“Willpower does not work” B. Hardy

**6 Main Takeouts**

One of the main thoughts that the author is delivering to us is that you need to alter your surroundings to support your goals. Here are 6 ways in which you can improve your surroundings.

1. Reorganize your space by theme

A lot of things that we do NOT do in our lives are coming from the initial friction. For example, it takes time to set up that camera for the photoshoot and you procrastinate filming for weeks.

A great way to minimize friction here is to organize your space by theme. If you have a home office, you should only use that space for work and going back to our example, have your camera set up and ready.

That way there are no excuses and you can just get to work immediately.

2. Focus on one task at a time

Distractions are haunting us everywhere we go. Unless you make a conscious effort to focus on your task, something will steal your attention!

When you sit down to work, turn on an airplane mode and put your phone away. Close your email and make sure no one can walk in a distract you.

3. Do not take on too many projects at the same time

“Better take 20 steps in one direction, than one step in 20 directions”

Keep your minimalism attitude when it comes to taking on projects (1-2 projects at most) and focus on them fully. That requires saying no to a lot of things, but it’s a total must do in order to skyrocket your productivity.

A good advice here is to focus on your top 3 main tasks on a given week, and not take on any other tasks.

This way you wake in the morning feeling clear about what your day will look like, without a feeling of overwhelm.

4. Your surroundings shape you

Surround yourself with things that uplift your mood! If you are into interiors – make your home a place you love. If you are into fashion – make time to style your outfits for the day ahead.

These things are some easy to forget tasks when you’re are busy. But when you do take the time to do them, your mood and productivity will skyrocket.

5. Do a regular getaway

Make a good rule for yourself to take a mini getaway to a nearby resort every month (or two). This should be your time to reflect and reset.

Grab your partner or friends and take the time to analyze the past month. Take the time to ask yourself the question of – am I moving in the right direction? Have I moved closer to my goals? What can I do better next month?

6. Eliminate/take care of things that are annoying asap

On a micro level, you may have a stain on your jeans that you promise yourself to get rid of, but never get to. On a macro level, you may have some toxic relationships that need to be resolved.

These things might be dragging for days, months, and years – taking your valuable energy with them. Keep a general rule for yourself to take care of both micro and macro level things as soon as you can.

What are your favorite takeaways from this book?

Photo credit @_zoemarch