"Early-day and late-day time used to move at different speeds for me. Late-day time was  dense, tight, things happened, shit got done. Early-day time was loose, laid-back, chill — there was slack to play with, room to roam.It’s not that I wasted the mornings and early afternoons — I did worthwhile work-ish things. I’d read up on new software I might put to good use one day, or check out the latest from others in my field, or learn a new tip/trick/hack that would certainly come in handy. You know, I was getting better at stuff. I was learning stuff."

August Bradley writes...

Then at a certain point in the day (late afternoon if I was lucky or evening if I wasn’t), it occurred to me I hadn’t started The Big Important Thing. Each day has one. Today has one. You have one.

The Big Important Thing

“Your most persistent distractions will seem justified to you.” - James Clear

The diminishing time left in the day and the scale of the work collide at some point, and we’re forced to face reality and get to it. If we feel it has to get done today. If not, we still see time as abundant and can push The Big Important Thing off to the next day.

As approaching deadlines become more apparent, they get scary. We’re tied to the conveyor belt of time, pushing us into THE DEADLINE like a death contraption in an old James Bond movie.It’s only in hindsight that the scary impending-doom buzz-saw turns out to be our best friend.

Deadlines - friend or foe?

Time is linear, but our perception of it is non-linear. And since we accept perception as reality, our distorted sense of time puts us in a distorted reality. No wonder we have trouble consistently progressing over time. We don’t rate or value (or even respect) each moment equally. We have a fixed number of minutes in life, and each minute holds the same potential or opportunity. Yet we don’t perceive it that way. And as a result, we sabotage ourselves.

The problem at its heart...

<ol><li>Plan your day ahead of time. Time block at what hour you will do each item on your agenda. Block your day in the objectivity of the evening before.</li><li>Know what your vulnerabilities are, what has derailed you lately. Make a Not-To-Do list alongside your To-Do list.</li><li>Clearly define priorities. Know what you’re working toward, and what real progression in your life means. </li><li>Establish structure and deliberate routine to get freedom from the tyranny of your subconscious impulses.</li></ol>

How to overcome the Procrastination Monster

MIND & MACHINE Newsletter - In this Issue:The Procrastination MonsterPsychological Priming in NotionFavorite Finds

productivity

Productivity

timemanagement

Time Management

The Procrastination Monster

It seems like an odd question, but is it? Do you know how to define happiness? Do you think happiness is the same thing to you as it is to others?What’s the point of it all? Does it even make a difference in our lives?In fact, happiness does have a pretty important role in our lives, and it can have a huge impact on the way we live our lives. Although researchers have yet to pin down the definition or an agreed-upon framework for happiness, there’s a lot we have learned in the last few decades.

What is happiness?

for our purposes in this piece, it’s enough to work off of a basic definition that melds the OED ‘s definition with that of positive psychologists: happiness is a state characterized by contentment and general satisfaction with one’s current situation.

Defining happiness

Happiness, as we described above, is a state characterized by feelings of contentment and satisfaction with one’s life or current situation. On the other hand, pleasure is a more visceral, in-the-moment experience. It often refers to the sensory-based feelings we get from experiences like eating good food, getting a massage, receiving a compliment, or having sex.Happiness while not a permanent state, is a more stable state than pleasure. Happiness generally sticks around for longer than a few moments at a time, whereas pleasure can come and go in seconds (Paul, 2015).Pleasure can contribute to happiness, and happiness can enhance or deepen feelings of pleasure, but the two can also be completely mutually exclusive. For example, you can feel a sense of happiness based on meaning and engagement that has nothing to do with pleasure, or you could feel pleasure but also struggle with guilt because of it, keeping you from feeling happy at the same time.

Happiness vs Pleasure

Humans may resemble many other creatures in their striving for happiness, but the quest for meaning is a key part of what makes us human, and uniquely so. Roy Baumeister et al. (2013)Unlike happiness, meaning is not a fleeting state that drifts throughout the day; it’s a more comprehensive sense of purpose and feeling of contributing to something greater than yourself.

Happiness vs Meaning

There are important distinctions between the methods of searching for and the benefits of experiencing happiness and meaning. Baumeister and his fellow researchers found that:<ul><li>Feeling healthy was related to happiness, but not meaning;</li><li>Feeling good was related to happiness, not meaning;</li><li>Scarcity of money reduced happiness more than meaning;</li><li>People with more meaningful lives agreed that “relationships are more important than achievements;”</li><li>Helping people in need was linked to meaning but not happiness;</li><li>Expecting to do a lot of deep thinking was positively related to meaningfulness, but negatively with happiness;</li><li>Happiness was related more to being a taker rather than a giver, whereas meaning was related more to being a giver than a taker;</li><li>The more people felt their activities were consistent with the core themes and values of their self, the greater meaning they reported in their activities;</li></ul>

Happiness vs Meaning cont'd 

Although the term is not used very often, it refers to a sense of happiness or satisfaction with one’s self. It is often associated with self-confidence, self-esteem, and other concepts that marry “the self” with feeling content and happy.In general, it means that you are pleased with yourself and your choices, and with the person that you are.

Self-happiness

<ol><li>Hedonic happiness is happiness conceptualized as experiencing more pleasure and less pain; it is composed of an affective component (high positive affect and low negative affect) and a cognitive component (satisfaction with one’s life);</li><li>Eudaimonic happiness conceptualizes happiness as the result of the pursuit and attainment of life purpose, meaning, challenge, and personal growth; happiness is based on reaching one’s full potential and operating at full functioning.</li></ol>Some theories see happiness as a by-product of other more important pursuits in life, while others see happiness as the end-goal for humans.Some theories state that pursuing happiness is pointless (although pursuing other important experiences and feelings may contribute to greater happiness), and some assume that happiness can be purposefully increased or enhanced.

The psychology of happiness

Although they differ on the specifics, these theories generally agree on a few points:<ul><li>It’s good to be happy, and people like being happy;</li><li>Happiness is neither a totally fleeting, momentary experience nor a stable, long-term trait;</li><li>At least some portion of our happiness is set by our genetics, but the amount varies from about 10% up to 50%;</li><li>The pursuit and attainment of pleasure will rarely lead to happiness;</li><li>There are many sources that contribute to or compose happiness.</li></ul>

Taking together all the various theories and findings on happiness, we know that there are at least a few factors that are very important for overall happiness:<ul><li>Individual income;</li><li>Labor market status;</li><li>Physical health;</li><li>Family;</li><li>Social relationships;</li><li>Moral values;</li><li>Experience of positive emotions </li></ul>All of these factors can contribute to a happy life, but research has found that good relationships are a vital ingredient.When we are happy in our most important relationships (spouse or significant other, our children and/or our parents, other close family members, and our closest friends), we tend to be happier.

What sources create true personal happiness?

The answer from numerous studies is a resounding YES—you CAN learn how to be happier.The degree to which you can increase your happiness will vary widely by which theory you subscribe to, but there are no credible theories that allow absolutely no room for individual improvement. To improve your overall happiness, the most effective method is to look at the list of sources above and work on enhancing the quality of your experiences in each one of them.For example, you can work on getting a higher salary (although a higher salary will only work up to about $75,000 USD a year), improve your health, work on developing and maintaining high-quality relationships, and overall, find ways to incorporate more positive feelings into your daily life. This does assume basic access to safety as well as social equality.

Can individuals learn to be happy?

We don’t need to have everything we want in order to be happy—true happiness can be obtained by finding joy in what we already have, however much or little that may seem.

You might be wondering why happiness is considered such an important aspect of life, as there are many components of a meaningful life.In some ways, science would agree with you. It appears that life satisfaction, meaning, and well-being can be linked with happiness, but happiness is not necessarily the overarching goal for everyone in life. It is still important because it has some undeniably positive benefits and co-occurring factors.

Is happiness important?

<ol><li>Happy people are more <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/success-versus-happiness/">successful </a>in multiple life domains, including marriage, friendship, income, work performance, and health.</li><li>Happy people get sick less often and experience fewer symptoms when they do get sick.</li><li>Happy people have more friends and a better support system.</li><li>Happy people donate more to charity (and giving money to charity makes you happy, too).</li><li>Happy people are more helpful and more likely to volunteer—which also makes you happier!</li><li>Happy people have an easier time navigating through life since optimism eases pain, sadness, and grief.</li><li>Happy people have a positive influence on others and encourage them to seek happiness as well, which can act as reinforcement.</li><li>Happy people engage in deeper and more meaningful conversations.</li><li>Happy people smile more, which is beneficial to your health.</li><li>Happy people exercise more often and eat more healthily.</li><li>Happy people are happy with what they have rather than being jealous of others.</li><li>Happy people are healthier all around and more likely to be healthy in the future.</li><li>Happy people live longer than those who are not as happy.</li><li>Happy people are more productive and more creative, and this effect extends to all those experiencing positive emotions.</li></ol>

What's so great about hapoiness anyway?

As you can probably assume from the list above, there is a strong relationship between mental health and happiness! Happy people are healthier, have better relationships, make friends more easily, and find more success in life.The sources that contribute to happiness are the same as those that provide people with a buffer or protection against mental illness, which explains the close relationship between the two.The close tie between mental health and happiness is reason enough to make happiness an important priority for parents, educators, researchers, and medical professionals alike, along with the simple fact that we all like to feel happy!

Happiness and mental health

It seems like an odd question, but is it? Can you define happiness? Do you think happiness is the same thing to you as it is to others? Let's find out!

health

Health

What Is Happiness and Why Is It Important? (+ Definition in Psychology)

Identify yourself on the change curve. Adaptability is the capacity to spot a changing context and alter our mind-set to take account of what has happened and is likely to happen. By understanding the transition process and the psychological impact on your mind, and noting where you might be on the change curve, you are more able to recognise the barriers and biases that may be in the way of your chosen path. This self-awareness makes your mindset more flexible.

Recognise yourself on the change curve

“The only thing that is constant is change” - Heraclitus

Transition is the internal process that happens inside our mind when presented with change; a letting go of how things used to be and reorienting to how they are now. This is a natural response that enables us to adapt to loss. The experience of this global pandemic is such a major life event that has inflicted loss of many types upon each of us.

Transition vs change

Keep aware that change can happen quickly whilst transition occurs more slowly. Usually something new must be learned and something old must be un-learned, so the emotional dips (whether personal or professional) are inevitable, but the wisdom and resilience gained from the recovery process is a valuable part of life experience.

Transition vs change 

Be optimistic. At the end of one thing is always the beginning of something new and we can focus on loss, or the new avenues that unfold…..as one door closes, another opens.

Trust in your own abilities. Over-thinking and listening to your inner critical voice is a hindsight bias that is unhelpful and damages self-esteem. Seek emotional support and help when you need to.

Be patient. Develop self-compassion when you feel frustrated or upset. Accepting your feelings allows them to move on, rather than getting stuck in a muddle.

Focus on what you can control. Solve the problems that you can and tackle what is in your influence, but accept the things that are out of your control and that you cannot solve. Let them go.

Be realistic. Don’t underestimate the difficult feelings that can suddenly arise during the change process.

The Procrastination Monster

What Is Happiness and Why Is It Important? (+ Definition in Psychology)

How to prepare for a transition back to normal life — 87 Percent

Francesca Tee