Project Girl 2 Woman

How to stop using social media To Boost Productivity

Are you wondering how to stop using social media? I have to admit it sometimes I waste a whole bunch of time scrolling and scrolling online. But I have learned some tips to stop.

Let’s jump right in.

I have some great tricks on how to stay away from social media !

Tip 1.: put your phone on silent Mode

If you wonder how to stop using social media start with turning your phone silent. Each time I hear the *bling* of the phone I just have to check. Easy way to avoid getting sucked in is to turn the sound off.

Tip 2.: Leave your Phone in a different room

To deplug from Social Media I often leave my phone in another room. Or somewhere where I can’t see it. Like a cupboard. It really distracts me when the phone lights up. Sometimes it feels really uncomfortable to put it away. Like something is missing or I might miss out on something if it’s not close to me. But after a few minutes the feeling goes away. You could also lock it in and use a timed lock lol.

Where would you hide your phone?

Tip 3.: Deinstall the Most Distracting apps

I am mostly distracted by phone games rather than social media. Sometimes it’s best to delete and especially distracting app. (You can always reinstall it, after you’ve completed a project)

Tip 4.: Create The Habit of Putting away your Phone 1 Hour before

How to stay off social media ? Get yourself an old fashioned alarm clock and don’t bring your phone to bed. Don’t get it in the morning either! Your bed should be a phone free zone. I really struggle with this one too. What work best for me –> An empty phone battery.

Tip 5.: Start a Digital Detox

We tried it out for you check the digital detox post here! A digital detox can help you unplug and reconnect with real life. How to stay away from social media ? Unplug yourself and stay away from any digital tool.

Tip 6.: Stay in the Loop Use Social Media Apps only on Your Computer

A great tip to detox from social media is to restrict your social media apps to your computer. You always have your smartphone with you. Not so your computer. 😉

Tip 7.: Use Timers

Now, this might or might not work for you. Use a timer that limits the amount of time you can spend in an app. Tho when push comes to shove you might just turn off the timer. (Occasionally happened to me) It’s worth trying tho 🙂

Tip 8.: Go Out To Work Leave your Phone at Home

Go to a coffee shop or to a library to work and leave your phone at home. You’ll feel a bit “naked” at first, but with time you’ll get used to running around without a phone. Yeah you can’t take pictures whenever, instead you’ll learn to just enjoy the moments.

How to stop using social media - Summary

In the above tips, you learned how to stop going on social media. What are your favorite tips? How do you unplug from social media? Share in the comments below 🙂 Have you quit social media before? How did it go? Let’s help each other out! I hope we answered How to stop using social media so much. 🙂

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Freaking demotivated? – Easy Tips to Get Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation

Project Girl 2 Woman

“I will be the fastest runner in the whole world”, 10-year-old Carly proudly tells her mum. “Well,” her mum says, “let us go out and practice running right now”.

“Nah mum, not today. I will start running tomorrow. Today is too cold”. 30 years later Carly still dreams about running. She wonders: why am i so demotivated ? Has a lack of motivation ever held you back from achieving your goals? If so, say yes to yourself.

Self-Motivation is one of the most important skills we can develop. Especially when days are awful, or we don’t feel like it at all. Don’t turn into Carly who years later regrets that she hasn’t achieved her dreams. If you want to learn how to motivate yourself keep reading. The guilt and regret you will face, if you don’t do something is by far worse than the discomfort you feel when you are demotivated.

why am i so demotivated ?

First, We Have To Figure Out Why We Are Not Motivated Or Why We Are Even Demotivated.

In common language we talk about demotivation as if there was only one kind. When in fact there are different flavors of demotivation. As there are different flavors of happiness or sadness. Let’s take a look at some demotivators:

1. Your Teacher Sucks

Did you know that according to a study by Dornyei (1998) a teacher can be a huge Demotivator in Language Learning? The teacher’s energy level, mood, teaching methods, and personality play an important role in your motivation. I am sure this doesn’t only count for language learning.

Have you ever Had a bad teacher that sucked your motivation right out of you? Funnily the teacher never thinks he is the cause of your demotivation and blames you.

Bye to them. Time to change your teacher? If that’s not an option try to find an additional teacher or a workgroup that motivates you.

2. You are demotivated by fear ?

Are You Afraid Of What Happens Once You Have Finished A Task? Let’s Say Trina Really Wants To Go To That Course, But She Just Lacks The Motivation To Prepare The Application. She Is Procrastinating. Well, Maybe She Is Afraid Of Meeting New People. Of Going There Alone.

Be aware of your fears and how they might affect your motivation then give yourself a little push. Courage – you can do this! Maybe one of your friends can give you a little pep talk. And hey what’s the worst that could happen? Usually we make it bigger than what it really is.

3. You Are Demotivated Because Of Bad Goals ?

Does Your Goal Really Resonate With Your Values? Is It Really What You Want? Or Do The Expectations Of Your Loved Ones Influence You?

Liz is supposed to apply for a job. Her Mum wants her to become a tax accountant working for the government. Day in and day out crushing numbers. Urgh.

Liz loves creativity. Her Mum told her accountant is a safe job. Well paid too. Liz just can’t find the motivation to send that application. Well maybe it’s better to change the goal in that case. Your subconscious is telling you something. For Liz it’s: DON’T BECOME A F*** ACCOUNTANT!!

4. Low Energy

Don’t you get enough sleep? Or you didn’t eat all day -now you are tired? Don’t expect yourself to move and stay motivated when you are too tired. Check out those methods to have more energy.

5. You Feel Bad

Ever Had A Really Bad Day? Of Course, You Had. Don’t We All Have Bad Days At Times? Just Imagine You Went To Work, Forgot An Important Report, Scrambled The Data Together, And Got Scolded By Your Boss. On Your Way Home Someone Spills Coffee On You, And To Make It Even Worse Once You Get Home You Realize Your Boyfriend Has Eaten The Last Chocolate Pudding. Do You Think You Will Be Motivated To Sit Down And Study French?

Sometimes you have to relax. Take a walk. read a while, calm down, and then try again.

6. Your Task Confuses You

Is Your Task Clear To You? Is It Too Big Or Too Complicated? Let’s Say Your To Do List Says: Create A New Campaign. Would You Know Where To Start? Hell, Would You Even Know What The Campaign Is For? If Your Tasks Aren’t Specific Enough And Too Big You Get Easily Demotivated.

Define a clear to do. Break it down into small and simple junks. Even if you just do a few of those junks you will get closer to completing the task.

What causes demotivation at work?

Lack of Appreciation: You don’t think your boss or colleagues value you.
Lack of Clarity: You don’t know what your tasks actually are about.
Lack of Information: Necessary info is missing and you don’t know how to get it.
Lack of Freedom: Your boss is micromanaging you.
Unkind Colleagues: They make fun of you when you make mistakes.

What demotivates you? How could you counter those demotivators?

How To Motivate Yourself?

After Eliminating Or Reducing Your Demotivators You Can Start Motivating Yourself. Either With Extrinsic Or Intrinsic Motivators. Extrinsic Motivators Mean That The Motivation Comes From The Outside, From Your Environment. Wouldn’t It Be Awesome To Motivate Yourslef Whenever You Want?

Examples For Extrinsic Motivators:

Extrinsic motivators are your sticks and carrots, your rewards, and punishments. Examples would be:

Grades
Payments
Praise
Nagging

Extrinsic motivation works really well for simple tasks, such as getting a pay raise if you pack boxes faster than your colleagues. If you have a simple task you can use extrinsic motivation to push yourself. If I run 5km I will watch that new movie.

During the candle experiment conducted by Duncker, it was found out that extrinsic motivators actually reduced performance for creative tasks. Candidates were asked to find a way to attach a candle to the wall with the following materials:

Source: https://blog.thebaseline.co/dunckers-candle-what-are-you-for-fdfeae8a8c4

The participants, who were told that they would get money if they were the first to find a solution did worse than the ones who did it for fun. The higher the rewards the lower was the performance. When the participants received an easier version the ones, who received rewards did better than the ones who did it for fun.

Source: https://blog.thebaseline.co/dunckers-candle-what-are-you-for-fdfeae8a8c4

Extrinsic Motivators:

Work really well for Simple Tasks with a Narrowed Focus
They narrow your point of view, therefore they don’t work well with creative and complex tasks
When you are already interested in a task, extrinsic motivators can make the task seem like work and reduce motivation!

For which tasks could you use extrinsic motivators? How would those motivators look like?

Examples of instrinsic Motivators

Intrinsic Motivators come from within you. You engage in a task because you find it rewarding. For example:

Joy
Challenge
Fun
Meaning

If your boss gives you an interesting task you will be intrinsically motivated, as you enjoy the task.

Intrinsic Motivators are good for:

Creative and Complex tasks Intrinsic Motivators come from within you. You engage in a task because you find it rewarding. For example: If your boss gives you an interesting task you will be intrinsically motivated, as you enjoy the task.

Intrinsic Motivators are good for:

Creative and Complex tasks
Tasks you know you would enjoy

You can turn a task into a game, give it purpose, or try to master it to intrinsically motivate yourself. Google uses this method for example when they give their employees time to work on projects they enjoy. You can turn a task into a fun challenge with a friend.

Where could you use intrinsic motivators? What would they look like ?

Bottom Line

The next time you ask yourself: Why am i so demotivated ? You’ll know there are demotivators, which reduce your motivation. Try to figure them out and cancel or reduce them, as they hold you back. There are intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. For each task choose the suitable method. Extrinsic motivators work better on simple, repeatable tasks, while intrinsic motivators work better on creative and complex tasks.

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Love from Germany,

Carina and Julia

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19 Captivating and Simple tips to avoid overpromising and under delivering (+ Stop Crazy Overcommitment)

Project Girl 2 Woman

Why do I get so overwhelmed?

Why do I always have so many tasks on my list without getting anywhere?

Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? Don’t worry happens to us too.

There are so many reasons why we overcommit:

– too many goals,

– always eager to help others out, or feeling

– guilty to say no to a colleague

The list grows and grows and we suddenly underdeliver – or at least worry about underdelivering.

Its hard to keep up your usual work quality when there is constant time pressure pushing you. Nagging you.

But before we discuss the tips to avoid overpromising and under delivering we first need to define the following term:

What does the word overcommited mean?

According to collinsdictionary.com, overcommitting describes the obligation to ourselves or someone else to put in more resources than we can.

Short: We promise to do more than we can realistically do in a given time period, or with the finances/ tools or other resources we have.

(Overcommitting is an overpromise synonym)

9 signs of over commitment

Feeling overwhelmed or worried
Facing increasing time pressure
Making multiple mistakes
Having trouble focusing or struggle with a fuzzy brain
Avoiding colleagues, friends, or family members
Having trouble sleeping
Abnormal eating behavior (eating much more or less than before)
Not having the time for your usual hobbies
Intense emotions like anger, sadness, frustrations

10 Ways To not overcommit:

Now, let’s look at the tips to avoid overpromising and under delivering:

Learning not to overcommit is just as important as setting boundaries. So when looking at your to-do list check whether the tasks are actually your responsibility:

Are most tasks for your own goals or do people pass off their tasks on you ?

How to not overcommit yourself for others:

Learn to say no (in a kind way)
Only take tasks that you can actually fit into your schedule
Hand off some of your tasks to others in return
Tell them openly that you are already overcommitted

How to not Overpromise to do things for yourself:

Lower your self-expectations
Don’t start too many new things at the same time
Restrict your tasks to a certain number each day
When planning your week, also consider the time for cleaning, cooking, self-care, doctor’s appointments, etc.
Finish tasks according to your deadlines
Be clear about your resources (Finances, Time, Skills etc)

9 Ways to improve work performance when you are overwhelmed, stressed, and overpromised:

Prioritize tasks and remove unimportant to-dos (try to decrease time pressure)
Keep up your sleep schedule and health
Focus on one task at a time
Ask for help
Staying organized is key !!
Sort your tasks based on deadlines and start with the earliest thing to be finished
Estimated what you can achieve today and only finish these tasks with care.
Take breaks in between, get fresh air, water, a short meditation.

Take the time to reread your work before handing it in (Calculate the numbers again, check the spelling, etc) – (Fellow)

Q&A’s for when you overpromise and underdeliver

Why do I always overcommit?

You probably wonder “why do I overcommit myself?” Trueth to be told – we all do or did at some point of our journey. Overpromising is simply a form of not setting boundaries or limits for ourselves. We don’t want to let others down. Or we are over-achievers and are taking on too many tasks on at once.

Overcommitting also shows us that we wrongly assessed our resources. We didn’t estimate that the set task would be as time-consuming or “hard” as it suddenly turned out to be. We miscalculated the money we needed or overestimated our own skills.

What are your reasons for overcommitting? Is overcommitting a weakness?

You probably wonder if it is a weakness to take on too many tasks at once.

The answer is yes!

Overcommitting can cause:

Bad work results
Physical problems (due to lack of sleep, change in diet)
Mental problems (like burnout, anxiety)
Isolation and clashes with your family, friends, and colleagues
Change your Self-perception (self-doubt)

How to say No Kindly:

Everyone is busy from time to time, so you don’t need to worry about rejecting someone’s call for help when you have a lot going on. Here are some strategies to say no:

Tell them you are busy today, but you can help them next week (Postpone Commitment)
Let them know you can help them to a certain extent. (E.g. I can only proofread not write your article) (Minimize Commitment)
Tell them you are super busy, but your colleague can help. (Defer Commitment)
Let them know you are already overcommitted and you can’t help at the moment. (Reject Commitment)

If you need the exact wording you can check out the post of BetterUp!

But let’s be honest – Friends and family are mostly understanding when you tell them about your busy schedule. Nobody will hold it against you if you say no! Just give them a friendly “I am afraid, I am already overcomitted” and move on with your day.

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