Book 2, Post 2 - Feel Good Productivity

For my second book, I chose to read "Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You", by Ali Abdaal. Ali Abdaal is a doctor, youtuber, and prominent voice in the world of health and productivity. I chose to read this book because I am a major procrastinator, and recently I've been struggling with productivity and motivation (probably senior-itis). I talk to my roommates a lot about wanting to read more books like this one, so I'm glad I am able to for this assignment. "Feel-Good Productivity" is an easy read, and it offers a lot of insight into productivity and what can make us more motivated. I love the emphasis on doing things that YOU enjoy and taking care of yourself.

Abdaal talks about his struggles with productivity when becoming a doctor. He used to think the only way to be more productive was to just do more work. This mindset led to him mismanaging relationships and creating a strain on his mental well-being. He explored his relationship with motivation, and discovered that humans are naturally more productive when they feel good. To create this good feeling and boost motivation, Abdaal suggests to incorporate energizers into your life. I never thought much about creating a positive environment for myself when trying to complete tasks, but the idea of energizers has really helped shift my mindset. These energizers include:

1. Play - He suggests we find ways to incorporate play into our life. To create this, some advice is adding a sense of adventure to everyday tasks and lowering the stakes in life to ensure you have a feeling of safety and security.
2. Power - We are in control of our own lives and can make our own decisions. This is power. Knowing this can give a person a confidence boost, making them better at whatever task their doing and more likely to actually do the task.
   
3. People - Who you surround yourself is incredibly important. People can motivate you, encourage you, and give you the feeling of togetherness. On the flip side, some people can drain you and discourage you from doing what you need to. Surrounding yourself with positive people is a great way to give yourself energy.

Just knowing these specific things has been helpful when I struggle with procrastination. Additionally, the book contains exercises you can do to really grasp onto the concept. I have enjoyed the book so far and look forward to learning more about this and re-framing my mindset. I would recommend this book to someone who also struggles with procrastination, or anyone looking to read about more scientific ways to increase productivity. It made the topic a lot more digestable.