Have you ever wondered why it’s so easy to spend hours scrolling through social media
but very hard to work on that assignment or report that’s due any minute. At the back of your mind,
you know that completing the task at hand is the right thing to do and that you’ll benefit from a
job well done. But for some reason it feels more rewarding to watch funny cat videos on YouTube.
Despite the fact that you accomplish nothing, and you’ll most likely forget what you watched
or lose interest all together. You see, your brain makes you believe that the internet is,
somehow, more rewarding than the work you’re supposed to be doing. And for
you to understand why this happens you’ll first need to know a bit more about dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which plays a big role in how we feel pleasure. But
some scientists say it has less to do with pleasure and more to do with motivation.
The transmitter acts before you perform a particular task by signalling your brain
with an expectation of a reward. Nothing really exciting might be
going on but it’s the expectation that something might that keeps you going.
However, when it comes to things like exercising or working,
these immediate expectations of a reward are often missing even though consciously we know
of the benefits they have. It’s usually so much easier to choose the path of instant
gratification than to get out of bed in the morning and go to work or go out for a jog.
Scientists point out that there are certain strategies that if applied correctly can be
used to tap into your dopamine system and motivate yourself into doing things
you normally feel reluctant to do. So, in today’s practical wisdom video, I’m
going to show you how you can rewire your brain into liking doing thing you don’t like doing.
Number 1: Focus on the smaller goals
Having one hefty goal to accomplish after another is quite overwhelming and stressful.
This is one of the many reasons why so many of us end up procrastinating instead of doing
the work. A simple way to combat this is by breaking down your goals into smaller,
more attainable ones. Creating micro-goals helps you stay more focused because instead
of seeing one big scary task, you have bite-sized goals set out for yourself.
For example, you’ve got a big presentation due within the coming week. A goal like this
can be stressful: not only do you have to create a PowerPoint presentation,
you also have to present it to a large group of people.
Using the PowerPoint presentation as an example, you can start by breaking
it down into smaller goals: two days for through research on the topic,
then three days to set out the presentation and fill in the slides, and finally a couple days to
practice. And there you go! With each micro-goal, you feel more accomplished and more motivated.
And, if you want to take this even further and feel even more successful,
create a reward system by giving yourself a small treat after each task.
Number 2: Set aside time for meditation
Have you felt anxious and panic-y after spending hours scrolling through TikTok
or Twitter? Even though your day outside of social media has been
calming and/or productive? There’s a reason for this.
While it may seem like there’s nothing wrong with scrolling through social media for hours on end,
it’s important to realise that our mind will pick up bits and bobs from the online world
that have no business being in our mind, making it harder for us to focus on our work in the real
world. We can’t decipher our own thoughts from those that we’ve picked up from other people.
This is where meditation and practicing mindfulness comes in. It allows you to view
all your thoughts, without being overly attached to them (this is the key part that most people
miss) but if you can get it right, you can use it to weed out what is not productive to you.
You see, mindfulness is a method used to balance out your dopamine levels which can
be shaken up by unexpected instances such as a sad puppy video on YouTube. You should give
yourself time at the start and end of each day to unplug from the online world so that you can
regain control of your mind and use it as a tool, as opposed to letting it control you.
Number 3: Step outside your comfort zone
Did you know that our brains are wired for comfort? But,
did you also know that this can work against you?
For example, let’s say you desperately want to hit the gym and lose weight,
but for over a decade you’ve built your identity around being overweight and lazy. While,
on a conscious level, you want to move your body and shed some pounds, subconsciously,
your mind associates that with discomfort and pain; and your mind will do everything in its
power to dissuade you from hitting the gym. When we are unaware of this, we end up in a
painful cycle of wanting to change but at the same time staying in exactly the same place as before.
Although this may sound discomforting, let me tell you the good news. You and
I have full control and ability to tell our mind to shut up. The trick
is to take small steps every day that take you outside your comfort zone.
If you have never worked out before? Start doing YouTube videos in your own home. This may be
a complete shock to your system, but you’re slowly becoming a newer version of you. Then,
go to the local gym, even if all you do is get on the treadmill - that is
in farthest corner of the gym. Then, hire a trainer and so on and so forth.
You mind thinks that it’s helping you stay safe by telling you not to go out of your comfort zone,
but your smart, and you know many times better. So don’t let it control you.
Nobody grows into their fullest potential whilst in their comfort zone. Shock your system bit by
bit and tell it “see, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” and before you know it,
you’ll be completely out of your comfort zone and enjoying it.
Number 4: Think about the cost of inaction
This one links in the previous point. When you try, and step out of your comfort zone,
your brain will make up all kinds of (believable and plausible) excuses to keep you stuck. And how
do you combat this? By thinking about the cost of inaction. Sticking to the weight loss example,
look in the mirror and honestly ask yourself if you’d be ok looking this way for the rest of your
life, or worse looking even more unhealthy. You’ll most likely say No. Then ask yourself,
is not going to the gym, (because your silly little brain thinks you’ll fall
off the treadmill) worth gaining more weight? Again, you’ll most likely say No.
So, think about how much worse it can all get if you don’t take a
step forward today. Do you want to be stuck in the same body crying
and hoping for the same miracle for another 10 years? My guess is NO.
Number 5: Exercise
Ok promise! This is the last point that has anything to do with exercise. After
this there will be no more talk about exercise.
That being said, working out can do wonders for your brain. Firstly,
it improves your brain’s motor skills, which is your ability to learn,
and it positively affects memory. Along with this, there are studies which suggest
that exercise also releases chemicals in the brain that make us feel happy.
Even twenty minutes of aerobic exercises can help boost your motivation by regulating
dopamine levels. The increased activity gets more blood pumping to your brain
creating the perfect condition for it to grow and process. It’s for this reason
that you find yourself feeling more alert and focused after working out.
If you want to find out more,
you can check out my exercise video which has over 7 million views so far!
Walking, jogging, Pilates, hiking, whatever form of exercise you pick,
your brain will reap the same benefits. So, start your day off fresh with a 15-minute
workout and notice how amazing you feel for the rest of the day.
Number 6: Get enough sleep
There’s a reason we are told to get 8 hours of sleep each night. Not getting enough
sleep can result in lower dopamine levels during the day and this in turn leads to
lack of motivation. People who don’t get enough sleep also tend to be reactive the
following day about any negative emotions they have been experiencing. This change
in mood and motivation impairs your ability to be productive.
When you sleep, your brain gets to work archiving memories, making creative connections and cleaning
out toxins. But these benefits are not just limited to a full night’s sleep. A short nap
in the afternoon can provide you with a boost of energy equivalent to roughly one
or two cups of coffee as well as increased retention of facts and great creativity.
In other words, if you aren’t feeling alert or motivated, investigate your
sleeping patterns and prioritise it above all else. Another handy tips is,
find a comfortable corner, and get some rest. You’ll feel the difference immediately after.
Number 7: Listen to music
Have you ever put on a playlist of Mozart’s best concert pieces and
just breezed through your work? Well, I have, and I’ve done it many times.
Research has shown us that music has a positive effect on us when we’re faced
with mental fatigue caused by routine tasks. Performing similar tasks day in
and day out tires our brain out. On the other hand, listening to music
gives your brain a kick-start by helping it escape from the mundane-ness of it all.
There are specific types of music that can significantly take our
mind out of the fatigued state such as EDM and classical. So,
the take away here is - find a playlist, put it on shuffle, and get a tone done!
Number 8: Change your work environment
While you may not have the luxury of changing your environment at work, if you work from home,
take advantage of your entire house. For example, have one area that is solely
for your heavy-duty tasks and then move to a different area for relaxation and creativity.
If you work indoors and also take your break indoors, break this habit. Research shows that
going outside and spending as little as five minutes in beautiful nature,
can improve your mood, increase motivation and boost self-esteem.
Dopamine and serotonin rise when you take a short walk in the sun. Therefore, don’t have
that lunch at the same desk you work in. Go outside, and get some fresh air, or just make
yourself a small nook in your work area which is just to be used for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Remember we talked about how tired you brain gets of mundane tasks? The same
applies for your environment; make your work environment nice and welcoming and go take
breaks elsewhere, preferably in nature. Challenging tasks will drain your energy
and joy no matter how much you try to avoid them. So, instead of fighting the inevitable,
rewire and reprogram the way your brain perceives them. You’ll find that it’s much
easier for you to do difficult tasks when you’ve worked on changing how you think.
Thank you all so much for watching, and if you found this video helpful,
be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel for more tips.
Until next time, take care!