✋ How to Talk Less and Do More

Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋  You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: We’re talking about the difference between thinking and doing. Plus, how “good” distractions like productivity content can make you less productive, and how you can start thinking less and acting more. Let’s get into it!

🗣️ Why We Talk More Than We Do

It's so easy to procrastinate by simply talking or thinking about our goals.

Even consuming productivity content can become a slippery slope without the right boundaries in place.

(The irony isn’t lost on us — talking about productivity is what we do here at The Flow!)

Of course, sharing your goals or researching new productivity methods can help you understand what works best for your brain.

But here’s the kicker:

“Passive” productivity can give you a false or premature sense of accomplishment — even though you haven’t actually done the work yet.

That rush of “low-quality” dopamine can actually stop you from pursuing “active” productivity, since you’ve already gotten some form of reward.

Makes sense, right? It’s so much easier to post about your plans to work out in the new year (passive) than actually lace up your shoes and go to the gym (active).

The big idea? There’s a fine line between preparing well and over-analyzing to the point of inaction.

So how can you go from talking and thinking to actually doing? Read on to find out!

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⚡️ How to Do More

Now, here are 3 quick tips to help you spend more time actively being productive versus being a passive observer of your own growth!

🏃‍♀️ 1. Start before you’re ready

Don’t wait for the perfect conditions — they’ll never come. Don’t wait until you feel “ready” either, because you’ll find “feeling ready” isn’t usually a one-and-done thing.

Instead, try to put insights into action within the next 24 hours. Do it scared. Do it imperfectly. Set a timer, and get to work!

⏰ 2. Apply a 1:1 rule

For every piece of productivity content you consume, take one small action that applies it.

Not only will this move you closer to your goals, but it’ll also help you understand which tips and methods work best for you.

It’s also a good idea to cap your consumption time for productivity content. Set a timer for, say, 20 minutes — then, do something with what you’ve learned, ideally the same day.

🎯 3. Have a micro goal per session

The reason you gush about your goals and devour so much productivity content is because you want to grow. And you already know that growth happens when you act.

Productivity methods can help you act more quickly and effectively. But it’s also important to get specific about what you want, no matter what method you’re using.

So instead of setting a vague goal to “be more organized”, try something more specific, like “spend 10 minutes organizing my work files”.

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

• Announcing Your Goals Makes You Less Likely to Reach Them (Post) — Explore the research behind “passive” productivity in this informative article by Inc.

• Focus Jazz (Playlist) — Set the perfect work or study vibe with this relaxing, focus-ready jazz.

• How to Stop Overthinking Everything (YouTube) — This video includes 6 therapy-based skills to help you ease out of the habit of overthinking.

🖥️ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard

Use Flocus to turn all of your productivity insights into real progress!

With a customizable timer, priority-driven task list, ambient worlds, soundscapes, and so much more, we’re here to help you stay on task and create a space that’s uniquely yours.

Let’s move from “thinking about it” to doing it, together this week 💪

Alright, now that you've read this far, it’s time to put it into practice. Get out there and do something small with what you’ve learned today, and let us know how it goes!

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team