How much self-control do you have? On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high) where do you rank yourself? Many people believe that self-control is determined by our willpower. It is also believed that willpower is a fixed trait and something that determines destiny. But does willpower control how successful that diet will be, or how focused you are on that project, or whether you can complete that personal productivity upgrade?
In a recent article on Vox, the primacy of willpower was challenged by author Brian Resnick.
“But this idea, that people have self-control because they’re good at willpower, is looking more and more like a myth. It turns out that self-control, and all the benefits from it, may not be related to inhibiting impulses at all. And once we cast aside the idea of willpower, we can better understand what actually works to accomplish goals, and hit those New Year’s resolutions.”
At the end of an Efficient Librarian training seminar or webinar, I like to close with a phrase from David Allen that has stuck with me for a long time. To my mind this phrase encapsulates the power inherent in the GTD mindset. The phrase is “The Strategic Value of Clear Space.”
“You spend a quarter of your life at work, so shouldn’t you enjoy it? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside some of the world’s most unusual workplaces to discover the keys to better work. Whether you’re learning how to love criticism or trust a co-worker you can’t stand, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again.”
Physical actions are visible to other people such as calling someone on the phone, typing an email, drafting a memo, or talking to a colleague. A common trap is to believe that “thinking” about an item is a next action. Thinking could be part of a next action if that process is accompanied by a physical movement to capture the ideas, such as drawing a mind map.
book that provides an answer to this dilemma. In 
Sometimes when we think about the effort it will take to get organized a negative reaction will arise. Is it really worth all the time and energy necessary to put things in their right spot? How about the constant practice of getting things out of your head – sounds like a pain! Can’t we just relax and have fun?
Efficient Librarian 