Do nothing alternative

One of the best productivity hacks I have ever read about: The Nothing Alternative (= "Do Nothing" Alternative). From the book: Willpower — Rediscovering the greatest human strength.

I have read about it for the first time back in 2017. The Nothing Alternative: do, what you were supposed to be doing, or DO NOTHING instead.

Sounds so simple, costs nothing, yet still easy to get swept away. You don't pay attention, you don't stick with it.

you said you were going to, then you don't

You said, you were going to study — but now you don't feel like it, you go hangout with your friends.

You said, you were going to read a book — but now you are not in the mood, it is easier to scroll Youtube/Facebook/Instagram.

You said, you were going to write an article — you are waiting for an inspiration, meanwhile you are blasting your favourite music.

You said "blah—blah—blah", but later you don't stick with "blah—blah—blah", instead you allow your mind to go wherever it wants to go.

By default, your mind likes: easy & familiar.

you cannot ban feelings, you can ban activities

To feel lazy, unmotivated, tired, scared: that is all natural and normal. You cannot escape a feeling. What you can do is, to command yourself: either you are doing a task, according to the plan, or nothing else.

It is okay, if you are not in the mood, but don't allow your mind to escape to an easier task. DO NOTHING instead. Breathe, look straight into an empty wall.

What you want to achieve, to get yourself BORED. It happens sooner or later.

Look straight into a wall, NOT through a window, NOT your phone, don't allow your mind to escape somewhere else.

When you give your mind two options:

• do an annoying task
• be bored by doing nothing (looking into an empty wall)

Guess what? Your mind hates being bored — that's how we are wired by nature. It will pick the task, whatever that is.

do nothing, get bored

By scrolling Youtube/Facebook, listening to music, your mind doesn't get bored. Why would it shift and start doing an assigned task? No reason.

Don't feed your mind with dreamy/interesting/whatever stuff:

• get bored, get to work
• get bored, have a short break, get back to work
• get bored, realize it was enough, shift to your next activity