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

After you start using your Mantra, you get into a
worry-free zone.
This is one of the most effective things I’ve found in all of
personal growth. I highly recommend a Mantra for everyone.
All you need to do is pick a slogan that helps you to get
focused, and that changes your state. Give it a try now.
“But I don’t believe it!”
Pessimists say: “Just saying three words won’t help you with
real problems.” To those people I say: What 
will
help?
Drowning in your own misery? Being paralyzed? Never
taking action? Complaining? Feeling bitter about life?
Never. We all know that life’s too short to spend worrying
about things that will never happen. And if something
bad does happen to you, do something about it.

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How To Focus Better: Manage Your
Attention (not your time)
How many minutes of undisturbed work do you get done on
an average day? 10, 20, maybe 50 minutes? If you think
that sounds low, just examine your life. Most of us can’t go
undisturbed for more than 10 minutes.
We’re all so connected that it becomes impossible to find
time to focus on yourself and your work. Some of us get
hundreds of notifications and messages per day. You find
yourself answering a Whatsapp message here, an email
there, talk to a friend, and then talk to a colleague on Slack.
Most people’s days consist of answering to notifications. In a
way, you’re held captive by others.
So no wonder that many of us ask: “How do I
focus better?”
When new subscribers join my newsletter, I always ask
them about their challenges. And the majority who answers,
mentions something that’s related to focus.
In fact, when I did a survey on my newsletter last year, 28%
said that their biggest challenge is related to focus and time
management. Here are just two examples of what readers
mentioned to me:
“My number one challenge in life, and career, is
trying to stay focused on my tasks. My mind always
starts drifting to trivial things when I’m at work.”
“My biggest challenge is: how can we define what
to really focus on?”
These questions have been on my mind in the past too. And
you know what I found? Distractions are not some 21st-
century first world problems. Distractions have always been

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a part of life. It has nothing to do with your smartphone or
YouTube, online shopping, Instagram, or any other thing you
want to blame for your lack of focus. It’s human nature. We
love to be busy.
Socrates, one of the founders of Western Philosophy,
warned us 2400 years ago:
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”
Busyness is not a good thing. Because busyness and
distractions go hand in hand. Want no distractions? Move to
the woods.But that’s not how life works. Plus, modern day
life is too good. Seneca, one of the most famous Stoic
philosophers, said this in Letters From A Stoic:
“There is never a time when new distraction will not
show up.”
There are always distractions. So you better train yourself to
manage your attention. Not your time. Because that’s the
biggest mistake people make. We falsely believe that we
can manage time. But time can’t be managed. The only
thing you control is your attention.
And remember: Focus determines the quality of your life. No
focus means no control of your attention. And no control
means frustration. We all know what frustration leads to.
Start managing your attention. Not your time.

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