Do It Today: Overcome Procrastination, Improve Productivity, and Achieve More Meaningful Things

1. If You’re A Planner, PLAN
One of my friends loves to plan everything. He loves
itineraries and minute by minute plans of the day when he
is on vacation. I’m the opposite.

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When we went on a trip a few years back, he said, “I’m
going copy your style and just go with the flow.” I said,
“perfect.”
On the first morning, I slept until 10AM. It turned out he
woke up early, got nervous because he didn’t have a
schedule, and spent the whole morning creating one.
Don’t try to be someone you’re not. If you like to plan your
holiday, just do it. But try to stay flexible: You’re on holiday.
2. Make A Daily Movie
It’s creative, and it’s a great memory for later. Plus, focusing
on the act of filming will force your attention on something
specific. In that way, you will be more in the moment, and
you’ll worry less about stuff back home.
Just don’t film ALL day. Otherwise, you won’t be present at
all.
All you need is a smartphone. Just film stuff with your phone
and edit it right on your phone. If you’re more into video,
bring a proper camera and a laptop.
3. Read A LOT
Bill Gates is famous for his voracious reading habit. He is
also known for his ‘Think Week’ where does nothing else but
read and think.
Recently, he published an article with 5 books that he’s
reading this summer. Take a look if you’re looking for some
inspiration.
I like to read for hours on my holidays. Reading slows down
time, makes you think, and is good for your brain.
4. Get Bored
One of my favorite strategies for finding new ideas is to get
bored out of my mind. It sounds easier than it is because of
distractions.

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In the past, I would do everything NOT to get bored: Watch
TV, go out, browse Facebook, etc. But did you know that you
can use boredom to your advantage?
Instead of giving into distractions, just give into the
boredom and see it leads your mind to. In fact, one of my
favorite artists of all time, Andy Warhol, embraced boredom.
You can tell by the boring films he made or the references
he made in The Philosophy Of Andy Warhol about getting
bored.
Whenever I hit a creative wall, I just do nothing. Literally,
nothing. Try it sometime. It’s a great strategy; maybe you
come up with the next best thing in your industry.
It’s never a good time to take a break.
“I just need to finish this project.”
“My boss will never accept it.”
“People will think I’m lazy.”
“I don’t have time.”
“Money never sleeps.”
Yeah, yeah, I’ve been there too. But what would you rather:
Continue to work without resting and burn out? Or take
some rest before you’re tired? Yup, life is long — so play the
long game. On that note, I might not be tired yet, but it’s
time for me to take a break. So I will see you again when I
come back on August 1 with a new article. Until then — take
it easy, because I definitely will.
P.s. For years I couldn’t afford to go on a holiday. If you’re in
the same position, have a staycation. The above tips still
apply.

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