SuperBetter

I am very annoyed when I learn something much later than "everybody else". 

I bought the book "SuperBetter" by J. McGonigal and have been caught up in her art of gaming. She also has a few YouTube videos you might want to watch.

I checked out the website and copied some of the things to be found there:

"SuperBetter increases resilience - the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic even in the face of difficult obstacles. Playing SuperBetter makes you more capable of getting through any tough situation—and more likely to achieve the goals that matter most to you. Proven results in just 10 minutes a day.

Resilience means getting stronger in the face of a challenge.

We'll get you started with four quick Quests, each designed to boost a different kind of resilience (physical, mental, social, and emotional) in 30 seconds or less.

What does it mean to get SuperBetter?

Everything in this game is designed to help you get stronger, by building up your personal resilience.

Resilience is the ability to stay motivated, optimistic and determined even in the face of a tough challenge.

 

When you’re resilient…

• Your body is better able to withstand stress and heal itself. (That’s PHYSICAL resilience.)
• You have the mental focus and determination you need to be successful. (That’s MENTAL resilience.)
• You’re able to activate positive emotions when you need them most. (That’s EMOTIONAL resilience.)
• You get strength from your friends and family. (That’s SOCIAL resilience.)

So why are we so focused on increasing your personal resilience? It’s all based on scientific research. Study after study shows that resilience is the single most important personal skill you can develop -- if you want to be happier, healthier and more successful in whatever you do.

The science behind physical resilience

The single best thing you can do for your body is to move it -- even if it's for just 5 seconds at a time. That's because every second you spend not sitting still increases the health of your heart, lungs and brain. If you can move one part of your body for one minute every hour that you’re awake, you can get SuperBetter.

“Physical resilience”

Some people heal faster and recover from stress more easily than others. Researchers call that “physical resilience.”

So how do you increase YOUR physical resilience? In SuperBetter, you’ll learn lots of ways -- but here’s our favorite.

We call it the “smallest possible dose” of exercise.

• That means exercising just
• One minute every hour. OR
• 5 minutes before each meal. OR
• even just 5 seconds whenever you think of it.

It’s literally that simple.

But how do you know if what you’re doing really counts as exercise? Here’s the trick. You have to ask yourself two questions.

•  Are you sitting still or lying down?
•  Are you eating while you do it?

If you answered no to both questions, then Congratulations! You’re exercising. You’re improving your heart, lungs and brain health -- all of which increases your physical resilience.

(By the way - this is important even if you’re already physically fit or going to the gym an hour a day! Scientific research shows that to be resilient, you still need to do these tiny bursts of physical activity throughout the day.)

The science behind mental resilience

Will power is like a muscle. It gets stronger the more you use it. Tackle a tiny challenge without giving up, and you increase your mental focus and determination. If you can complete one tiny challenge (or Quest) each day, you can get SuperBetter

“Mental resilience”

We all know that we need will power in order to get what we really want from our lives. But did you know there are actually 3 kinds of will power?

There’s “I will power” -- as in, I will do whatever I set my mind to.

Then there’s “I won’t power” -- as in, I won’t do that thing I want to stop doing.

And then there’s “I want power” -- as in, this is what I want more than anything else in the world, and I’m going to put my time and energy into making it happen.

By playing SuperBetter, you’re going to build up all 3 kinds of will power - your I will power, your I won’t power, and your I want power. And that adds up to real mental resilience -- the ability to stay focused and determined and make your best effort when it matters most.

The science behind emotional resilience

Every time you provoke a positive emotion, you increase your creativity, stamina and will power. Curiosity and love are just two of the emotions you can learn to provoke anytime, anywhere. If you can do three tiny things a day that make you feel good, then you can get SuperBetter.

“Emotional resilience”

Why should you make time for things that make you feel good?

Well, positive emotions like interest, curiosity, pride, awe, excitement, love, relief and, amusement -- they

don’t just feel good. They also make you stronger.

Medical research shows that positive emotions boost your immune system, protect against heart attacks and stroke, and even help you grow new neurons faster!

Scientific studies have also proven that positive emotions increase your creativity, your stamina, and your will power.

Now to get these benefits, you don’t have to be positive all the time. That would be impossible, of course. (And probably really annoying to everyone around you!)

What you want to do is achieve the 3:1 ratio.

That’s 3 positive emotions for every 1 negative emotion.

So when you’re feeling stressed hurt, anxious, angry, sad, or just plain not good -- do 3 quick things that feel good to get back in the zone.

The science behind social resilience

The more allies you have, the more likely you are to reach your goals. Touch and gratitude are just two ways to strengthen your social connections. If you can reach out to one person a day, online or face to face, you can get SuperBetter.

“Social resilience”

Want a major health boost? Spend more time with people you like.

It turns out that having someone on your side --

• Someone who makes you smile,
• who you can be yourself around, and
• who you can ask for help

-- actually improves your physical well-being MORE than starting an exercise program OR losing weight and it helps your health as much as quitting a pack-a-day cigarette habit.  (That’s according to a meta-review of 148 studies with more than 300,000 participants.)

And that’s why getting SuperBetter means making it a priority to connect with someone you consider an Ally every single day.

It’s not always easy -- but social resilience helps you heal and get stronger in a way that nothing else can."

So I signed up for the weight-loss power pack:

" “Power Packs vs. Design My Own Adventure”

The fastest and easiest way to start your game is with a Power Pack.

A Power Pack is a special set of Quests (A Quest is anything you can do to get closer to your Epic Win.), Power-ups and Bad Guys that we recommend specifically to help you with YOUR challenge. Or, you can browse our Power Pack collection and pick one out for yourself.

But, what if you’re feeling creative? Or maybe you’re tackling a unique challenge that we might not have the perfect PowerPack for? Then you can design your own adventure.

If you choose this option, we’ll take you right to your Secret Headquarters, where you’ll find 7 Quests that will walk you through the process of brainstorming and creating all of your own Power-ups and Bad Guys. This is the perfect way to create an adventure that’s completely customized just for you. And, it’s kind of fun to invent your own game!

So which will it be? Make your choice now!"

Source: superbetter.com

This might be fun for you, too. And, who knows, you might be a winner!

Nudging toward change

Nudging – instead of shoving – yourself toward change

The New Year’s Resolution is riddled with psychological traps that work against us. New Year’s resolutions are too ambitious, the goals to big, such as perfect grades or working out for an hour every day.

We need a handbook – a step-by-step training -  showing us how to reach the goal.

And we need mini-goals instead of the extensive decisions we can’t really even relate to or even imagine. Otherwise, we set ourselves up for stumbling many times along the way, tripping over the numerous stumbling blocks that seemingly pop up from nowhere, despite our best intentions. Each of the trip-ups give us more opportunities to give up.

A nudge is a gentile shove. Nudges focus on the how, not the what. Tiny steps toward positive behavior instead of a mega-leap.

Thinking about the good things we want to implement into our lives make us feel more excited and motivated. After all, we are just taking tiny steps of improvement not giant, threatening leaps.

We need to aware that there is a whole lot of process between resolve, decision and execution before reaching the end goal, be it “health”, “fitness”, “kindness”, “organization”, etc. We might need to drop the long-term goals and focus on turning each step into a positive experience.

I might want to run ½ hour but that is torture for me. Yet a short lope to the car after shopping or some faster steps to the door of my house are rather fun. I can handle that. Maybe it’s not about becoming a runner at all. Maybe it’s about focusing on my love of being outside or my enjoyment that my legs can move quickly. I actually love that little jaunting feeling when taking a brief scamper toward something. No marathon for me, folks!

Researchers are discovering small tweaks we can make to strengthen our psychological welfare, change out behavior, and improve our persistence.

Reframe anxiety as excitement

If you are trying to get over performance anxiety, try tweaking your way of looking at it. Reframe your super-active nervous system as excitement and heightened awareness. Take the time before your next “performance”, be it a speech, a report during a meeting, a musical performance. Focus on each new moment to come instead of the performance outcome. This is a self-nudge from anxiety to excitement on the way to enjoying performance more. Transform your stage fright into stage presence.

A nudge in favor of your future self

The more exactly you can imagine yourself in the future, the more likely you are to improve your behavior in the present. If you can’t really imagine an image of yourself in 10-20 years, create an image online of yourself age-progressed and print it out. That is the person you are working for now by improving the decisions and choices you make today.

Research has shown that posting such an age-progressed picture where subjects were making a decision about saving for that future-self increased the amount of money they put into a savings account.

The goal is to create a closer connection between the present self and the future self.  We can incrementally change the future by gradually changing how we behave now.

To quote Amy Cuddy in her book “Presence”: “With each self-nudge, pleasure builds upon pleasure, power upon power, and presence upon presence”.

Where could you use tiny, pleasurable tweaks to improve your life?

Too much is too much - even if it is organized!

Wow!

I just watched this video and was freaked out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoC83JhkCAw

The little lady gets such a kick out of organizing her things. That is okay. Honestly, how many batteries do you need to keep organized and "handy"?! The stores are open all the time and, if you use the last ones, you could buy a new package.

It is one thing to organize what you have and another if it is just too much stuff. How many shampoos do we need (yes, I know every member of the household wants his/her own brand) and how often do we use the exotic vinegar we picked up? And how many cans of chick peas do we need on hand?

I'm not inspired. I'm shocked.

You are doing a lot right!

It's easy to begin a new year focusing on all the things you're doing wrong, but maybe it's time to pat yourself on the back for the things you're doing right. Research shows that Americans are not only living longer, we're also living a little healthier. Our diets are improving (thanks in large part to ditching trans fats), and we are staying healthier into old age than in previous generations. Take a minute to focus on the progress you've made in your own life, then challenge yourself to set the bar a smidge higher. These healthy upgrades show that small tweaks can have big impact.

If you currently... buy foods that carry the Whole Grain Stamp (a label created by the Whole Grains Council to identify products with at least eight grams of whole grains per serving)
You might try... choosing whole grain–rich foods with a carb-to-fiber ratio of 10-1.
Why It Matters: A Harvard study found that while grain products bearing the stamp were indeed higher in fiber and less likely to contain trans fat, they also contained significantly more calories and sugars than products without the label. Go beyond the stamp and check that for every ten grams of carbs, there's at least one gram of fiber; whole grain products with that ratio contained more fiber and less sugar and sodium for the same amount of calories.

If you currently... use BPA-free cups and containers
You might try... switching to glass or stainless steel.
Why It Matters: Kudos for ditching drinking vessels that contain bisphenol A, an endocrine-disrupting chemical that's been linked to reproductive issues, obesity, thyroid problems, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults, as well as asthma in children. The hitch: In phasing out BPA, companies are turning to other chemicals, namely bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF), that could potentially be just as dangerous, says a new report in Environmental Health Perspectives.

If you currently... use a headset when you talk on your cell phone
You might try... walking as you talk.
Why It Matters: When you heard that cell phones might cause brain cancer, you had no trouble switching to a headset. Yet your phone could now be turning you into a couch potato. Researchers at Kent State University who examined fitness levels among college students found that, after completing treadmill tests, students who use their phone the least (an average of 100 minutes a day) had a 21 percent higher VO₂ max—the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use and a well-established measure of fitness—than those who use their phone most. Higher levels of VO₂ max are associated with lower risk of heart disease. So if you're going to talk, make sure you're on the move while you do it.

If you currently... do everything possible to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night
You might try... claiming a spot near the window at the office.
Why It Matters: A small study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine discovered that workers with access to windows had more sunlight exposure by day and logged about 46 minutes more zzz's thanks to waking less throughout the night. "Light exposure during the day can increase your melatonin levels at night," says study coauthor Phyllis Zee, PhD, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Zee's research team also found another surprising trend: Office workers with windows were more physically active after work, and exercise has also been shown to improve sleep quality. Can't move your office desk near a window? Steal as much time outside—at lunch and during breaks—as you can to help keep your circadian rhythm on schedule.

If you currently... write down everything you eat
You might try... going digital with your food diary.
Why It Matters: Food diaries are a proven tool for slimming down. In a 2012 study, when postmenopausal overweight and obese women tracked what they ate, they lost about six pounds more than those who didn't, according to research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But digital diaries may be even more effective than handwritten ones. When adults who enrolled in a supervised weight loss program used a mobile app, they lost almost eight pounds more in three months than subjects who were encouraged to record their intake with pencil and paper, reveals a small study in JAMA Internal Medicine. "The feedback from an app is immediate and reinforcing," says Bonnie Spring, PhD, lead study author and director of the Center for Behavior and Health and professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern. Bonus: A separate study found that you'll stand a greater chance of logging more complete information and skipping fewer days of recording when using an app. Check out Lose It! and MyFitnessPal—they're both free and go beyond calorie tracking to show you the nutritional breakdown of your food and help you see where your diet might be lacking. Now you actually have a good excuse to keep your phone on the dinner table.

Source: Oprah.com        Author: Karen Asp

New Year - "New" Ideas

Ugh! I'm so full, I can't breathe!" says Rose as she finishes her cheeseburger. "And I've got to lose weight. ... I think I'll have the crème brûlée." Across the table, her oncologist friend, Linda, lights up, handling the stress of treating cancer patients by smoking like a chimney. Meanwhile Barb is complaining about her 27-year-old son, Randy. "If he doesn't get a job and move out soon," she says, "I don't know what I'll do." Rose and Linda know what Barb will do—she'll keep cooking and cleaning for Randy until she dies of old age.

In their book The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action, authors Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton discuss why our actions often don't match our ideals, and what we can do about it. Although the authors' research is drawn from the corporate world, I read the book as a self-help guide, looking for ways to stop perpetuating behavior I know is bad for me: postponing work, playing addictive computer games, eating hotel minibar food that hardens my arteries and costs more than its weight in enriched uranium. If you're a cognitive dissonance sufferer like Rose, Linda, Barbara, and me, try these dos and don'ts that I've adapted from Messrs. Pfeffer and Sutton for closing the knowing-doing gap:

Don't Substitute Talk For Action

Mike calls me every few weeks to say, "I need to talk to you about my girlfriend. I've been talking to a lot of her friends, and we should talk about what they've been talking about. Maybe she and I should come talk to you together."

Talk, talk, talk. Mike is tolerating his awful relationship by creating storms of verbiage that make him think he and his girlfriend are making progress, even though they aren't. He's not alone. Substituting talk for action is perhaps the most common way we fall into the knowing-doing gap. Many corporate teams spend so much time creating strategies and mission statements, they don't actually implement anything. The same goes for individuals. We plan, consider, discuss, brood—and count the word-spinning hours as "action." We think we're working toward our goals when in fact we're spinning our wheels.

Do Hit Your Mute Button

If you're not sure whether you're in danger of talking your dreams to death, try something for me. Today, whenever you mutter your usual reminders about cleaning the closet, learning to tango, or finding a new job/boyfriend/oven thermometer, make a note of it on a piece of paper. At the end of the day, read over your list and ask yourself, "Did I do anything that created a measurable change toward each goal?" If not, you're substituting words for action. You can close the knowing-doing gap only by focusing on observable change—not plans, comments, or excuses. You don't have to build Rome in a day; small tweaks are more sustainable, and thus more effective, than attempts at total revolution.

Don't Rely on Fantasy Transitions

One of my favorite cartoons shows two scientists working on a massive equation. In the center of countless numbers and symbols are the words, "A miracle occurs." This kind of fuzzy logic is actually very de-motivating. As Pfeffer and Sutton note, companies often fail to act when managers don't know every step in the processes they're managing. The same thing happens when individuals have an incomplete plan. Uncertainty stops people in their tracks—smack-dab in the knowing-doing gap.

Do Figure Out What's Standing Between You And Your Goals

I know what you're thinking: What kind of high-grade pharmaceutical are Pfeffer and Sutton on? They start off by saying not to get bogged down in details—and now they advise against starting without an itemized plan. It's all about calibration, spending enough time to come up with a solid plan but not obsessing over it.

Compared with vague fantasies about achieving great things, grappling with the nitty-gritty realities of action is hard. It requires research, concentration, and creativity. But we're actually happiest when we're pushing the envelope of effort, not when we're lost in daydreams. As you fill in the gaps in your knowledge, you'll feel the kind of excitement that comes from real possibility, not just happy talk. Figuring out a plan of attack will practically catapult you over the knowing-doing gap.

Don't Scare Yourself

In business, Pfeffer and Sutton report, managers who try to lead through fear cause paralysis more often than action. This is just as true when we're managing our own lives. Think of an area where you're trying to scare yourself into action. Right now, focus on your favorite fear-based admonitions:

"I've got to stop spending so much on shoes and save more for retirement or I'll end up a bag lady. A bag lady with a lot of shoes, but still..."

"I've got to stop eating junk or I'll end up the size of an off-road vehicle and no one will ever love me and I'll die of a heart attack before I ever see grandchildren!"

Now, while thinking those things, just notice: With fear ruling your mind, do you want to add to your savings or hit the mall? Do you crave broccoli or fries?

Of course you do.

Trying to motivate yourself with fear is like screaming at a child, "Do something, dammit!" You'll either freeze up or act in counterproductive ways. Fear widens the knowing-doing gap. Don't use it.

Do Discover The Power of Calm

People consistently offer me large sums of money just to say, "You'll be fine." They do this even though I tell them it works almost as well to say it to themselves. Kind self-talk is an incredibly effective way to calm fear and motivate action.

"After my divorce, I was 52 and penniless," my client Mara recalls. "But I'd gotten away from a frightening man, and I just decided to calm myself down. Every time I began to worry, I'd say, 'Mara, everything's fine. You've always been able to make your way, and you always will. There's no rush.' And I was right. Once I was calm, I felt drawn to do things that made me more friends and money than I thought possible."

It seems so simple, but I've seen this strategy work over and over. When people stop scaring themselves and start calming themselves, they become far more productive and successful in every aspect of their lives. Try it right now, so you can use it the next time you're scared. Silently tell yourself simple things like "It's okay." "You're all right." "There's no rush." "You can do this." You'll be amazed at the power of this humble mental-management technique to help you turn knowledge into action.

Don't Fight Yourself

When I met Sally, she was married to a wealthy banker who bought her everything she thought her heart desired—jewelry, clothes, furniture. These things, however, were what Sally's head desired, but her heart actually longed for the company of creative, bohemian people who had little concern for gobs of cash.

Sally had been at war with herself most of her life. Her socialized side was competing with her inner nature. In the corporate world, destructive internal competition widens companies' knowing-doing gaps. Individuals are just as susceptible: Holding two sets of competing beliefs paralyzes them.

Do Stop The Inner Arm Wrestle

If you feel stuck in some area of your life, it's because contradictory beliefs are competing for control of your behavior. The problem is that we're not always aware there is a private struggle going on. One way to figure out if you're in the middle of an inner conflict is to write down a basic belief that's driving behavior you want to change. For example, you may want to get out of a relationship but believe something like "I have to keep every commitment I ever made." After writing down the belief, write the polar opposite of that statement ("I don't have to keep every commitment"). Are there circumstances in which those opposing statements ring true?

When Sally did this exercise, she realized that she'd married for legitimate reasons. Financial security is not an insane thing to want (have you seen the Dow Jones average lately?), but compared with a more artistic lifestyle, her original choice seemed false. The marriage ended when she embraced her bohemian side, and Sally began to know passion—in romance, work, learning, and living—for the first time.

You can end your internal arm wrestles by (a) discovering your competing ideas and (b) identifying the ones that feel untrue or stultifying. If part of you thinks homemaking is a lowly and servile occupation, you won't beautify your home until you flip that thought. If you fear you're not good enough for love, the part of you that loves will always smash into this competing belief. Find the erroneous thoughts, turn them over, and watch yourself finally begin to do what you know.

Don't Track The Wrong Things

According to Pfeffer and Sutton, companies with huge knowing-doing gaps tend to measure things that don't really matter, such as hours worked rather than overall customer satisfaction. We have similar problems. For instance, my client Jessie comes back from her vacations desperately needing a vacation, because she grimly measures the "success" of a trip by sights seen and recreational activities accomplished. Another client, Mollie, often complains, "I practically killed myself to give my kids a good life, and now they're in therapy saying God knows what about me." Here's what Mollie's kids are processing with their therapists: the guilt and despair that comes from being raised by a mom who used her own suffering as the yardstick of her mothering.

Before you do anything, consider what you're really trying to accomplish and determine how you'll chart your progress. Sounds like yet another exercise—except you've likely already done it. Go back and look at the plan of attack you made in Step 4. If you need to find a place to live, don't count the number of hours you've logged sighing over fabulous floor plans online. Track how many realtors you've contacted, apartments you've seen, letters of reference you've gathered. If you want your children to be happy, spend more time teaching them joy by embodying it. If relaxation is your goal, don't force yourself to go sightseeing when lying in bed watching a dozen Dr. Greene–era episodes of ER is the only thing that will recharge your fried self. Whatever it is you really want, count movement toward that, and only that, as your measure of success.

If Rose, Linda, and Barb could stop substituting talk for action, make a plan that doesn't depend on acts of God, calm themselves, eliminate competing ideas, and measure what really matters, their next lunch could be their best ever—healthy, smoke-free, filled with mutual congratulation rather than shared worry and stress. In fact, having written a few hundred words on this topic, I'm feeling motivated to close the knowing-doing gap myself. I'm launching myself into a new era of productivity, here and now! Just as soon as I figure out how to open this minibar.

Source: http://www.oprah.com/ Author: Martha Beck

The Distracted Person and Time Mismanagement

The Distracted Person and Time Mismanagement

Do you start to do a high-priority task only to end up expending your time and energy on a low-priority project? You set today as the day-of-days for getting the taxes done or the mounting pile of bills paid but first the bushes need to be trimmed or the desk organized?

If so, you are experiencing distraction and, occasionally, this can be fun and it doesn’t really matter what you do.

The problem starts when this is your normal behavior.

One of the first, very important, steps to conquering this problem is to be aware of it WHILE IT’S HAPPENING. You then have the option of asserting your self-control, ignoring the beckoning voice of the Sirens within your head, and doing what is most important - that which you planned and set out to do. Priority number 1.

Self-monitoring yourself will help you to keep on course. Writing down everything you do during the course of a day will aid you pinpoint where you get off track. While you are monitoring yourself, you are more aware of what you are doing (and not doing!) which will help you focus, even while “only” self-observing. You can already prevent slipping off to an appealing distraction just because you are more aware.

Planning your day is another helpful way to spotlight high priorities. Avoid 1) planning too extensively, and, 2) spending so much time on planning that you never get down to work. There is something so satisfying about a well-thought-out and detailed plan – but it can be kind of a premature gratification too. Commit to the action as well! Just Do It!!

Write a few cards with your goal on it. Chant it like a mantra. Visualize the steps you need to reach the goal, not just the goal itself.

I used to have a problem with my punctuality. Well, I didn’t but everyone else did! I was content to come late and have people wait for me until, one day, I didn’t want to be rude anymore. I’m not sure why that happened but, since then, I’m never late. I am a punctual person.

I always knew how to be on time yet I didn’t commit to taking the required steps.

Until I changed, I’d tell myself “TODAY I’m going to get to the lecture on time!” or “The dinner party starts at 8, not 9.” But then, I’d see all sorts of tasks that I could do “quickly” and off I’d go. By the time I’d finished and looked at the clock, nothing short of a supersonic jet could have gotten me to my appointment on time. And I wasn’t even ready to leave!

Eventually I learned to ignore the voices offering me interesting choices, the sight of tasks undone, the new idea I just had to begin RIGHT NOW. The voices still try to distract me but it is futile. I squelch them brutally. On top of it all, I have a much better feeling for time and how much of it I’ll need to get from here to there, including going to the car (at least 5 minutes), getting to my destination (30 minutes but adding 20 minutes extra for unforeseen delays, traffic backup and finding a parking spot, 10 minutes to get into the building and up to the designated room) plus about 5 minutes for a toilet break or just to “be”, relaxing shortly before everything starts.

By writing down how long it takes to do routine things – taking your shower or preparing a meal, for instance – you can learn to estimate the time it takes for other activities in your day. One rule of thumb is to over-estimate – most people estimate on the skimpy side. And get caught unfinished when time runs out.

In one of my time management courses, a lady said she was always late. She was even late to my time management seminar!! Both days! I asked her, if she needed to be at an appointment at eleven and the drive to the appointment would take 30 minutes (in the best of situations), when would she need to leave her house.

She said 10:30. I rest my case.

A good help toward awareness for time mismanagement is self-monitoring everything you do each day and every disturbance. Write down what the disturbance was, how long it took to get back on track and who caused the disturbance. Self-observation helps you pinpoint what takes you off course. You have to be conscious of your distractions and how you normally deal with them before you can learn not to heed them at all.

Learning to focus and concentrate on the most important task is a key to excellent time management. The most important thing is to keep the most important thing the most important thing!

One aid for staying on-task is to set a timer for five minutes every time you get off your high-priority task. Make sure the timer is far enough away from you so that, when it annoyingly buzzes, you must get up and walk over to turn it off. This makes you more likely to disengage from the impulsive activity and get back on your plan.

Another tool for reducing spontaneous distracting activities is to establish routines and rituals for your day to provide structure to the day and increase familiarity with time slots. Get up and go to bed at set times. Exercise at the same time daily. Eat your meals at set times. Walk the dog immediately afterward, for example. By setting structures for fundamental needs, you become more aware of scheduled activities and staying on track.

Ultimately, you learn to anticipate what you can or cannot do in a given time period, which will make you less inclined to begin tasks that take you off track.

Some people use wristwatches with multiple alarms, setting them to sound each hour so that an awareness of the passage of time is built up. A brief check of where they are and where they should be on the plan helps keep them on track.

Time slots are a good way for distracted people to divide their day. Designate time sections like 7-9, 9-11, 11-1, etc. and plug into each section tasks or goals you need to finish during that time. What has to be accomplished by nine, by eleven, one? Keep your eye on the goal AND the clock!