1+1: The mathematics of discipline + Build discipline through Atomic Habits

Here's one leadership idea and one resource I’ve found beneficial in the past two weeks:

1 idea: The mathematics of discipline

Most leaders I coach want to be more disciplined, but few begin with a great idea of what that means.

Discipline isn’t about overpowering your will by sheer force. That’s unsustainable. Instead, it’s about designing an environment and task list that dramatically reduces the friction needed to be effective. We do that through everyone’s favorite school subject: math! More specifically, we leverage the principles of subtraction, addition, division, and multiplication.

First, subtraction. Start by subtracting distractions from your morning: things like social media, email, and chit-chat with co-workers. Eliminate the things that rob your focus and fragment your attention. You’ll have time for them later.

Second, addition. Add back in the thing that you are dreading the most that day. By defeating that giant first thing, you turn off the background noise of worry that would otherwise run throughout your morning. If you have to swallow a frog, it’s best to do it at the start of your day because your day only gets better from there!

Third, division. Big tasks are often daunting because they’re huge and we don’t know where to start. But if you can divide that massive project into 12 tiny steps, suddenly it becomes a lot more doable. It might feel impossible to tackle your year-end report, but drafting an outline is much easier. Divide your projects into individual steps, and you’ll notice a sudden burst of motivation.

Finally, multiplication. While all of us have the same 24 hours, all hours are not equally valuable. Some hours of the day are naturally focused while others feel like slogging through mud. Focus on your highest priority tasks during your most productive time, and you’ll get way more done than if you squandered those golden hours on email and social media.

The math of greater productivity is relatively simple; the hard part is developing the discipline to do it consistently. But as you start small and make progress, you’ll find that momentum begets momentum. You’ll love the feeling of making progress and find yourself compelled to keep going.

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• What do you need to subtract from your day?

• What priorities need to be added in?

• Which large tasks need to be divided into bite-sized pieces?

• How could you multiply your output by concentrating critical tasks in your most productive windows?

1 resource: Build discipline through Atomic Habits

If you’re looking to build these disciplines of focused productivity, constructing better habits is a surefire way to get lasting results. One of the best books on the topic is Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s sold 25 million copies because it is immensely practical and encouraging. Check it out!

PS: Could you beat him blindfolded?