Do you know how to set up virtuous cycles of action to your advantage?

Read the previous post before you read this post.

We need to know how to set up virtuous cycles of recurring actions that get automated by installing them as habits.

The more virtuous cycles we have, the easier and productive our lives will be.

It is very easy to set up these cycles and I will show you how to set one up.

Study the picture before you read further.

Here is the cyclical process you need to follow:

• Develop an inventory of focus areas where you would like to set up a virtuous cycle of action-Example-exercise, balancing your check book, filing your tax returns, saving money, hobby cycle-photography, ---


• Chose one to focus upon and set a cycle


• Visualize all the fun and benefits you will have if you regularly act on the focus area and set the overall goal to be accomplished regularly


• Visualize all the fun, benefits you will miss and the negative consequences, if any, that will follow, if you do not act upon this focus area


• Decide to enhance the value you place on this activity by keeping this focus area in your awareness, frequently. The frequency will depend on the nature of the activity


• Break the activity into 5 to 10 minutes chunks and set milestones and sub-goals; Go for these chunks


• Sequence these 5 to 10 minutes chunks ,appropriately and logically


• Determine the resources required to accomplish the activity and realign the environment in which the activity takes place in a manner that the resources required for the activity is easily accessible.


• Frequently visualize the negative consequences first and then the positive consequences, to inspire yourself to act


• Act and accomplish the results that were preset for this focus area


• Monitor the resources constantly so that these resources are available for you, when you need them, to feed the action cycle


• Stop the process and move on to set up another virtuous cycle, once the current one has become a habit

Try this and change your life for good one virtuous cycle at a time.

Do share your experience here.

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Use this tool to make your life productive!

We are living in times when we need to focus on multiple things. Assembly line approach to work is ineffective in most of the situations we find ourselves in; This is true, especially, if you are a knowledge worker.

In an attempt to solve this problem many people try multitasking. Multitasking is not only dangerous, it is outright ineffective.

It can result in burn out and you will end up producing low quality work.

What I am posting here is a tool that will help you to succeed. The tool is simple and fun to use.

Try it out! Refer to the picture which is self-explanatory.

• Scan: You scan for 3 minutes or longer for various activities
• Spot: You spot an activity based on the context, situation and the goals you have in mind
• Focus: You focus on the activity for a preset time
• Accomplish: You accomplish the preset goal for the activity
• Stop: You stop the activity
• Break: You take a break which is predetermined

You go through the cycle again and again through out the day. At night you take a long break-you sleep. Next day you continue---

Try it for a day. You will be stunned at what you can accomplish.

Do share in your experience here.