condiments, sauces, basic foods.

Then when I combine them together for a meal, I can get a rough estimate of
the total calories. I'm not obsessively scanning the barcode of everything I
buy, but I'm also rarely ever flying blind with ingredients I can't estimate.

Same goes for exercise. Know roughly how many calories you burn walking some
certain distance, or running some certain distance, or doing aerobics or
calisthenics. Many people recommend keeping a fitness journal, but for me this
again turned it into a pressure point, ominously looking at me from across the
room, tell-tale-hearting me into feeling guilty about not working out enough.

So I started writing down the exercises I did, quickly getting a ballpark on
the calories (when it wasn't obvious, like reading it off a treadmill
display), and then throwing the piece of paper away. Who cares.

I made rituals out of these actions, and it started to guide me a lot. I found
that it focused me on things I needed to do (e.g. skip that extra helping of
food because I estimated the calories) but it didn't function like self-
flagellation (e.g. obsessing over my weight in an app, or stressing out about
eating something minor because I've already eaten 1,799 calories today or
something).

I experienced way less ego depletion in my decision making, but still felt
like I was keeping tabs on things.

I don't think this would work for everyone nor for every kind of task. For
example, when I want to be more productive with writing and personal tech
projects, I haven't found a great sort of "throw away" equivalent for to-do
lists.

But in general, I think it's worth a try. Don't go for things that will be
overbearing, ever-present, or come with a high degree of pressure. The effects
of all that stuff will be counter-productive. Instead, think about what those
things are, and find ways to measure them that are cheap, easy, give you only
the info you need for situational decision making, and can be easily thrown
away / forgotten / ignored whenever you need to.

------
moron4hire
I had to get to a point where I could understand the concept that the best way
to get the work done is to just get the work done.

There's no magic pill. There's no yoga. There's no special coffee. There's no
long walks on the beach. There's nothing that will get the work done for you.
You're the only one capable of getting the work done, and it just takes
sitting down and doing it.

Of course, that is easier said than done. But try it some time. Try repeating
to yourself "the work does not get done until I choose to do it."

I also started getting very comfortable with the idea of giving up on things.
I either choose to do a thing now or I throw it away completely. If there was
something that I couldn't give up on, then the whole process sort of naturally
collapsed into a propensity for starting things right away.

We make up these lies to ourselves. TODO lists, with multiple things marked as
"high priority". There can only ever be one priority. If someone says two or
more things are a priority, they are confused. You have to figure out what the
actual, real, priority task is. There is always one thing, one real thing,
that is the actual priority, and people can often lose sight of it because
they think they have their planning covered. Tasks are always on the backlog
until they are being worked on, and only one thing can be worked on at a time.
Certainly order the backlog by what is important, but don't delude yourself
into thinking you can work on more than one thing at a time.

I got more comfortable with the concept of living a lifestyle, rather than
achieving goals. When you define success by goals-achieved, then you are
constantly a failure, until a brief moment when you succeed, and then you need
to define new goals and are right back into being a failure. I am a success
because I live the lifestyle I want. Because I'm not living in a constant
state of failure, then there is no sense that any particular action is
woefully inadequate towards achieving success. No task can be inadequate
towards achieving success, because all tasks that I engage in are a symptom of
my notion of success.

And I grew an understanding that living a certain lifestyle meant not living
other lifestyles. To choose to be a certain way is equally to choose to stop
being another way. If there is some way that you want to be that you are not
achieving, it means there is some way that you are that you need to choose to
stop. I'm overweight, I could choose to stop drinking beer, and I would lose
weight. I choose to have a lifestyle that involves drinking beer in front of
my computer at night. I choose to not have a lifestyle that involves rock
climbing on weekends. I choose to work on Virtual Reality software. That means
I also choose to stop working on electronics, painting, photography, writing
novels, or whatever other low-grade hobbies I had before I finally found
focus.

So long as you understand your choices and their consequences, I don't think
they can become psychological weights around your neck, keeping you dragged
down in the duldrums of anti-productivity.

------
husamia
find solid attainable goals and no matter focus on attaining your goals. Don't
get caught in the details.

------
XVII
www.coach.me The website and the app have already helped me create many new
habits.

------
pramit
Shameless plug: The Success Manual
[https://www.thesuccessmanual.in/category/time-management-
pro...](https://www.thesuccessmanual.in/category/time-management-productivity-
skills)

45 Things You Should Know About Being A Productivity Superstar
[http://www.thesuccessmanual.in/chapter/45-things-you-
should-...](http://www.thesuccessmanual.in/chapter/45-things-you-should-know-
about-being-a-productivity-superstar)

The 25 Most Useful Productivity Methods
[http://www.thesuccessmanual.in/chapter/the-25-most-useful-
pr...](http://www.thesuccessmanual.in/chapter/the-25-most-useful-productivity-
methods)

20+ Best Productivity Techniques For The Workplace
[http://www.thesuccessmanual.in/chapter/20-best-
productivity-...](http://www.thesuccessmanual.in/chapter/20-best-productivity-
techniques-for-the-workplace)

~~~
majewsky
The 3 Best Clickbait Titles for Procrastinators.

------
rimantas
Check out "How we learn" course on Coursera. It deals with procrastination
among other things.

