Welcome, I just finished up putting away my latest sewing project. It is coming along nicely but it is taking more time than I expected. Like most things I do. I also had a nice strength training workout this morning and did a little POI practice and now it is 9 am and time for my weekly live stream. It can be difficult to focus on so many passion projects. And yes a full-time job and weight loss are on the list.
Today we are talking about why doing what I do is the wrong way to go and why focusing one one thing might be more beneficial to you.
Welcome to the Saturday Morning Ritual. As we gather today let me know you are here and your side quest. What are the two main goals in your life right now? The main Adventure and the side quest.
Intro
When I was a kid my Saturday Morning Ritual was watching cartoons, now my Saturday Morning Ritual is to take time for me. To reflect on the past week and set strategies for the week ahead.
“Two heads are better than one” That is why we join together as a supportive community to support our intentional growth.
A special place where you can celebrate your success and grow from challenges.
Keep you accountable and committed to goals and feel supported along the way
Develop and hone your self-awareness and Adventure Mindset
Overcome obstacles and challenges that keep you from reaching your potential
First, we have a ritual - Brain Body Connection, Success, and Setbacks and then more on TOPIC of THE WEEK
Brain Body Connection -
Movement is considered the human being’s first language. Movements strengthen the neural pathways between the brain and body. Learning, thought, creativity, and intelligence are not processes of the brain alone but the whole body.
Ritual No. 1 Movement Exercise - Pick one thing and try and repeat it the whole time
Before we pollute your brain let us have our first
Journal Exercise 1:
Are you a multi-tasker or a single-tasker? How do you think that is working out for yourself?
Ritual No. 2 - First Up - Let's take a look at the past week
Success - Share Your Non-Scale Victories
Journal Exercise 2 -
What one thing contributed the most to your success this week?
Ritual No. 3 - The Topic of The Week- One Thing
Alright, multi-taskers, give me a double heart emoji if you’re guilty as charged. And if you’re a single-tasker, drop a single heart emoji. I’m a double-heart person—I might say I don’t believe in multi-tasking, but I’ll watch a live stream while cooking or listen to a podcast while driving.
The truth is my best work, the best habits that I have developed are when I focus on one thing. And actually when I get really specific about it. When I set very clear intentions about When Where and How I am going to do something the likelihood that it will get done increases.
I am not alone in this research shows that you are 2x to 3x more likely to stick with your habits if you make a specific plan for when, where, and how you will perform the behavior. For example, in one study scientists asked people to fill out this sentence: “During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE].”
Researchers found that people who filled out this sentence were 2x to 3x more likely to actually exercise compared to a control group who did not make plans for their future behavior. Psychologists call these specific plans “implementation intentions” because they state when, where, and how you intend to implement a particular behavior.
This finding is well-proven and has been repeated in hundreds of studies across a broad range of areas. For example, implementation intentions have been found to increase the odds that people will start exercising, begin recycling, stick with studying, and even stop smoking.
However (and this is crucial to understand) follow-up research has discovered implementation intentions only work when you focus on one thing at a time. In fact, researchers found that people who tried to accomplish multiple goals were less committed and less likely to succeed than those who focused on a single goal.
So, for example, if you decide to exercise at 7 am at your local park, you’re more likely to do it. But here’s the kicker: this works best when you focus on one thing at a time.
*“Too Much of a Good Thing: The Benefits of Implementation Intentions Depend on the Number of Goals” by Amy N. Dalton and Stephen A. Spiller (2012). Journal of Consumer Research.*https://www.ejcr.org/Curations-PDFs/Curations6/Dalton_Spiller.pdf
JOURNAL EXERCISE 3- ONE THING
Is there ONE THING that if you focused on being an expert at, never missed a day, would help you achieve your goals what would that be? How would focusing on that one thing help you reach your goals? What is getting in the way of you focusing on it? And how can you claim your focus?
Want to know how I focus on one thing with a million side quests? It’s all about creating a priority list, taking productive breaks, and removing distractions. Sometimes, my side quests seem like distractions, but they bring balance to my life.
Finding my flow state is key. I can turn an 8-hour project into a 2-hour sprint if I’m in the zone. Recognizing when I’m in a flow state helps me leverage it for future tasks.
And don’t get me started on sleep. It's the foundation of everything. Need help getting more shut-eye? Hit me up!"
Creating a Priority List
Taking Breaks - The secret is taking those breaks to focus on other items on your priority list. Do you want to drink more water - use a break for this? Get more exercise in - time for some snackercise. Have a cleaner house - 5 min speed clean. Read a Chapter of a book. All of these items vs. taking a break to do items like scroll social media or examine the fridge and pantry break. I used to do that a lot not because I was hungry just for something to do while I was taking a needed break. Often it would lead to eating when not hungry.
Remove Distractions
Some might say that all of my side quests are distractions. I think they bring balance to my life. So in order to get it all done I try and remove distractions so that I can focus on the item of the hour.
Find my Flow
I can make a project take 8 hours or 2 hours sometimes it all just depends on my flow state. Have I removed distractions, am I in a comfortable environment, and is my brain at its optimal functionality? I typically can put myself in a flow state for about 2 hours twice a day. I found that just witnessing when I was in a flow state and being aware of the timing and environment helped me to leverage this for future tasks.
Sleeping
I often talk about how important sleep is and I will say it again. It is hard to focus on anything when you are sleep-deprived. Let me know if you need help getting more sleep.
Exercise
The mind and the body are connected when you move your body you are benefitting your brain as well. Movement can not be overlooked. It does not need to be High Intensity Interval Training but we do need to be active every day.
Eating Nutritious foods and drinking water
staying hydrated and eating less processed foods do have benefits. I know I can feel a difference in my body. Comment with a rainbow if you agree with me.
Self Care -
If you only get 5 minutes a day for you and you alone - how are you supposed to use that five minutes to focus on a task that is going to get you closer to your goals? If all you get is five minutes for you I would say impossible. We have to be able to take time for ourselves and more than just five minutes. If you don’t have more than five minutes a day then we need to ask yourself why is my life not inline with your goals and what can I do about that?
Ritual 4 - Identity and Beliefs
Now that we've delved into the importance of focusing on one thing at a time, let's shift our attention to a crucial aspect that can significantly influence our journey: our identity and beliefs.
Today, we’re going to explore how our self-perceptions and core beliefs shape our ability to concentrate on a single task and how redefining these can lead to greater success.
Many of us identify as multitaskers, believing that juggling multiple tasks is the only way to be productive. But what if we could change that narrative? What if single-tasking—focusing on one thing at a time—could actually lead to more profound and fulfilling accomplishments?
To help you reflect on this, let's dive into a journal exercise that encourages you to envision a future where single-tasking is the norm. Consider what success would look like if you focused on one thing at a time. Visualize the benefits this could bring to your personal and professional life. Then, think about how you can measure success differently to support this new focus. What new metrics can you develop that align with single-tasking?
Grab your journals, and let's start redefining our path to success."
Journal Exercise 4 -
What would success look like if I focused on one thing at a time? Visualize the benefits of single-tasking on your personal and professional life.
How can I measure success differently to support my focus on one thing? Develop new metrics for success that align with single-tasking.
We Are Not Failing We Are Planning
In making our plan for the week we have to take into consideration anything on our calendar, and the weather, perhaps your cycle, or the moon. Then we can ask ourselves what is the one thing that I am going to focus on to achieve my goals.
Journal Exercise 5
What is my number 1 priority this week. When, where, how with who, and when will I do it?
Stay curious, stay determined, and until next time, keep writing, keep exploring, and keep losing those pounds! Share your main adventure and side quest in the comments below. See you next week!”
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