The Art of Stress-Free Progress (1st Edition)
Learn the 7 proven strategies to stop procrastinating, avoid distractions and finally focus on what matters most.
In today’s distracted world filled with non-stop emails, internet information overload, mobile phone messages and social media notifications, it’s never been harder in human history to make progress towards our goals.
We struggle with procrastination, stress and overwhelm from juggling too many goals at the same time. Adding to this overwhelm is the vast ocean of self-improvement and productivity advice available on the web.
We’re easily distracted—like squirrels—by time wasting activities and lose valuable time multitasking between different tasks. And as leaders, we struggle to motivate ourselves and those around us.
As a result of this, we fail to achieve our goals—to exercise more, spend more quality time with family, read more books, perform better at work, finish writing a book, earn more money and so on.
But, there’s freedom from this overwhelming lack of progress.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve researched and written about the best practical ideas from proven science and the habits of successful people, for improving focus, productivity and health.
Along this journey, I’ve also experimented with some of these ideas in my life and received tons of feedback from my readers on what works and what doesn’t.
In this guide, you’ll learn seven proven strategies to help you stop procrastination, avoid distractions and bring focus to what matters most to you.
After applying the strategies in this brief guide, you’ll enjoy better work and life satisfaction, reduced stress, free up more time—up to 10 hours per week—and make better progress towards your most important goals.
I understand that you’re busy and time is limited, so this guide has been designed to be a quick read packed with practical ideas you can quickly apply in your life immediately.
10 Things You’ll Learn in This Guide
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll learn…
- How to stop procrastinating and get more done by doing less.
- How to improve your focus and concentration.
- How to avoid distractions and stay focused on your tasks.
- How to reduce stress and overwhelm.
- How to prioritize better and manage time effectively.
- How to actually stick to your goals over the long-term.
- How to say no gracefully and avoid unnecessary commitments.
- How to achieve more by doing less.
- How to make motivation last.
- How to achieve steady progress towards your most important goals.
Want to learn more? click here to download the eBook.
Here’s an excerpt from the eBook: Strategy №2: The Ivy Lee Method
Estimated Reading Time: 2 Minutes
“I want you to start at number one don’t even think about number two until number one is complete.”
— Ivy Lee
In the early 1900s, Charles M. Schwab, President of Bethlehem Steel Corporation — a steel and shipping company — wanted to increase the efficiency of his management team.
Oil business magnate, John D. Rockefeller Sr. suggested that Schwab meet with Ivy Lee — a highly respected productivity expert and pioneer in the field of public relations. [4]
At the start of their meeting, Charles Schwab asked Ivy Lee for help to improve the productivity of his company.
“Give me 15 minutes with each of your executives,” Lee replied.
Schwab asked, “What will it cost me?”
“Nothing,” Lee said. “Unless it works. After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it’s worth to you. Fair enough?”
Over the next three months Ivy Lee recommended a method to help the executives achieve peak performance and productivity on a daily basis.
Here’s the Ivy Lee Method in six steps:
Step 1: Clearly define your vision, goals and objectives for your life, business, health etc.
Step 2: At the end of each, preferably in the evening, write down the six most important tasks that you need to complete the following day to achieve your vision, goals and objectives.
Step 3: Rank and prioritize these six tasks in order of importance.
Step 4: Each morning, begin with most important task on the list and do not move onto the next task until the previous one is complete.
Step 5: Work your way through the six tasks on the list in order from the most to least important task. If at the end of the day you don’t finish a task, move it to the new list of six tasks for the following day.
Step 6: Rinse and repeat this process every day.
After the three-month trial, Charles Schwab met with Ivy Lee to review the results.
The efficiency and sales of Bethlehem Steel had improved so much that Schwab wrote Lee a check of $25,000 (the equivalent of a $400,000 check in 2016) and later noted that the Ivy Lee method was the most profitable advice he had ever received. [5]
Within a couple of years, Bethlehem Steel company became America’s second-largest steel producer and largest shipbuilder. Charles M. Schwab himself amassed a personal net worth over $200 million dollars as a result of this success.
So, what makes the Ivy Lee method so effective?
- It’s simplicity makes it easier to take action.
- It builds momentum for consistent action.
- It forces you to focus on just one thing at a time.
The Ivy Lee Method is a simple, powerful strategy for stress-free productivity that highlights the importance of doing the most important thing first each day. It’s a reminder that fewer priorities lead to better work and performance. A reminder that simplicity helps to guide complex plans, behaviours and actions.
Give it a go tonight. Simply write down the six most important things you have to achieve tomorrow. And then tomorrow, in the words of Ivy Lee…
“I want you to start at number one don’t even think about number two until number one is complete.”
Want to learn more? click here to download the eBook.
Originally published at mayooshin.com on October 3, 2018.