Enroll early in the Busyness Trap: Escape Overload and Focus on What Matters: https://dyan-williams.thinkific.com/courses/busyness-trapModule 1 is now available. For an early enrollment fee of $29, you will get unlimited access to Module 1 plus all new modules that are added incrementally. The price of this course will increase as more modules are published. When all the modules are made available, the enrollment fee could be from $99 to $199. A year ago, I started outlining the modules and writing the lessons for this self-paced online course. It builds on the 5 productivity principles described in my book, The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps. By taking this course, you will learn why you fall into the busyness trap, what keeps you stuck there, and how to get out and stay out. Module 1 contains 12 minutes of 5 video lessons:1) Welcome (or what to expect in this course) 2) Productivity Principles to Beat Busyness3) Fast Changes and Tech Overuse Make You Busier4) Small Steps to Giant Leaps5) No Quick Fixes or One-Size-Fits-All SolutionsLessons may be updated or added to provide more value and to address common questions and constructive feedback. For updates on the course, subscribe to my enewsletter or The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast.website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsDYouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theincrementalist/The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)
Learn 7 reasons why the Law of Attraction is unproductive and even harmful. The Law of Attraction says your thoughts and feelings manifest your reality; they contain vibrations and frequencies that create tangible outcomes or visible results. It’s pseudoscience that makes vague references to neurology, metaphysics and quantum mechanics. The law of attraction is a New Thought or New Age concept. The idea is that whatever you desire, the universe will provide. The 3 steps of manifestation are to ask, belief and receive. There is no action step. When you’re in the realm of possibility, action typically beats inaction. You could break down the challenge to make the action steps easier, struggle less, and apply the effort that you can reasonably manage. The incrementalist approach is more doable than trying to harness your mind power to manifest desired outcomes. Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/ The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle) https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee) Watch the YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@theincrementalist/ Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD
When you’re busy all the time, it’s hard to pause, slow down and rest. But the busier you are, the more you need to recover and recharge.In episode 70 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) Wanting to rest is not a sign of weakness or laziness 0:002) What is rest 0:533) The benefits of passive rest, like Niksen (the Dutch term for doing nothing) 1:214) The advantages of active rest, like tactile hobbies or meditative activities 2:205) Rest can be mentally restorative, physically recharging, or spiritually renewing, or a combination of all three 2:445) The two main branches of the nervous system 4:196) Polyvagal Theory and the importance of the vagus nerve and Ventral Vagal State 5:257) The four types of responses to stress 8:218) Rest allows you to use your nervous system more effectively and activate the Ventral Vagal State to destress 8:369) Rest is key to creating big results in small steps 9:26Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)Watch the YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@theincrementalist/Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD
Learning is a meta skill for thriving, growing, and doing better. When you don’t learn, you stay stuck and repeat the same mistakes. While learning might not be as urgent as performing tasks, producing output and meeting deadlines, it’s just as important. Your performance is at its lowest when you’re purely performing or purely learning. You’re most likely to succeed when you have the ideal mix of both. In episode 69 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) Chronic performance is counterproductive2) The difference between having a fixed mindset and a growth mindset3) 7 big ideas from Eduardo Briceño’s book, The Performance Paradox, to break out of chronic performance and turn the power of mindset into action2:42 Big Idea #13:20 Big Idea #24:09 Big Idea #34:54 Big Idea #4 7:34 Big Idea #5 10:07 Big Idea #612:25 Big Idea #7Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)Watch the YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@theincrementalist/Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD
Uncertainty makes it harder to make progress and find flow in meaningful things. In easy conditions, progress is a straight line toward an end point. But when there’s uncertainty, progress is more like a feedback loop. In episode 68 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) 0:09 When faced with the unknown, you can either do something or do nothing.2) 0:26 The difference between uncertainty and ambiguity and why they both cause frustration. 3) 1:03 The Paradox of Control and how we create anxiety.4) 1:47 How good anxiety works for you and bad anxiety works against you. 5) 2:09 The Progress Principle and ways to leverage it. 6) 4:03 How to step into uncertainty to make progress and find flow:4:08 Tip 15:15 Tip 26:23 Tip 3 (stage 1 of flow cycle)8:36 Tip 4 (stage 2 of flow cycle) 9:37 Tip 5 (stage 3 of flow cycle)11:23 Tip 6 (stage 4 of flow cycle) 7) 13:02 Benefits of the Flow Cycle8) 13:08 Benefits of the Progress Loop 9) 14:03 I'm making an online course currently titled "The Busyness Trap: How to Escape Overload and Focus on What Matters." To get updates on the course launch and registration process, subscribe to my e-newsletter at dyanwilliams.com or The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast. Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsDTheme Music by: Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve.
Setting goals - when done right - puts you on the path to a more desired life. In goal setting, do not make the finish line the main thing or lose sight of the journey. In episode 67 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) 0:15 By breaking your big goals down into mini goals, you achieve small wins that build your confidence, grow your knowledge, and keep you on an upward spiral.2) 0:32 Goals are spotlights pointing you in a certain direction. They are not always your ultimate destination point. 3) 1:21 The key differences between extrinsic goals and intrinsic goals. 4) 1:53 Why it's better to focus on goals you control, like your daily habits and actions.5) 2:41 How to measure progress by thinking about the gains rather the gaps.5) 4:09 The benefits of embracing failure as a chance to learn, instead of a negative experience to avoid at all costs. 6) 5:05 Why you need to choose or design the ideal environment and not rely on your willpower.7) 6:40 Fear of hope is a root cause for why we resist change. 8) 9:56 I'm creating an online course currently titled "The Busyness Trap: How to Escape Overload and Focus on What Matters." To get updates on the course launch and registration process, subscribe to my e-newsletter at dyanwilliams.com or The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast. Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsDTheme Music by: Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve.
A bias for action can help you do big things and reach big goals. In big projects, it's vital in the delivery phase, which should be fast. But it hurts the planning phase, where it’s better to be slow. In episode 66 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) 0:00 A bias for action feels productive but can also backfire and cause big failure in big projects.2) 0:55 Every big project has 2 basic phases: Planning and Delivery. 3) 1:11 In their book, How Big Things Get Done, authors Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner note that 99.5 percent of megaprojects go over budget, over schedule, fail to deliver promised results, or have some combination of these.4) 2:01 Failed projects use the Think Fast, Act Slow approach (rushed, superficial planning before project delivery). Successful projects apply the Think Slow, Act Fast pattern (careful, precise planning before project delivery). 5) 2:59 To do big things, apply the Think Slow, Act Fast approach with these 5 action tips: i) 3:05 Tip #1 - Commit to not committing. ii) 6:06 Tip #2 - Think from right to left. iii) 8:33 Tip #3 - Tinker, test, and experiment. iv) 12:10 Tip #4 - Figure out what’s your LEGO - your basic building block – and keep adding one block to another. v) 13:19 Tip #5 - Take the outside view, not just the inside view.6) 15:15 Why the significance of planning is often downplayed: The Principle of the Hiding Hand and the Theory of Beneficial Ignorance or Providential IgnoranceYou don't need to be deep in delivery mode to spark creative ideas. Use the think slow, act fast pattern to plan carefully, deliver effectively, and get the best results in big projects. Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)🎧 Listen to The Incrementalist podcast and get transcripts at:https://theincrementalist.transistor.fm/Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsDTheme Music by: Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve. https://open.spotify.com/album/7lbT8zOQMXeWkRUZto3tKL
Solitude is a chosen state of being alone. It is not the same as interpersonal loneliness or existential loneliness, which may lead to an early death or death by suicide in extreme cases. The need for alone time is as vital to human life as the need for social interaction. When you practice solitude, you will be better able to move through loneliness with skill, rather than try to end it unskillfully at all costs. In episode 65 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) The main differences between solitude and loneliness 2) The key differences between loners and introverts, who both enjoy solitude3) The reason extroverts might need solitude more than loners and introverts4) The four key benefits of solitude:i) Intentionalityii) Intellectualityiii) Simplicityiv) Self-sufficiency5) Easy ways to practice solitude in daily lifeThe Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)To learn more about how to get a Leanpub book on your Kindle, or into the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, go to:How do I get Leanpub books on my Kindle, or into the Kindle app on my phone or tablet? | Leanpub Help CenterWatch the video, Solitude: The Overlooked Path to Moving Through Loneliness, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/Subscribe to e-newsletter at:https://bit.ly/3J9EbsDTheme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve.
As you make gains, step by step, your actions and behaviors that used to take a lot of effort become more like a habit. You can choose to stay there and enjoy what you’ve accomplished or take the next step for a new challenge. The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is now available on both Amazon and Leanpub.The book shows you how to skillfully practice the Incrementalist principles to do the right things, in the right way, at the right time – even when you feel unmotivated or uninspired.If you buy it, read it, and enjoy it, please recommend it to others and post a 5-star customer review on Amazon! Your support goes a long way in encouraging more readers to check it out and benefit from it as well.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)To learn more about how to get a Leanpub book on your Kindle, or into the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, go to: How do I get Leanpub books on my Kindle, or into the Kindle app on my phone or tablet? | Leanpub Help CenterWatch the video, Turn your hard efforts into easier steps, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsDTheme Music by: Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve.
Uncertain outcomes and imperfect data make it tougher to decide. A decision starts with a choice, which is an opportunity to select from two or more options. A decision is cutting off options and narrowing it down to just one. This is harder to do in novel, high-stakes situations.In episode 63 of The Incrementalist, you will learn how to make better decisions in the face of uncertainty: 1. Understand that decision making starts with knowing what you really want. Go with thick desires, instead of thin desires. 2. Find out where you are on the Social Behavior Map in decision making. 3. Embrace Wicked Learning Environments.4. Create Kinder Learning Environments.5. Consider the need for certainty as a pitfall in decision making. Watch the video, Making Decisions When You Don't Know What to Do on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Decision-making can be daunting. A decision can be so tough that you avoid it for as long as possible, instead of approach it head-on. And we can get worn out by the sheer number of choices we make daily. In episode 62 of The Incrementalist, you will learn two major pitfalls in decision making and strategies to navigate them:1. Pitfall #1 - Choice Overload Decision MatrixParadox of ChoiceMaximizer vs. SatisficerNarrow Framing2. Pitfall #2 - Cognitive BiasSystem One vs. System Two ThinkingCommon Cognitive BiasesMental ModelsGet Distance3. Four Basic Steps to Decision Making: there's a villain at each step. Watch the video, Making Decisions When You Have Choice Overload and Cognitive Biases on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds a visual dimension to what you hear on the podcast.Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Goals are targets, milestones or results you want to achieve. But week after week, month after month, year after year, we set goals that we soon forget. Before you decide that goals don’t work, first look at how you set them. In episode 61 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) Even when we don't set goals, we carry them around in some shape or form. 2) 7 big mistakes to avoid when goal setting (and how to fix them). Watch the video, 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Goal Setting on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds another dimension to what you hear on the podcast.Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Even if goals don’t make you happy or happier, you still need to make them for different reasons.In episode 60 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) The limits of goal setting and goal achievement. 2) The 5 reasons you still need to set goals, even if they don't really make you happier. Watch the video, Why You Need to Set Goals, Even if Achieving Them Doesn't Make You Happier, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds another dimension to what you hear on the podcast.Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
What to do - when you feel like doing nothing - depends on the reasons you're unmotivated and unproductive. In episode 59 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) The Procrastination Equation, a formula by Dr. Piers Steel that helps explains why you feel unmotivated and why you procrastinate. 2) 10 tips to get out of a mental slump and motivation rut. Watch the video, What to Do When You're Motivated to Do Nothing, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds another dimension to what you hear on the podcast. Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Toxic productivity occurs when you apply habits, routines and practices that are prescribed for someone else. Some of the productivity advice are hacks, tricks and tips that won’t work for you. They just don’t match with your mindset, preferences and season of life. In episode 58 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) The truth about productivity advice and toxic productivity. 2) 5 universal principles or basic rules to apply in any productivity practice. 3) 7 common mistakes to avoid when moving from being unproductive to productive. Watch the video, The Truth About Productivity Advice and Toxic Productivity, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds another dimension to what you hear on the podcast. Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.comSubscribe to productivity e-newsletter
Harness the power of slow living and practice the slow philosophy. This is how you break the obsession with doing more faster and, instead, do the right things at the right speed.On the road of life, there are twists and turns, hills and valleys. We can map out and plan our journey. But even then, we can’t always see what’s ahead of us in a given moment. And slowing down is the only way to move ahead. In episode 57 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1. Slow living gives you an infinite source of energy that constantly renews and recharges.2. Seven steps to slow, productive living. Watch the video on episode 57 on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. You will see video clips of my recent travel to my home country, Jamaica, a tropical island in the Caribbean. Taking extended breaks (vacations) is one of the steps to slow living and doing less, but better! Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.comSubscribe to productivity e-newsletter
If you have trouble finishing projects and goals, you’re not alone. This is a common human experience. But there are 5 things you can do to finish strong with any project or goal. In episode 56 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1. The limits of willpower, better habits, and more refined systems. 2. The 5 things to start doing to finish your goals -i. Make progress incrementally and imperfectly.ii. Set smaller, more flexible goals.iii. Enjoy the process, not wait for the desired result.iv. Rest and recharge fully. v. Attend to one priority at a time. 3. The Incrementalist YouTube channel is inching toward a milestone, with the last video, How to Stay Focused and Control Your Attention, giving it a boost.Watch the video on episode 56, especially if you're a visual learner! Become one of the first 100 subscribers on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.comSubscribe to productivity e-newsletter
Your ability to focus on deep work is key to being productive. Your power to connect ideas is vital to being creative. Whether you’re focusing or mind wandering, you need to direct your attention to perform at your peak. In episode 55 of The Incrementalist, you will learn: 1) The difference between Hyperfocus and Scatterfocus and why you need both modes of focus to control your attention. 2) Mind wandering is not a problem if you have meta-awareness or metacognition, i.e., to be aware of your awareness or to pay attention to your attention. 3) The three types of attention - the Flashlight, the Floodlight, and the Juggler - that coordinate with each other to affect your state of focus. 4) 4 tips to build your focus muscle and direct your attention:i. Define your priority and focus on one thing at a timeii. Tame the distractions and interruptions that dilute your focusiii. Match the challenge with your skills or abilityiv. Allow mind wandering with intentionWatch the video on episode 55, which caught the attention of the YouTube algorithm and became a recommended video for viewers to find more easily.Breaking the YouTube barrier in this way is a major milestone that is difficult to reach -- and was done through incremental learning and tweaking in the creation process. At this time, The Incrementalist is still (proudly) a very small channel.Become one of the first 100 subscribers on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show!Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.comSubscribe to productivity e-newsletter
Digital technology has its benefits and is not all bad. But tech-overuse and tech addiction cause problems too. To break our tech addiction and master our tech use, we need Digital Minimalism: “A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else," says author Cal Newport.In episode 54 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) Online information and entertainment often create distraction (move you away from what you really want), instead of traction (move you toward what you really want).2) Social media and online search platforms are designed to hook us. The technology that connects us also controls, manipulates, polarizes, distracts, monetizes and divides us.3) 3 things you can do to break your tech addiction and master your tech use:i. Complete the digital declutter processii. Practice solitudeiii. Reclaim true leisureWatch the video on episode 54, especially if you're a visual learner! Become one of the first 100 subscribers on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.comSubscribe to productivity e-newsletter
When we hear the term work-life balance, we tend to think of it as a good thing. It’s doing great work, without overworking. It’s getting enough rest, without staying idle. But if we want to have a meaningful and productive life, striving for perfect work-life balance is not often the right path. What we really want to aim for is Intentional Imbalance. In episode 52 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:1) 3 reasons work-life balance isn't really practical or beneficial2) 3 elements of Intentional Imbalance - Alignment- Introspection- Momentum3) There’s nothing wrong with having a comfortable and balanced life. But if you want to do something great or extraordinary, you will need to focus on one thing at the expense of the other. And if you’re going to have imbalance, you might as well be intentional about it. Watch the video on episode 52, especially if you're a visual learner! Become one of the first 100 subscribers on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. Intro & Outro Theme Music by:Sebastian Brian Mehr: Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve (hearnow.com)Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small StepsEmail: dyan@dyanwilliams.comVisit website: www.dyanwilliams.comSubscribe to productivity e-newsletter