Two days ago marked the highly anticipated final match of the Champions League, the premier European football competition. As a passionate fan, I anxiously awaited the game; my favorite team was competing for this title. The match unfolded, and my team gave an incredible performance, but in the end, they fell short of winning, they lost the title by just one goal.
I watched the game at my house with the light off, and all my attention was on the TV screen. After the referee blew the final whistle, I instinctively turned off the TV to settle down in the dark room. There, in the silence, I found myself grappling with a surge of emotions, my heart racing and my breath shallow. It wasn’t a pleasant moment at all.
Within a few minutes, shortly after the game had ended, I found myself drawn to my desk work. Voluntarily launched a writing platform. In an unexpected turn of events, I started writing to work on an article. It may appear ridiculous to you that someone driven by frustration and anger would rush into work. This is why I’m telling you about my experience, so you may learn what motivated me to achieve this level of productivity.
This journey began when I decided to start a freelance career. I soon realized that my productivity suffered whenever I allowed my negative emotions to dictate my actions. It had become a harmful habit to abandon work whenever anger or a bad mood took hold. Reflecting on this issue, I read tens of articles in search of a solution, but none were able to resolve my problem.
As far as I know, positive emotions lead to more productivity, according to an article published in Yours |For Business website under the name “Emotions in the Workplace: Why Managers Need to Care.”
“Positive emotions can lead to positive feelings, such as happiness, pride, and enthusiasm, which in turn can lead to greater job satisfaction and productivity. On the other hand, negative emotions can cause employees to feel stressed, anxious, and resentful, which can lead to decreased motivation and performance.”
I recognized the need for change. Only a few weeks ago, I decided to follow an approach to get over this situation and its consequences, as my preference to turn off course had become all too familiar. Whenever frustration struck, I would abandon work to engage in time-wasting activities such as watching videos or playing video games.
With a determined mindset, I decided to confront this productivity challenge head-on. Equipped with a pen and paper, I began to dissect the issue that had been plaguing my freelance career. I realized that the key to maintaining a consistent workflow and maximizing my earning potential lay in my ability to stay focused on completing tasks and delivering results to my clients.
During my observation of the issue and its reflection on my productivity, a realization struck me: my current approach of abandoning work to pursue meaningless activities was actually hindering my progress. After careful consideration and analysis, I reached an important decision: I needed to prioritize completing tasks rather than wasting time on meaningless distractions.
As a result, I made a conscious decision to clean my apartment whenever I found myself in a negative state of mind. I learned that by channeling my frustration into productive cleaning sessions, I discovered that completing these tasks not only improved my surroundings but also provided a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. My mind began to reward me with a positive mindset after each task I successfully completed.
According to an article published on the Harvard Business Review website by Francesca Gino and Bradley Staats, “Complicating matters, finishing immediate, mundane tasks actually improves your ability to tackle tougher, more important things. Your brain releases dopamine when you achieve goals. And since dopamine improves attention, memory, and motivation, even achieving a small goal can result in a positive feedback loop that makes you more motivated to work harder going forward.”
Upon reading these insightful words, I began to understand why I experienced an improved mood and a renewed sense of motivation after engaging in cleaning tasks. It became clear to me that by completing tasks, my mood would naturally uplift, which in turn opened up my appetite for work. This realization prompted me to wonder: If simply finishing tasks could have such a positive impact on my mood, why not incorporate tasks related to work directly into the work itself?
I started implementing this approach by tackling small tasks whenever I felt down. It gradually became a habit, so now, whenever I experience negative emotions, I involve myself in work.
While I haven’t completely abandoned cleaning, there are times when I dive straight into work, and my apartment is always sparkling clean and filled with a pleasant aroma now. This newfound habit has significantly boosted my productivity, multiplying it by at least three times. It’s a powerful reminder that our habits can either hinder or propel us in the pursuit of our dreams.
Sometimes, unexpected circumstances can lead us to discover valuable insights and make positive changes in our lives. It’s amazing how a seemingly unrelated event, like my favorite team losing a match, brought me to write this post for you. As we live in this moment of reflection and growth. Life has a way of presenting us with opportunities to learn and adapt. So, let’s embrace these moments and use them as catalysts for personal and professional growth.
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