How I Make Myself Work When I'm Lazy (from a Top 1% Med Student)
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Salim, a final-year med student, shares his 'Flow Method' for getting work done efficiently without relying on motivation or discipline. He outlines five steps: establishing a Pre-Focus Routine to ease into work, practicing Tunnel Vision to avoid multitasking, setting a Low Threshold for Effort to minimize resistance, adhering to The Two-Day Rule for consistency, and overcoming mental barriers by understanding the importance of tasks. Salim also introduces a 1-to-1 online coaching service to help viewers with their productivity and studying challenges.
Takeaways
- 🔑 Start with a Pre-Focus Routine to transition into work mode, similar to warming up before a workout.
- 🎯 Practice Tunnel Vision by applying Parkinson’s Law to prioritize tasks and declutter your physical workspace to minimize distractions.
- 💪 Set a Low Threshold for Effort to initiate tasks with minimal commitment, which often leads to completing more than intended.
- 📅 Adhere to The Two-Day Rule to maintain consistency in your activities by not skipping more than two days in a row.
- ⏰ Identify your best hours for specific activities to align your energy levels with your tasks for optimal productivity.
- 🤝 Consider group accountability with a friend to stay committed to your tasks and avoid disappointment.
- 🌟 Reflect on the deep reasons behind your tasks to understand their importance and overcome resistance to starting.
- 📝 Write down immediate and long-term reasons for your tasks to reinforce motivation and focus on the process, not just the outcome.
- 🚫 Avoid comparing your progress with others to prevent demotivation and maintain a healthy perspective on your personal journey.
- 📈 Learn from the speaker's experience and strategies shared in the script to enhance personal productivity and academic success.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Salim's video?
-The main focus of Salim's video is to introduce the 'Flow Method,' a reliable way to make oneself work efficiently without relying on motivation or discipline.
What is Salim's educational background mentioned in the script?
-Salim is a final year medical student who has also completed an undergraduate and postgraduate degree.
What is the first step of the Flow Method that Salim suggests?
-The first step of the Flow Method is to establish a Pre-Focus Routine, which is an easy or simple activity done before starting work to prepare the mind for the task ahead.
How does Salim compare the Pre-Focus Routine to exercising?
-Salim compares the Pre-Focus Routine to warming up at the gym before lifting heavy weights, as it prepares the body and mind for the more demanding task.
What is the concept of 'Tunnel Vision' as discussed by Salim?
-Tunnel Vision, as discussed by Salim, involves two parts: mentally focusing on one task at a time to avoid multitasking, and physically clearing the workspace of distractions.
How does Salim apply Parkinson’s Law in the context of the Flow Method?
-Salim applies Parkinson’s Law by suggesting a brain dump where one lists everything on their mind that needs to be done and then picks the most urgent tasks to focus on within a 3-minute time frame.
What is the 'Low Threshold for Effort' strategy mentioned by Salim?
-The 'Low Threshold for Effort' strategy involves setting a very low initial goal to start a task, which often leads to completing more than initially intended due to the momentum built during the process.
What is the 'Two-Day Rule' that Salim discusses?
-The 'Two-Day Rule' is a consistency strategy where one is not allowed to skip a task for more than two consecutive days, ensuring regular engagement with the activity.
How does Salim suggest identifying the best hours for productivity?
-Salim suggests identifying the best hours for productivity by recognizing when one has the most energy and scheduling tasks during those times to increase the likelihood of completion.
What is the service that Salim offers to help with productivity and studying?
-Salim offers a 1-to-1 online coaching service where he provides personalized action plans and advice to help individuals improve their productivity and academic performance.
How does Salim address the issue of comparing oneself to others in terms of productivity?
-Salim addresses the issue of comparing oneself to others by emphasizing the importance of understanding one's own reasons for doing a task and focusing on the process rather than just the end result.
Outlines
🎓 The Flow Method for Productivity
Salim, a final year medical student, introduces a method called the Flow Method to help overcome laziness and start working efficiently without relying on motivation or discipline. He shares his personal experiences and offers actionable steps and mindset adjustments. The method includes a Pre-Focus Routine, similar to a warm-up at the gym, to prepare oneself for work. Salim suggests doing something easy or simple before starting work to condition the mind for focus. He also discusses the importance of avoiding multitasking, applying Parkinson’s Law for a brain dump, and creating a focused workspace to maintain tunnel vision. The paragraph emphasizes the need for a low threshold for effort to initiate tasks and the Two-Day Rule for consistency.
🏋️♂️ Overcoming Resistance and Efficiency in Studying
In the second paragraph, Salim addresses the issue of resistance to work and provides strategies to overcome it. He talks about the importance of understanding the personal significance of tasks and setting clear, immediate, and long-term goals. Salim shares his own journey of studying for medical school and how he overcame the mental barriers by focusing on the process rather than just the end result. He also discusses the importance of efficient studying, hinting at a video where he shares key insights from his university experience on how to study effectively and achieve high grades with minimal effort. Additionally, Salim announces a new 1-to-1 online coaching service to help individuals with their specific productivity and studying challenges.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Motivation
💡Discipline
💡Flow Method
💡Pre-Focus Routine
💡Tunnel Vision
💡Parkinson’s Law
💡Low Threshold for Effort
💡The Two-Day Rule
💡Accountability
💡Mental Barriers
💡Productivity
Highlights
A reliable method to make yourself work without motivation or discipline.
The introduction of the Flow Method with actionable steps and mindset.
The significance of the Pre-Focus Routine to prepare for work.
Using a Pre-Focus Routine similar to a warm-up exercise at the gym.
Examples of a Pre-Focus Routine: 10 minutes of thinking or language learning apps.
The importance of Tunnel Vision to avoid multitasking.
Applying Parkinson’s Law for a brain dump to avoid multitasking.
Creating a distraction-free workspace for physical Tunnel Vision.
The challenge of maintaining motivation and overcoming resistance to work.
The concept of a Low Threshold for Effort to initiate tasks.
The effectiveness of starting with a small task to build momentum.
The Two-Day Rule for consistency and flexibility in work habits.
Identifying the best hours for productivity to follow the Two-Day Rule.
The offer of personalized 1-to-1 online coaching for productivity and studying.
The importance of understanding personal goals and the reasons behind tasks.
Overcoming mental barriers by focusing on the process rather than the end result.
The impact of comparing progress with others and how to overcome it.
The necessity of efficient time usage for effective studying and productivity.
Transcripts
Most people believe that they need to be motivated or disciplined to get work done.
But what if I told you that there’s a reliable way
to make yourself work without motivation or discipline..
I’m Salim, I’m a final year med student, and I’ve also done an undergrad and postgraduate degree.
And like you right now, I’ve had times where I’d be on YouTube when I should be doing work.
But over my 8 years at uni, I’ve figured out a reliable method to immediately make myself work,
even when i feel lazy - so that I work efficiently and still have time for more of what I care about.
So I’ll go through the 5 steps of the Flow Method which covers actionable steps and the mindset you
need to help you do this too - and the last point had a massive role in helping me get into med
school and start this YouTube channel, so stick around until the end for this important point.
So first, I have a question - when do you feel the most resistance to doing work? Usually,
it’s when you try to start a task, rather than carrying on.
And because of this, it makes sense for me to explain the first step you need
to take so that you can start doing work, even when you don’t want to - and this is
by making sure to have a Pre-Focus Routine - and I like comparing this to exercising.
When I’m at the gym, I warm up before I go on to using te heavier weights so
that my muscles can get ready to handle the higher weights.
And in a similar way for working, this is doing
something easy or simple that’s only ever done before you start working or studying.
It’s there to act similar to the warm up exercise at the gym, because it doesn’t need much effort to
do, but helps you directly prepare your energy into what you’ll be doing next.
So as an example for a pre-work routine, one thing I do is spend exactly 10 minutes to do
nothing besides think - I just think about what I want to work on, planning the exact thing I’ll
be starting on, so that when the 10 minutes is up, I’m aware of what I immediately need to do.
Or another example is that I do lesson on Duolingo or
Brilliant to ease myself into a focused mindset.
Leave a comment below for a routine that you’d do for yourself - just make sure
that the routine is something you only do before working,
so that you condition your mind to associate this routine with your work.
And now, I want you to think back to something I know you’ve experienced.
Think back to a time where you were on your phone, and somebody came up to you - they started talking
to you, but you couldn’t really listen to them properly because your mind was on your phone.
But after you put your phone away, you don’t remember what they said,
so they repeat what they said and now you can properly speak to them.
Those experiences make it very clear that you can’t do multiple things at once,
and this applies to getting work done; so what you should do,
is have Tunnel Vision - but this isn’t only to avoid multitasking, there’s a second part to this.
But first, the best way to avoid multitasking is to
apply Parkinson’s Law for a brain dump - and what does this mean?
Give yourself only 3 minutes to list down everything on your mind that you need to get done,
and pick up to three of the most urgent things to do today - whichever one you pick out first
is your most urgent, meaning your most time-sensitive - so start with that.
People think too much and that clouds their judgement, but by making it quick,
your brain just knows what needs to be done and what can wait until later,
without you having to actually think too much.
And I said there’s a second part to this - so similar to having tunnel
vision for directing yourself mentally, you should have tunnel vision physically too.
In an exam setting you only have what you need,
so make your work space similar where if there’s something you don’t need, get rid of it so your
mind and your eyes stay focused - because literally anything can become a distraction.
And you might think oh but, your desk isn’t clear - and you’re right, but I’ve only ever use my
desk to work, and I don’t have a problem with focusing anymore, so this point isn’t for me.
But now for the next point, there is something I do have a problem with, that most people have
too - quite a lot of the time when I have to go to the gym, or start editing my next video,
I don’t have any motivation to do them, or I feel a very strong resistance to doing them.
Because it takes a lot of effort - they take up a lot of energy to get through.
But what’s helped me maintain going to the gym 5x a week for the past few months,
or have a video out every single week, is having a Low Threshold for Effort.
This is when I tell myself that, I don’t need to do anything big, I don’t have to script,
record, and edit a video in one day - all I have to do right now,
is think of one thing I can start doing, and feel free to stop after that’s done.
If I don’t want to go to the gym, I just take a walk to my gym and back,
or for editing, this might only be adding music and sound effects to the videos.
And when I do this I noticed that, I always end up doing more than this low threshold;
99% of the time I’d end up going to the gym, or I’ll almost finish editing a video.
So for you, this could be doing the smallest thing to make progress on
your work or studying, whether that’s organizing your schedule for tomorrow,
doing a few practise questions, or writing a small paragraph for an essay.
This works because starting with nothing is what’s difficult - but once you get
going your mindset naturally shifts as you build momentum with your task.
And this idea of minimal effort links well
with the next point which is a rule that you need to follow.
So over the past few months, I said that I’ve been going to the gym 5x a week - and this is
the same for practising the piano 5x a week, or working on my YouTube channel.
And what’s helped me be consistent with this and still be flexible, is following
The Two-Day Rule - and there’s one thing I’ll get to that will help you follow this rule.
But first, this is a rule where you aren’t allowed to
skip more than two days in a row - the flexibility comes from the fact that,
if I really don’t want to go gym today, that’s fine, I just have to make sure I go tomorrow.
And the thing that helps me do this is identifying my best hours for what I need to do - so for gym,
I have the most energy in the morning, so I make sure that I save early mornings for the gym,
or for piano, I like practising at night, so I leave that for later.
This works with the rule because I can anticipate when I’ll be bothered to do
the thing, so that I don’t feel bad if I miss the gym today after med school,
because I know I’ll be happy to go early tomorrow morning.
This is something you can apply to almost anything,
like making sure to study at a time you focus better - and having a friend do
this with you can help you both be accountable for each other,
because you probably won’t want to lose to your friend, or you wouldn’t want to disappoint them.
And before the next point, you might have noticed that I haven’t had a sponsored video in some time.
And it’s not because I haven’t been getting sponsor opportunities,
it’s because I was thinking of how I can promote something to you that’s
as helpful as possible besides my YouTube or Instagram content.
I do believe in the sponsors I’ve mentioned in the past, but I felt as though there was more I
could do to help you learn better, not just for your academic life but also your personal life.
So I’ve been working on something I can give you by directly helping
you with your specific problems for productivity or studying.
And that’s through a 1-to-1 online coaching service where you can directly
speak to me about any problems you’re facing with studying or productivity.
The purpose of these video calls is to help me understand your personal problems, your goals,
and things you want to improve on, so that I can create a personalized action plan
and give you detailed advice that’s going to level up your productivity or grades.
And these consultations are just one part of the package - because even after them,
we’ll keep in regular contact and I’ll make sure you’re progressing
well and address any problems or questions you might have.
And you might be thinking, how much does it cost - so I’ll have two offers: for students,
I know that money’s hard to come by, so I’ll have a form you can fill out
with a reasonable price for you to suggest and we can work from there.
But because of this, I’ll only have 4 spaces for this student offer.
For everyone else including students that miss out on the spaces, I’ll have a fixed
price that changes depending on supply and demand, but there’ll be around 10-15 spaces.
So if you want real, personalized advice that I’m confident is going to take your
productivity or academic life to the next level,
visit my website linked in the description and I’ll see you in our next call.
And now for the next point, I have another question - how
often do you find yourself comparing your progress with another person’s?
I’ve had people commenting on my videos wondering how I manage everything I do, because they say
they’d find it impossible to do - and that mindset makes it even harder to get themselves to work.
And it also shows me that they feel they should have accomplished more with their
time - and this has been a problem for me, and I’m sure it affects you too.
Because even for piano or exercising, I feel that there’s more I could do to make progress,
more effort I can put in or different things I can try - especially when
I see how far other people have gone - which can be demotivating.
But what I’ve found useful to make myself work,
is overcoming the mental barriers - and I have a personal example at the end.
So before that, the first thing you need to do is really understand why something
is important to you, and why you aren’t doing it - because when was the last time you sat down to
deeply think about why you need to study for that exam besides thinking oh I need to pass,
or why you’re working the job you have that you don’t really enjoy.
Write down the immediate and long-term reasons for why you need to do something,
because that can make you more likely to get on with it when you realise what can
happen if you don’t do it, or can even help you realise that it’s not actually that important,
and you should be focusing on something else instead.
For example, I remember a point where I didn’t want to study for the admissions
test back when I was applying for med school, and it especially didn’t help
seeing how competitive it was to get into graduate entry medicine.
But I spent quite a bit of time thinking about why it was important that I did study,
what I was worried about happening if I didn’t study, and what could help me want to study.
When I spent time thinking about why it was important, I thought beyond the oh I need to
get a high score to get an interview - I thought about how it would set me up to become a doctor,
how it would help me learn about things I’m actually interested in,
and even back then I was thinking about how I’d make a YouTube channel as a med student.
Beacuse I thought about why it was important, I could then focus on the process of doing, because
I realised the importance of taking action, instead of only focusing on the end result.
And this focus on end result is something we
typically do because the end result is all we see online from other people.
So spend a good amount of time writing these things for what you need to be doing,
spend even up to an hour if you have to, because it’ll remind you why you need to make progress.
But another problem is that, even if you can think of good reasons to make yourself work
when you don’t want to, it doesn’t mean you’ll be using your time efficiently.
I’ve had this problem a lot sin my undergrad degree where I spent a lot of time studying,
but because I wasn’t using time productively,
I studied a lot more than I really had to, which took time away from my personal life.
But after thousands of hours of studying, I’ve figured out the most important things
to reliably get high grades whilst studying as little as possible.
And in this video here, I talk about the key things I’ve learnt from 8 years at university that
can help you make use of your study time as best as possible - so click the video to learn more.
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