I did this for 30 Days and it changed my life

Summary

In this video, the creator discusses the power of habit formation and its impact on productivity. They share their personal journey of adopting a new habit of writing down eight critical tasks daily, which has significantly improved their focus and efficiency. The video highlights the benefits of using a notebook for idea generation, avoiding distractions, and achieving a sense of accomplishment through task completion. The creator also emphasizes the importance of setting realistic, bite-sized goals and reflects on the transformative effect of this practice on their daily life and business.

Takeaways

• 😀 Habits form the basis of our daily actions, with 43% of what we do being habitual.
• 🗓️ It takes an average of 18 to 250 days to establish a new habit, and about 66 days for it to become automatic.
• 📝 The speaker is on day 30 of trying to create a new habit to improve focus and productivity.
• 🎓 The speaker's struggle with focus has been a lifelong issue, affecting education and daily tasks.
• 📚 A preference for physical notebooks and stationary over digital tools for organization and note-taking.
• 💡 The change in the speaker's approach to note-taking was inspired by an Instagram post from a friend named John.
• ✍️ Writing down tasks and crossing them off can increase idea generation and creativity.
• 🚫 Using a notebook helps to avoid digital distractions that come with using a phone or computer.
• 🏆 The act of writing and crossing off tasks provides a sense of accomplishment and mental 'wins'.
• 📈 Writing tasks down improves retention of information and goals, making them more likely to be remembered and achieved.
• 📋 The speaker recommends making tasks bite-sized and manageable to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• 🎯 The speaker finds using a notebook for daily to-do lists has significantly improved productivity and motivation.
• 💡 The idea of focusing on critical tasks daily comes from Andy Frisella's '75 Hard' program, which the speaker has been following for over 800 days.
• 🎨 The speaker uses the notebook for a variety of purposes, including brainstorming and tracking personal and business goals.
• 🎁 The video is sponsored by Squarespace, which offers an all-in-one platform for websites, including online stores and portfolios.

Q & A

What percentage of daily activities are performed out of habit according to the transcript?

43% of daily activities are performed out of habit.

How long does it typically take to create a new habit?

It takes an average of 18 to 254 days for someone to create a new habit.

On average, how many days does it take for behaviors to become automatic?

It takes about 66 days for behaviors to become automatic on average.

What is the speaker's current status in terms of forming a new habit?

The speaker is on day 30 of trying to make a new habit.

What is the main issue the speaker is facing that needs to change?

The speaker is facing trouble focusing due to too many tasks and a tendency to procrastinate, which is affecting them negatively.

What is the speaker's opinion on using pen and paper before the change?

The speaker liked the idea of writing things down but never actually did it due to restlessness and too many ideas.

What prompted the speaker to start using a notebook?

The speaker was inspired to start using a notebook after seeing an Instagram post from a friend named John.

What is the benefit of writing tasks down according to John's experience?

Writing tasks down helps in idea generation, avoiding distractions, and gives a mental win when tasks are crossed off.

How has writing tasks down improved the speaker's productivity?

Writing tasks down has improved the speaker's productivity by making them focus on important tasks and giving a sense of accomplishment when completed.

What is the '75 Hard' program mentioned in the script?

The '75 Hard' program is a challenge created by Andy Frisella that the speaker has been doing for over 800 days, which includes tasks like making eight things to get forward in life.

What is the speaker's advice on making to-do list items manageable?

The speaker advises making to-do list items bite-sized and manageable to avoid feeling overwhelmed and to make progress each day.