Day 13: Killing Distraction + Taking Action

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Very few of us are as productive as we want to be. 

Each day, we wake up: wanting to accomplish our goals, wanting to complete tasks with laser-like focus, and wanting to be as effective + efficient as possible with our time. 

But instead, we get lost in a deluge of distractions: An overflowing inbox. Coworkers pulling at our attention. And a phone that won’t stop buzzing and beeping.

We all know what it feels like to become overly absorbed in the things that don’t matter, at the expense of the things we know that do.

And we all want to be able to tap into peak productivity on a perpetual basis.

But wanting to be productive is not enough to actually make you more productive…

What you really need, is to find a way to effectively handle the distractions, interruptions, and pending actions flying at your face at a neverending pace.

Luckily for you, I’ve got a Make it Happen Method for doing exactly that… 

It’s called if-then planning, and it’s a proven + powerful way to help you become a productivity powerhouse. And there’s a significant body of research to back it up.

Studies on diet and exercise, time management, negotiation, habit-building, and more have shown that deciding in advance WHEN + WHERE you’ll take specific actions to reach goals can literally double or triple your chances of successfully making them happen.

How effective are if-then plans? 

In one study that involved people who wanted to start exercising regularly, half the participants were told to plan where and when they’d exercise each week: 

“If it’s Mon, Wed, or Fri, then I’ll exercise for 60 minutes before work.” 

The results were astounding: two weeks later, 91% of if-then planners were still exercising regularly, compared to only 39% of nonplanners.

That’s huge!

All of this evidence is why researchers tell us that going through the process of if-then planning is one of, if not the most, effective thing we can do to ensure our success when it comes to taking action on things like work-related projects and personal growth efforts like health or relationship goals.

How does if-then planning work?

If-then planning is basically about anticipating when you think you might not follow-through on something, and getting ahead of it by deciding ahead of time when and where you’ll do it.

All if-then plans are based on a simple formula that you can apply to every area of your life: 

IF/WHEN  X  happens, THEN I will do  Y 

Below, you’ll find several examples of if-then plans in action…

If-then planning examples

IF it’s 2 p.m.,
THEN I will return any missed calls I need to return today.

IF I haven’t finished writing my article by lunchtime,
THEN I’ll make it my main focus when I get back to my desk.

IF I run out of time to make my green juice at home before leaving for work,
THEN I’ll order one from the local juice bar and have Postmates deliver it to the office.

WHEN my coworkers get too distracting,
THEN I’ll stick to a 5-minute chat limit and get right back to work.

IF I’m still in the office at 6 p.m.,
THEN I’ll work out at the office gym for 60 minutes before going home.

IF it’s Sunday at 5 p.m.,
THEN I’ll do my weekly review and plan my upcoming week.

IF I get a text from my wife that pisses me off,
THEN I’ll wait half an hour before replying so I can respond with love rather than anger.

Why are if-then plans so effective?

Because they’re formulated using the kind of language your brain likes—the language of contingencies.

The human brain is really good at encoding and recalling information when it’s formulated in this “if-then” style.

And the ways in which you can apply contingencies via if-then plans to guide your actions and become more productive are practically endless. 

Once you’ve created an if-then plan, your brain actually starts to scan your environment, often below your awareness, looking for the situation in the “IF” part of your brain.

This, then, triggers you to take action in the moments that matter (“It’s 5 p.m. and it’s Sunday—better get started on my weekly review!”)

And these triggers help us even when we’re busy working on other things… Because you’ve already decided precisely what you need to do and when you need to do it, you can take action without having to overthink it.

It also saves you from debating with yourself about what you need to do next.

Bottom line: if you find that too many of your tasks are consistently going unaccomplished—then making a simple if-then plan can help you take control and get things done. 

How to use this make it happen method

Grab a pen and a pad and start making your own if-then plans today:

STEP 1: Choose one important action you need to take to reach one of your goals.

STEP 2: Think about when + where you need to take this action. What’s the situation?

STEP 3: Setup your if-then plan:

IF (or WHEN) _ _ _ _ _
THEN _ _ _ _ _

Example: WHEN it’s 2 p.m. on a weekday, THEN I’ll take a break from work and go for a 45-minute run.

STEP 4: Think about an obstacle that might usually prevent you from taking action (think: temptations, distractions, or anything else that might get in your way.)

Example: Every time I try to take a break and go out for a run, my coworkers bombard me with questions on my way out of the office. By the time I’m done with them, I’ve only got 20 minutes left to exercise, so I often tell myself I’ll do it later—which I don’t.

STEP 5: When something happens (a temptation or distraction) that might prevent you from taking action, how will you handle it? And what will you do instead?

Example: I’ll let everyone know in advance that my exercise time is important to me, so if they have any questions for me, they can email me or wait until I’m back from my run.

STEP 6: Setup another if-then plan again including how you’ll handle the inevitable obstacles that might derail you from taking action:

IF/WHEN _ _ _ _ _
THEN _ _ _ _ _

Example: WHEN it’s 2 p.m. on a weekday, THEN I’ll take a break from work and head straight outside for my run without letting any of my coworkers distract me.

Go make it happen.

Take a few minutes to formulate some if-then plans for each of the goals/tasks/habits that are important to you, but that you also find yourself procrastinating on or getting distracted from doing more often than you want.

Then, implement these plans daily for the next two months.

After a few days, you’ll begin to see a dramatic improvement in your productivity and ability to get things done.

And IF you’re not addicted to how much more productive you are after trying this Make it Happen Method, THEN you’re more than welcome to stop 😉