Discipline and hustle were the two productivity systems Ali Abdaal relied on until he remembered a psychology experiment on how mood affects creativity. Two groups were given a challenging problem, one after having received a small gift: a bag of candy. That group outperformed those who didn’t receive a gift.
We feel good when given a gift. But it can also change our patterns of behaviour. The result is an approach he calls feel-good productivity. Instead of hustle, discipline and other stressful productivity paths, consider how to improve your mood.
“When we’re in a positive mood, we tend to consider a broader range of actions, be more open to new experiences and better integrate the information we receive. In other words, feeling good boosts our creativity – and our productivity,” the former physician turned productivity consultant writes in Feel-Good Productivity.
Scientists have shown feeling good boosts our energy, through the feel-good hormones - endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. Indeed, there’s a virtuous circle: That extra energy boosts our productivity, and the feeling of achievement from that greater productivity makes us feel good yet again. Feeling good also reduces stress.
But life – particularly work – can be a struggle, a downer. The first step in arranging feel-good productivity, Mr. Abdaal suggests, is play. “If we can integrate the spirit of play into our lives, we’ll feel better – and do more too,” he says.
You’re probably familiar with Mary Poppins singing about how a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. But Mr. Abdaal notes that the song begins: In every job that must be done/There is an element of fun/You find the fun and snap!/The job’s a game. To that end, he wrote on a post-it note attached to his computer: What would this look like if it were fun?
“Could you do it in a different way? Could you add music, or a sense of humour, or get creative? What if you set out to do the task with friends, or promised yourself a treat at the end of the process? Is there a way to make this draining process a little more enjoyable?” he asks.
Curiosity can be fun. It also helps us focus longer. So he urges you to embrace your curiosity. He likes to think of his life as offering a series of side quests, as in video games. When he looks at the day’s calendar and to-do list, he tries to look beyond the obvious tasks to alternative avenues they might allow him to explore. It might encourage him to do some of that work in a coffee shop or to explore new software that might help with a current challenge.
He urges you to focus on enjoying the process rather than the outcome. And if the outcome is negative, reframe that failure to find the positives within. That helps to lower the stakes – and the stress – of your work.
Much of our work is in parallel with others – we work together, but apart. He suggests you harness the inspirational and energizing aspect of teamwork by adopting a comrade mentality. View others as part of your team.
Help them – you’ll likely feel what’s known as the helper’s high - and probably they will help you in return. Perform random acts of kindness, as he did when he was a doctor by making tea for colleagues if he wanted one himself. Overcommunicate the good – when one person shares positive news with another, both people are happy.
All those techniques will help enliven your day. And if he’s right, feeling good will make you more productive.
Quick hits
- A thought to start the new year from author James Clear: “Consistency enlarges ability.”
- Talking about your accomplishments can convey competence but make you seem egotistical, while self-deprecating comments can make you seem less than competent. New research suggests a third path can be effective: When you boast about your own accomplishments, compliment a colleague or peer at the same time.
- Gestures strengthen and amplify our statements, but too often they are missing in video meetings, presentations coach Gary Genard notes. As long as you’re far enough from the screen – 18 to 24 inches – people will see your gestures and respond to them. Keep your hand and arm movements within an imaginary square drawn around your upper torso.
- Charter Work Tech tested seven browser extensions that reduce distraction by creating friction to accessing certain websites or block you entirely for a period. They recommend two: Pause and Mindful Browsing.
Harvey Schachter is a Kingston-based writer specializing in management issues. He, along with Sheelagh Whittaker, former CEO of both EDS Canada and Cancom, are the authors of When Harvey Didn’t Meet Sheelagh: Emails on Leadership.