How do you actually work towards your goals? First, don’t rely on motivation to get work done. It’s fickle and fleeting. You might be super pumped one evening, but who knows how long that feeling will last? Focus on being disciplined – it’s a skill that you can get better at over time.
How do you become disciplined? Set small habits. Once a habit is set, it doesn’t require much willpower to follow through. We spend 20 minutes each morning reading the business news. If you did that every day, you’d be a commercial awareness expert by the time summer interviews come around.
Structure and schedule your time. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re being productive. Work out when you’re most effective and take on the hardest and most important tasks in those periods.
25 minutes of deep work is far more valuable than hours of shallow work. When working on something important, close your browsers and put your phone away. Work on one task for an uninterrupted, distraction free period, then break.
The breaks are just as important. We struggle with this, but taking regular breaks means you’re more likely to stay in the game for the long run, and that’s so important when battling through the tough periods. Some of our most creative ideas come when we’re at the gym (which is also where we write 90% of these posts!).
