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Six takeaways:

1. The competitive spirit occurs naturally in human beings, but if it goes unmanaged it can have horrible effects on one’s life, This article provides a formula to overcome this: instead of always going for gold, shoot for the bronze.
2. A 1995 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology studied the emotional reactions of silver and bronze medalists in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games both immediately after their events and later on. For both groups, bronze medalists were the happiest in both the short and long term.
3. Silver medalists see themselves as “first loser” whereas bronze medalists compare themselves favorably with those who didn’t make it onto the podium.
4. This brings forth the distinction between upward comparison and downward comparison. If we compare cars, clothes, bank accounts with those wealthier than us, we’ll feel lesser. Downward comparison makes people feel better about themselves and, thus, happier.
5. Self-comparison is unavoidable, but you can take steps to fortify yourself against it. This includes avoiding or regulating social media use, looking at life as a series of long-term goals rather than benchmarks, and to view your main competition as being with yourself rather than with others.
6. Lastly, use mindfulness tactics/practices to remind yourself that you can only control your own path, and that validation should only come from within.

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

Five takeaways:

• Despite endless statistics about how remote work increases productivity, working from home is a relatively new concept that takes a lot of trial and error before finding a routine that works. Productivity isn’t an innate skill (for most people anyway). It’s not even a skill really – it’s a series of habits that take consistent patience to build.
• The writer then lists five habits to making your WFH day as productive and pleasant as possible, noting how often we are confronted by the difference between expectation and reality. The tips are:
  1. Getting an Early Start: Oftentimes, we can wake up and jump into problem-solving mode (which, as referenced in the first article today, can derail an entire workday). Instead, plan to handle your biggest tasks as early as possible and stick to that plan. Save smaller, less urgent tasks for later on if possible.
  2. Deciding Where to Work: Working from home can be isolating, but working from cafes or coworking spaces can be expensive and distracting. One must invest in their home office space to … splurge a bit on a desk or chair or other decor that keeps you inspired to get the job done. Don’t be afraid to experiment as you find the balance that works for you.
  3. Prioritizing Tasks: Everything feels like the most important thing, so be intentional about what needs to get done first. Research concepts such as the Eisenhower Matrix or Eat That Frog that can assist with prioritization. Remember, the process of prioritizing tasks can take its toll on your mental bandwidth as well. Be decisive quickly, then work to tune other tasks out as you attack your most important goals for the day.
  4. Scheduling Uninterrupted Deep Work: There are a plethora of tools available to us that assist in minimizing distraction. Multiple apps (look into Forest and Zero Willpower) are good places to start. It is an important mental habit; by allowing ourselves to be distracted, we’re actually weakening our brains’ ability to focus on “deep work” in the long term. Distractions are unavoidable, but our reaction to them is something we can control.
  5. Maintaining Work-Life Balance: Set firm boundaries and do not waver on them. Incorporate a scheduled time off and build activities into that time off that service the human need for adventure, connection, creativity, and relaxation. Every individual has a different balance they must strike, but we all must be deliberate in pursuing full understanding of that balance. Doing so will guarantee a more refreshed mental approach to your work.

From Sarah Aboulhosn for Todoist
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Seven takeaways:

• Focus is valuable, and difficult to regain. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine found that workers who are interrupted by phone calls and emails need an average of about 23 minutes to get back on task and end up feeling more stress and frustration than their peers.
• The article then lists seven common habits that push workers into distraction:
  1. Constantly checking your phone during lulls: Time management coach Anna Dearmon Kornick suggests scheduling specific “scroll time” in your day to indulge in social media without impeding your productivity. By allocating dedicated time for phone usage, you are less likely to impulsively reach for your phone and fall into the trap of mindlessly scrolling through apps.
  2. Doing unrelated tasks that will “only take a second”: Stepping away from the day’s most important tasks can disrupt your workflow and derail your focus. To combat this, create a “shiny thing list” of off-work tasks that might pop into your head and set aside specific intervals to address them. Career coach Anyelis Cordero recommends working in distraction-free intervals to enhance productivity. Focused work sprints of 90 minutes often yield better results than hours of scattered multitasking.
  3. You open too many tabs on your web browser: Hoarding browser tabs can cause stress and distraction, but using tab organizers or background managers can help declutter and focus your browsing experience. Research tools like OneTab which converts all your open tabs into a convenient list.
  4. You impulsively check Slack and other work chat platforms: Chat windows can interrupt focus and create more work for yourself, so setting boundaries with teammates and utilizing status updates and calendar blocking can help manage interruptions. Immediately responding to notifications can create an expectation that you will always be available, which further inhibits your ability to retain necessary focus.
  5. You start solving problems right away, before determining if they’re actually your problems to solve: It is natural, when you encounter a new problem at work, to want to jump directly into problem-solving mode. But it can be a safeguard of your time and attention to take a moment to assess the situation; be sure that the problem is your responsibility to fix and that it is fully understood by you and your team.
  6. You assume you are right: One of the most dangerously wasteful mindsets is to believe you have mastered your job. This mindset can lead you to resist change that may make your processes more efficient. Listen to others, research new technologies and techniques; embrace the need to adapt and change in the workplace– viewing it as an ever-shifting quest to find the most pragmatic, direct solutions available to you when presented with problems new or familiar.
  7. You schedule unnecessary meetings: Forty-seven percent of workers surveyed by Salary.com in 2012 said “too many meetings” was their top workplace distraction. Streamline meetings and eliminate them when you can. This will safeguard your own time and give others a chance to extend their periods of deep focus as well.

From Monica Torres for The Huffington Post
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