Nine things that will increase your quality of life, immediately! …and then you can really think of becoming successful!

Nine things that will increase your quality of life, immediately! …and then you can really think of becoming successful!

I am reading a lot of books and posts about how to be successful. All the given advice is good, but it disregards many things. Before you can learn on how to be successful, you need to increase efficiency by discipline; and here I mean one thing: Discipline by not getting distracted. In our society we can consume it all, and we always have the need to be connected to the net – a lot of time that gets lost unproductively. If you are disciplined by not getting distracted, that is one true important thing you need to build efficiency. Once you get efficient, you get time, and once you have time you can think of becoming successful. Dreaming big is great, but to be successful let’s learn how to be disciplined (myself I am working on that, with quite some success already!).

So, here are truly 9 things that you should do:

1. Reduce watching TV, and surfing on the net

I was surprised to realize how much time I am spending on the TV, net and on channels. I have done TV marathons watching for entire days series, and it felt awesome! Truth is, I lost so much time by just consuming, time I could have spent better doing something productive. It feels good watching shows and series, but since I am not watching regularly anymore, I have so much more time for me.

2. Reduce sending texts

Texting takes away a lot of time, and what you say is just half as much as you would during a normal phone call. So just give it a good long phone call instead of writing long texts.

3. Shut off your phone during work (if possible)

I regularly check, every day! Somebody has called me? Somebody has texted me? If possible, you should shut the phone down, even if it is just for a bit during the day. You disconnect yourself from the grid, and that time you can use to be productive without getting disturbed.

4. Go and sleep at constant times

Regardless, if you are a night owl or a morning bird. You should make sure to sleep enough. Watching TV or net channels before sleep does not help at all. In fact, your brain is not able to rest, as you are still processing the seen things, even until sometime after. Sleeping at specific times helps having the needed rest for the day and you feel so much better in the morning.

5. What you can do today, don’t do it tomorrow

Don’t trust your future self, as I have heard so many times, do it today! You will see that in fact you will have so much more time afterwards, which you will really enjoy, as you don’t have to think of anything else.

6. Don’t work and listen to music at the same time

Something, I have done. Often, we have repetitive or boring work to do, and that can become boring over time. To keep us occupied we listen to music. That is not very productive. By listing to music, we become essentially slower and mistakes are more likely, plus by listening to loud music we destroy our ears over time. I have noticed being so much faster without music.

7. Don’t drink coffee, and other stuff to keep you going

Don’t drink coffee, or energy drinks, and/or other stuff to keep you going and awake, since it’s only a temporary effect. In fact, most people feel even more exhausted afterwards. It doesn’t take long until a little exception (to drink coffee) to study for the exam becomes the rule for the entire phase of exams on campus (just to mention a single example). I don't consume anymore for just the purpose of increasing temporary work efficiency, an (believe it or not), that goes hand in hand with better workout and exercise results.

8. Exercise regularly

Sport helps a lot! In everything, and it keeps you healthy. I felt a good effect after three weeks. Healthier, stronger, more overall energy to do stuff. Don't do sports with your phone attached! Leave your phone in the locker and focus on pedaling, running or whatever you enjoy doing the most.

9. Organize your stuff

Organization is key to success, and if one cannot even organize one’s own bedroom, then forget about the big picture. Assign everything a place, and you will see that when you need things in a hurry, you will know where to find it, you don't lose time!

Some final thoughts

To all of you guys! Our society is created for consumption, and here is the big lie: By consuming one tells us we will be happy and entertained. Unfortunately, not true: entertainment is only temporary and happiness fades while we realize how much more we could have done during that time. We lose time and simply keep on consuming, instead of being productive. Right now, I am trying to implement all these nine things and I can already feel some improvement in time, mood and motivation. I am more productive! To all of you guys: Improve your lives by being disciplined, and most of all stay awesome!

Comment on what you think! There is much to talk about!