1. You list your todos.
2. "I'll finish my todos!"
3. You try, but get distracted by the internets.

When you have no anal micro-manager above directing you like a madman:

• You're likelier to slack off.
• You drain productivity exponentially with every distraction.

Here's a way to help:

The Gem to Get Productive

First, do this:

1. Take out a stopwatch. Start it.
2. Work for XX-minutes straight (e.g., 60 minutes).
3. Stop the stopwatch. Relax.
4. Return to #1.

Do that throughout the day.

Rules:

1. When the clock runs, you have to work.
2. When the clock stops, you can stop working.

(It's like you're clockin-in and clocking-out of work. HOORAY!)

Why You're More Productive

When you do something -- anything -- with the clock running, you force yourself to work.

• No distractions (or you clock-out).

Phenomenon:

1. Simply forcing yourself to work as if a tidy-whitey baby-bunny has a gun to your sternum if you don't work a gets you doing something.
2. The little "something" gradually builds your productivity momentum to get more things accomplished.

That enforcement to-work-or-bunny-offs-you gets you thinking:

1. "I can work like a bored-unproductive piece of shizzit."
2. "OR, I can work like one happily-productive mofokoko."

Unless your momma dropped you down the elevator shaft when you were two-months old (because you = ugly), chances are, you'll choose the latter:

• "I have to work. I might as well have fun and get things done!"

More fun = More productive = More tasks accomplished.

Now, Beat Your Records

Example:

1. "Yesterday, I accomplished 100 minutes of good work by 11 pm!"
2. "Today, I will accomplish 100 minutes of work by 10:30 pm!"

Or:

1. "Last week, I completed 1500 minutes of work!"
2. "This week, I'll go for 2000 minutes of work! WHO'S THE MAN?!"

You start taking the deliberative approach to improve your daily productivity (e.g., "Let's save time by not checking NYTimes this morning!") -- constantly looking for different ways to improve how efficient you work.

Result: Freakishly more work done everyday.

KABAMBIZZLEWHOSTHEWINNERNOWBEYOTCH!

Clock in.

If you enjoyed Why Time How Much You Work, you might also like our business guide.