Productivity : It’s All In Your Mind

4. Productivity: It’s All in Your Mind

In earlier posts we have covered the network neuroscience ‘Executive’ and Default’ networks and their relationship to getting things done. Below is a simple diagram to represent how it may function relative to productivity.

In essence we want to be in the CEN (Executive Network) when executing complex tasks or decisions, however our ability to stay in this network for any length of time is extremely limited before the mind starts to wander (above right) into the DMN and may be different for everybody, but is measured in seconds and minutes rather than hours.

Note this switching from one network to another is normal and healthy, the brain needs to be in balance and one of the roles of the salience network is to help with this switching. The problem lies not in switching from one to another, but in

• Spending to much time in any one network

• Not knowing it is happening (lack of awareness)

(Note : DMN is helpful in making you more productive by thinking up creative solutions to your problems).

This post being about productivity and its relationship with the brain it would be remiss of us not to cover the question of (with a quick google search)

What are the top 10 reasons people are not productive  ?

1. Distractions and lack of focus

2. Lack of a sense of urgency or motivation

3. Procrastination tendencies

4. Lack of a clear "why" or purpose

5. Inability to hold oneself accountable

6. Fear of change or doubts

7. Analysis paralysis or decision paralysis

8. Lack of proper tools or systems for implementation

9. Feeling overwhelmed or anxious

10. Not having a daily plan, goals or priorities

For me the above list shows how much the brain impacts productivity, and how important a brain based (intrinsic) solution is, rather than a tool/system based (extrinsic) solution. Obviously a combination of both is ideal, and I love productivity tools as much as the next person (am trying two new ones as we speak)

We're constantly bombarded with the latest productivity systems, methods, and tools promising to help us get more done. While these can certainly be valuable, the real key to productivity lies not in external systems but in understanding the neuroscience and psychology behind our motivation, focus, and procrastination tendencies.

I hope you can see from above that at its core, productivity is a mind game. It's about training your brain to work for you, not against you. The best productivity hacks target the root causes of why we procrastinate, get distracted, or lose motivation.

For example, the Zeigarnik Effect explains why we tend to experience nagging thoughts about incomplete tasks. Understanding this effect can help us better prioritize and follow through on our commitments. The dopamine reward system sheds light on why we get distracted by social media notifications and email pings - our brains crave that tiny hit of dopamine from new information. Recognising these tendencies allows us to create boundaries and minimise distractions.

Productivity techniques like timeboxing, the Pomodoro method, and eating that frog (tackling the biggest task first) all leverage neuroscientific principles. They help us overcome limitations like limited willpower reserves, the desire to tackle easier tasks first, and the tendency to underestimate how long tasks will take.

While tools like to-do apps can be useful, they're ultimately just external systems. True productivity comes from developing an intrinsic motivation, self-awareness about what drains or energizes you, and the mental stamina to persist through challenges. It's an inner game that requires understanding yourself as much as understanding productivity techniques.

So by all means, experiment with different methods and tools. But don't overlook the mental and psychological aspects of productivity. Mastering your mindset is the ultimate productivity hack that will serve you for life.

I hope you find some of the above helpful and in future posts I intend to dive deeper into how you can implement more brain friendly tools, hacks and practices into your daily workflow to improve your productivity and reduce your stress. Also try the exercise above yourself and list the top 10 reasons you feel are holding back your productivity and see how they compare.

Until the next post..