I did this for 30 Days and it changed my life

Peter McKinnon

23 Jun 202109:15

Summary

TLDRIn 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.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Embracing the Power of Writing for Habit Formation

The speaker discusses the significance of habits in daily life, noting that 43% of daily activities are habitual. They mention the average time it takes to form a new habit, which ranges from 18 to 250 days, and the additional time needed for these habits to become automatic, averaging around 66 days. The speaker is on day 30 of forming a new habit aimed at improving focus amidst distractions. They express a lifelong struggle with productivity and the impact of this issue on their life, including not graduating from college. The speaker has always been fond of stationery but has struggled with the discipline of using it. However, an Instagram post from a friend named John inspired them to start using a notebook and pen to list eight critical tasks daily, which they have been doing for 94 consecutive days. The benefits of this practice include increased idea generation, reduced distractions, and improved retention. The speaker also shares their personal list of tasks, emphasizing the importance of completing them to achieve a sense of accomplishment.

05:00

🎯 Harnessing the Productivity of Daily To-Do Lists

In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the specifics of their daily to-do list, which they have been using to enhance productivity. They outline their tasks for the day, including compiling presets for a website launch, finishing the current video, shooting unspecified projects, picking up ownership from Howard, recording a podcast, and creating a Squarespace advertisement. The speaker highlights the importance of setting realistic and manageable goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed and suggests breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more achievable steps. They also reflect on the value of reviewing past entries in their notebook, which can provide insights into personal growth and changes in focus. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the transformative impact of this practice on their productivity and encourages starting with small steps to improve overall efficiency in both personal and professional life.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Habit

A habit is a routine behavior that tends to occur subconsciously, often daily. In the video, the creator discusses the importance of forming new habits to improve focus and productivity, citing the statistic that it takes an average of 18 to 250 days to create a new habit. The video's theme revolves around the process of developing a habit of writing down daily tasks to enhance personal and professional life.

💡Focus

Focus refers to the state of concentrating attention on a particular object or activity. The video's creator mentions having trouble focusing due to the multitude of tasks that need to be done, which is a common issue in today's fast-paced world. The video suggests that writing down tasks can help in maintaining focus and addressing the problem of being overwhelmed by distractions.

💡Productivity

Productivity is the efficiency of an individual or system in converting inputs into outputs or outcomes. The main theme of the video is about enhancing productivity through the creation of a new habit of writing down tasks daily. The creator shares personal experiences and strategies, such as using a notebook to list and cross off tasks, which contributes to a more productive lifestyle.

💡Distraction

Distraction is the state of being diverted from a task or activity. The video discusses the impact of digital distractions, like checking messages or social media, which can hinder productivity. The creator contrasts the use of a notebook for task management with the distractions of using a phone, advocating for the former as a means to stay focused.

💡Notebook

A notebook is a book for writing by hand, often used for taking notes or making lists. In the context of the video, the creator uses a notebook to write down daily tasks, which is a new habit they are trying to form. The act of writing in a notebook is presented as a tool for enhancing creativity, avoiding distractions, and improving retention.

💡To-Do List

A to-do list is a list of tasks that need to be completed. The video emphasizes the benefits of creating a to-do list and crossing off tasks as they are completed, which provides a sense of accomplishment and helps in maintaining motivation. The creator's use of a notebook to maintain a to-do list is central to the video's narrative.

💡Creativity

Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas to produce something new and valuable. The video script mentions that writing with a pen and paper can enhance idea generation, suggesting that the physical act of writing can stimulate the creative process in a way that digital note-taking might not.

💡Retention

Retention refers to the ability to remember information over time. The video claims that physically writing down tasks can improve retention, meaning that the information is held in memory more effectively than if it were simply typed or thought about.

💡Critical Tasks

Critical tasks are essential activities that must be completed to achieve a goal or maintain progress. The video's creator writes down 'eight critical tasks' each day, which are important for personal and professional advancement. This concept is integral to the video's message about prioritizing and completing key tasks for success.

💡Mental Win

A mental win refers to a small victory or achievement that boosts one's confidence and morale. In the video, crossing off completed tasks from the to-do list is described as providing a 'mental win,' which contributes to a positive feedback loop of continued productivity and motivation.

💡75 Hard Program

The 75 Hard Program is a personal development regimen created by Andy Frisella, which includes completing 75 challenging tasks over 75 days. The video's creator mentions using the program as inspiration for their habit of writing down and completing eight critical tasks daily, indicating an influence from this program on their productivity strategy.

Highlights

43% of daily activities are performed out of habit.

It takes an average of 18 to 250 days to create a new habit, and 66 days for behaviors to become automatic.

The speaker is on day 30 of trying to form a new habit to improve focus.

Difficulty in focusing due to the multitude of tasks needing attention.

The speaker's lifelong struggle with focus and productivity.

Pen and paper have been a source of inspiration but not action for the speaker.

An Instagram post from a friend sparked a change in the speaker's approach to using a notebook.

Writing down tasks can increase idea generation by four times.

Using a notebook reduces the likelihood of distraction compared to using a phone.

The satisfaction of crossing off completed tasks provides a mental win.

Physically writing down tasks improves retention by 13 times compared to typing.

The speaker uses a notebook to list eight critical tasks to be completed daily.

The idea of focusing on eight tasks a day was inspired by Andy Frisella's 75 Hard program.

Maintaining a streak of completing daily tasks motivates the speaker to avoid distractions.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of writing tasks in a notebook for better focus and productivity.

The video is sponsored by Squarespace, which offers an all-in-one platform for websites.

The speaker provides a hot tip on making to-do list items bite-sized and manageable.

The speaker's personal experience with using a notebook has significantly improved productivity.

Writing down tasks helps in tackling things that would otherwise be postponed.

The speaker is excited about the return of full use of their hand after an injury.