Mindful Productivity: How to Get Things Done While Staying Present and Focused

How to get things done without getting caught up in the daily distractions. This post was originally written for my personal website, but I thought it might be helpful for you, too.


STEP 1: Find an Exercise that You Will Stick to

When I first got my Fitbit, I decided to start exercising regularly. It seemed silly to get my Fitbit to track my exercise, so I put it on my wrist instead.

It turns out, though, that the Fitbit has a couple of flaws that led me to find a different exercise that I could stick to.

First, the Fitbit vibrates in your hand when you get close to reaching your target heart rate. I found this to be very distracting. After a while, I switched to using a smartphone app that doesn't vibrate.

Second, the Fitbit doesn't tell you how long it took to get to your target heart rate. I started to feel a bit frustrated because every time I exercised, I couldn't see how long it had taken me.

The combination of the vibration and lack of time tracking made me want to change the exercise entirely.

So, when you get your Fitbit, it's a good idea to experiment with the different kinds of exercises. This helps you to find something that you can stick to.

STEP 2: Set a Time Limit

Once you've found something you'll actually stick to, set a time limit for exercising. A typical time for an exercise is 20 minutes.

The idea is to make sure that you spend the time exercising but never get distracted or stop yourself from completing the exercise.

If you need to get out of the house for this 20-minute window, it's fine. Just get a babysitter, or use a local gym.

STEP 3: Start Small

If you are having trouble finding an exercise that you can stick to, don't worry about starting big.

Start by walking. You can even walk a short distance.

The key is that you are exercising during your 20-minute time limit.

As you progress, you can add in a second exercise, such as jogging.

STEP 4: Work Backwards

When you are trying to exercise for the first time, you often want to start off with something easier.

That's fine, but you need to exercise and make progress.

After a few weeks, when you are used to exercising, start with the harder workouts.

As you become more fit, you can start with some more challenging exercises.

STEP 5: Don't Let Your Exercise Disappear into the Void

Make sure that your exercise is not lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

One way to do this is to keep an exercise journal.

Writing down what you did during the day will help you to see where your time is being wasted.

If you are working on a project, try taking a break to do a quick exercise. This will remind you of what you're working on and help you stay focused.