The Incrementalist

At the end of the year and the start of a new one, we tend to reflect on accomplishments and think about aspirations. There’s nothing wrong with keeping the status quo if it works for you. Constantly striving for the next big thing is no better than leading a simple, satisfying life.

But like all human beings, you probably have a wish or a dream that has yet to come true. A wish or a dream is not a goal until you have a plan of action. And a plan of action is not made until you define the next steps.  And the next steps are not done until you actually complete them.

In episode 44 of The Incrementalist, you will learn: 

1. When you have a high, hard goal that you want to reach in the next year, 5 years, or 10 years, lack of motivation is not the biggest issue. Usually, what holds you back is lack of clarity on what you need to do or lack of ability to take the necessary action.

2. With the Incrementalist approach, you can achieve big things with little resistance and less friction. 

3. The first principle is to get clear on your priority or priorities. 

• The projects that are important but are not urgent often get neglected, but they are the ones that will get you to the next level. 
• Discover your own purpose and your reason for being. 

4. The second principle is to break down the big goal into actionable, manageable steps. 

• To grow, develop and transform, you want to move out of your comfort zone. But if a project is too hard, you lose steam and give up. And if it's too easy, you get bored. 
• Challenges need to be within the optimal zone of difficulty. 
• The Goldilocks Rule says we have peak motivation when we tackle tasks that are just right for our current skill set.  
• The right level of stress is 7 out of 10, where you succeed most of the time, but need to pay attention to what you’re doing. 
• The sweet spot is where the challenge is 4% greater than your current skill level (not a whole lot, but outside your comfort zone). 
• The 1 Percent Rule says that over time, the rewards in a given field will accrue to the people, teams and organization that maintain a slight edge over the competition. 
• Building good habits is essential. 

5. The third principle is to set a time block to do the important thing. 

• Protecting time for the next step goes beyond making a to-do list. You decide when exactly you will do a task, in what context and under what circumstances, and for how long. 
• Time blocking and time boxing encourage you to take deliberate action and reduce distractions and interruptions. 

6. The fourth principle is to synch with your natural rhythm. 

• Match your energy and focus level with the task at hand. 
• Deep work requires high focus and vigilance. 
• Creative projects require a relaxed and insightful mood. 

7. The fifth principle is to rest and recharge.

• Necessary rest prevents you from burning out.
• Deliberate breaks keep the fire burning. 

Check out the new YouTube channel at The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show! If you're visual learner, there's a video on Episode 44!

Read the transcript.

Sources cited: 

• Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible
• BJ Fogg, Tiny Habits
• James Clear, Atomic Habits
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 4, How to Prioritize What Matters
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 33, Make Time Your Ally (not a thing to manage)
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 29, Finding Your Ikigai (sense of purpose)
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 26, Get Stressed the Right Way
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 5, Finding and Sustaining Flow
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 20, Consistency and the Compound Effect 
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 2, Building Good Habits
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 7, Time Blocking and Time Boxing to Get the Right Things Done
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 8, How to Plan Your Ideal Week
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 9, Why Weekly Planning Works
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 41, Get Bored Now
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep.  21, Find and Keep a Hobby You Love
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 10, Rest Even When You’re Busy

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

We have all experienced anxiety on some level at various points in our lives. COVID-19 and the global response to it have brought massive changes and deep uncertainty since the start of 2020.

Before then, 90% of Americans in the room raised their hands when asked if they had experienced daily anxiety. Wendy Suzuki, a neural science and psychology professor at NYU, says that number has gone way up. But she reminds us that at its core, anxiety is really a protective mechanism. Like all emotions, it serves an evolutionary purpose and is key to survival. 

In episode 43 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Anxiety is generally defined as worry over an imminent possible event or worry over uncertainty.

2)  Anxiety is a psychological and physical response to stress, which moves you into fight, flight or freeze mode.

3) Currently, 28% or nearly 1/3 of Americans are diagnosed with a clinical, anxiety disorder. Examples are generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, and OCD.

4) Chronic anxiety weakens the immune system, contributes to heart disease, impairs brain health, creates indigestion, and makes us less productive. It causes negative plasticity in the brain, changes our biochemistry and raises blood pressure.

5) Good anxiety tells you what’s important, what needs attention, what you value, and what to avoid. By befriending anxiety, you can build resilience, patience, compassion and empathy, and leverage nervous energy to deal with challenges.

6) According to the Yerkes-Dodson curve, a bit of anxiety can put you in the optimal state to perform a difficult task. But just like fine wine and delicious chocolate, you can have too much of a good thing.

7) Four tools that Dr. Suzuki recommends for activating the parasympathetic, destressing part of the nervous system:

a) Deep Breathing - which includes the 4 x 4 box breathing method.

b) Movement - which includes a power walk outside or walking up and down the stairs. Cardio exercise for about 45 minutes, two to three times per week, gives the most benefits.

c) Joy conditioning - which is active recall and selection of memories of your most joyful experiences, especially ones with olfactory associations.

d) Social support - which you might need to choose carefully because certain relationships are better than others for certain purposes and in different contexts.

8) Why you need to create an enriched environment and escape impoverished environments for brain health and emotional wellbeing.

9) Approach anxiety with an exploratory mindset so you can harness it as a superpower.

10) Embracing good anxiety helps you to avoid toxic positivity and experience the expansiveness of your emotions.

Read the transcript. 

Sources cited: 

• Wendy Suzuki, Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 14, Morning Routines and Rituals to Start Your Day
• Dyan WIlliams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 15, Evening Routines and Rituals to End Your Day

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

There are news stories and articles on how we have the attention span of a goldfish. You might have heard that with the Internet, we can now only focus for 8 seconds at a time. The good news is there are no studies to back this up. There is also a common belief that we use only 10% of our brain. The entire brain is being used, but some parts are more activated than others. Having a peak mind is more about knowing where your attention is than whether or not you are hyper-focused or hyper-vigilant. 

In episode 42 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1. We miss out on 50% of our lives because our attention is scattered and distracted.

2. In a given experience, moment or task, it's important to ask yourself: Where is your attention now? Is it where you want it to be?

3. A wandering mind is not a real problem if you have meta-awareness or metacognition, i.e. to be aware of your awareness, or to pay attention to your attention.

4. The three different types of attention -
a) The Flashlight is when your attention is more singular, narrow and focused on a particular thing. It gives you privileged information, selects and filters out, and emphasizes content.

b) The Floodlight is when your attention is broad, receptive and open to whatever is happening now. It does not privilege any information, is open to inputs, and emphasizes time.

c) The Juggler is the manager and executive control system. It interprets the information from the flashlight and floodlight systems and determines whether your goals and behavior are aligned.

5. Even when you get rid of all the digital distractions, you will still have attention problems. Getting bored with a task, for example, can steer us toward online entertainment if we don’t know how to use boredom to our benefit.

6. Being distractable is human. It makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. We need it to avoid danger and predators. The capacity to mentally time travel is useful for thinking, reflecting, planning, visualizing, and dreaming.

But it also causes us to miss out on the moment, catastrophize about the future, ruminate on the past, or be preoccupied with things we don’t control. This can lead to high stress, anxiety, brain fog and depleted attention. So, you need to train yourself to direct your focus on where it has to be. 

7. Mindfulness training is key to developing your attention. Examples are:
a) Focused attention on the breadth
b) The S.T.O.P. practice
b) Open monitoring or open awareness meditation

8) Invest at least 12 minutes a day on mental training exercises to declutter your mind and develop your attention span

9) When you’re too focused, you miss the big picture and the context of the situation.  If you’re too open, you can become indecisive.  You need to have all three systems in play to perform at your peak. The flashlight lets you keep your eye on the ball, the floodlight helps you to scan the field, and the juggler allows you to stay in and win the game. 

Read the transcript. 

Sources cited: 

• Amishi P. Ja, Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest in 12 Minutes a Day
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 41, Get Bored Now

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

Is boredom a negative emotion? It is defined as a feeling of discontent with something that is dull, repetitive, tiresome or tedious. We prefer to stay away from anything that is boring to us. But boredom is largely a complex emotion that can have a very positive impact. It can make us more creative and productive. 

In episode 41 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) In 11 studies, researchers at the University of Virginia and Harvard University found that most participants did not enjoy spending 6 to 15 minutes in a room by themselves with nothing to do but think. 

• Participants preferred to do mundane activities like scroll their cell phone. 
• Some chose pain over boredom by pressing a button to give themselves an electric shock.

2) A  March 2019 article in the Academy of Management Discoveries reported that boredom is a little-known way to boost creativity.

• Study 1: boredom helped boost individual productivity on an idea-generation task. 
• Study 2: boredom manipulation increased boredom but did not trigger other negative emotions like anger and frustration, which makes boredom a unique factor in sparking creativity.
• Study 3: boredom did not always improve creativity for a product development task. The participants needed to have a high learning goal orientation, high need for cognition, high openness to experience, and high internal locus of control to get more creative when feeling bored. 

3)  Boredom is a cause of divergence-seeking, exploratory tendencies. Feeling bored will drive you to change and do something different, seek challenges, switch to goals or tasks that better serve you, and motivate you to engage in unusual ways of doing things that are contrary to typical or predictable responses.

4) Doing nothing or sitting with your thoughts is hard when there’s so much to do and so much to pull your attention. But if you want to be more creative and productive, it’s good to experience boredom.

5) Being bored is not the same as purposeful, relaxation activities, such as yoga and meditation.

6) To experience true boredom, you could sit with your eyes closed, or look out the window, or walk a familiar route and let your mind wander. There is no music, no podcast, and no other stimuli to engage your senses. It’s just you and your thoughts. 

7) Boredom is not a bad thing if you know how to use it as an opportunity for idea generation and creative breakthroughs.   

Read the transcript.

Sources cited: 

• Timothy D. Wilson,, David A. Reinhard, Erin C. Westgate, Daniel T. Gilbert, Nicole Ellerbeck Cheryl Hahn, Casey L. Brown, Adi Shaked, Just think: the challenges of the disengaged mind, Science, July 2014, Volume 345, Issue 6192
• Guihyun Park, Beng-Chong Lim, Hui Si Oh, Why Being Bored Might Not Be a Bad Thing After All, Academy of Management Discoveries, March 2019, Volume 5, Number 1
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 12, Divergent vs. Convergent Thinking

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

Some of the wealthiest people are the most depressed and saddest in the world.  Having too much stuff can be distracting and overwhelming. Less stuff brings more clarity, more space, and more freedom. Still, there's nothing wrong with having shiny, new things. You don’t want to depend on things to make you happy or to define you. But you also don’t want to feel guilty when you buy something you really want or will enrich your life somehow. 

In episode 40 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Just because you can afford the newest version doesn’t mean you have to spend the money. You can instead save your money, invest it, or give it to a worthy cause.  That said, there’s nothing wrong with having shiny, new things. 

2) Material rewards can get you to do tasks and projects that are difficult or boring. While it's better to have internal motivation and know the why behind a goal, sometimes you need a little boost from an external incentive. 

3) External rewards can be a way to practice patience. You replace impulse buying with delayed gratification. You will get the thing you really want only after you’ve met a certain milestone or taken a certain action step. 

4) 12 essential things that improved my productivity and enhanced my life - 

1. Microphone with high audio quality: Shure MV-7
2. Analog Alarm Clock: Orcbeg, circular vintage, lightwoodgrain no ticking clock
3. Light-blocking sleep mask: MZOO sleep eye mask
4. Writing pen: Uni-Ball Signo 307 
5. Paper planner: Moleskin 12 Month Daily Planner, Large (5 x 8.25”)
6. Milk frother and steamer: Miroco 
7. LED Desk Lamp with USB Charging Port, Different Color Temperatures or Moods, and Brightness Levels, Auto-Off Timer, and Multiple Angle Adjustments: TaoTronics Desk Lamp model TT-DL16 
8. Bluetooth wireless, mechanical keyboard: Keychron K2
9. Ergonomic wireless mouse: Logitech MX Master 2S
10. Advanced noise canceling earbuds: Jabra Elite 85t True Wireless Bluetooth 
11. Paper tablet: ReMarkable 2 
12. Ergonomic office chair: Steelcase Gesture

Read the transcript. 

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

Small wins make you more productive, creative, committed, collegial, and focused. When you track the progress you’ve made, no matter how small, you gain confidence that builds on the momentum. With an incremental approach, you take daily actions that move you in the right direction, instead of take big leaps that are more likely to steer you off course.

In episode 39 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Progress comes from positive inner work life, which includes your perceptions, emotions and motivation levels.

2)  Favorable perceptions about your work and colleagues, positive emotions like joy and excitement, and higher intrinsic motivation lead to better performance. 

3) The most critical factor in shaping your inner work life is your sense of making progress in meaningful things. This is known as the progress principle. 

4) Defining specific targets and clear goals is a catalyst for progress.

5) As you set high and expansive goals, you need to also have milestones and mini-goals along the way to track your progress and to course-correct.

6) Focusing on your gains and progress is more effective than measuring how you fall short in comparison to external reference points.

7) Making mistakes and encountering obstacles are part of the learning process. By breaking big projects into smaller chunks, you give yourself more opportunities to make errors with lower stakes and fewer consequences.

Read the transcript. 

Resources cited:

• Teresa Amabile & Steven Kramer, The Progress Principle 
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast,  Ep. 36, How to Learn and Master Any Skill (part 1) 

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

We’ve all experienced loss in some shape or form. It could be the loss of a dream job, a friend moving away, a health crisis, or a change in lifestyle that you didn’t plan for. 

The death of a loved one is a very painful experience. It’s hard to even say the word "death" in this context. The end of a life is so final, so permanent, and so irreversible.  We call it a loss to soften the blow, to help ourselves or the other person feel better. 

The pain of such a loss – when experienced fully instead of being buried with busyness and distractions – is life-changing. It causes you to reflect on your life, the relationships you have, and the contributions you make. 

In episode 38 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) To find meaning in loss, you have to feel the emotions and allow them to just wash over you. 

2) It’s okay to be not as productive, not as focused, and to drop some obligations and commitments - at least for the time being.  

3) Some of the things I'm doing (or not doing) during my own grieving process. 

4) Scaling back to prioritize the essentials doesn’t mean you stop brainstorming ideas, making progress, producing things or sharing your creative output. 

5) Sharing is a way to connect with others and to build human connections.   

6) In the midst of deep despair, you can also have true joy. You oscillate between the two. A memory can trigger mixed emotions – it can bring a smile to your face, or cause tears to fall. 

“Tears fall for a reason and they are your strength not weakness.“ 

7) Your friends are there for you even when you’re not at your best or living the best version of yourself. 

8) Through mindful accommodation, you can use the pain of loss to live more fully. 

Read the transcript. 

Resource cited:

• Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

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 Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

When you’re acquiring and developing a new skill, you need to learn how to learn. Learning is a meta-skill for life and for sustaining peak performance. This continuation of a two-parts episode builds on the foundation principles covered in Episode 36.

In episode 37 of The Incrementalist, you will learn: 

7 more  takeaways to learn and master any skill

• Keep a beginner's mind - be like the child learning to crawl who is not concerned about how she looks or about whether she’s succeeding or failing.  
• Invest in loss - give yourself to the learning process and be willing to lose and fail so you can win and succeed. 
• Make smaller circles - emphasize depth over breadth; focus on the micro to understand the macro. 
• Use adversity - take advantage of setbacks to hone new skills and move out of creative ruts. 
• Slow down time - connect the unconscious and the conscious mind through chunking (create neural pathways, chunks, and navigation systems between the chunks).
• Be fully present - pay attention to the learning process to increase clarity in high-stakes moments. 
• Get in the zone - use the stress-recovery effect to achieve focus and flow states. 

Read the transcript.

Resources cited:

• Josh Waitzkin, The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast,  Ep. 5, Finding and Sustaining Flow
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast, Ep. 17, Smart Note-Taking for Productive Work

Music by:

• Sebastian Brian Mehr: Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve (hearnow.com)

Dyan Williams
Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

When you’re learning and developing any skill, it’s better to have a growth mindset, than a fixed mindset. Talent and natural ability do matter. But your attitude towards failure and setbacks are more critical.  There are two modes of learning theories: entity versus incremental theories of intelligence.   Entity theorists think, "I am smart at this." Success or failure is based on an ingrained ability. Intelligence or skill is a fixed entity.  Incremental theorists think, "I got it because I worked hard.” Success or failure depends on effort. Intelligence or skill can be developed.

In episode 36 of The Incrementalist, you will learn: 

1) The two modes of learning theories

• Entity theorists have a fixed mindset
• Incremental theorists have a growth mindset

2) 4 key takeaways to learn and master any skill

• Decide whether you want to be decent, good, great or among the best - it's okay to aim for decent, but if you want to be among the best, the stakes and standards will be higher. 
• Stay true to yourself and to your style - in the pursuit of high performance, you keep in tune with your unique disposition. 
• Maintain soft zones to increase concentration and overcome distraction - be at peace with an imperfect environment, and use it to your advantage.
• Avoid the downward spiral - don't repeat the same mistakes, whether technical or psychological. 

Read the transcript. 

Resources cited:

• Josh Waitzkin, The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps

Music by:

• Sebastian Brian Mehr: Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve (hearnow.com)

Dyan Williams
Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter

Making space between activities can be done solo, without allies. But industry norms and workplace culture might pull you back into chronic busyness. Norms are standards or principles of action that apply to a group. A culture is made up of norms. Effective leadership from the top reduces the burden on individuals who seek to have more margin in their day.

In episode 35 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Creating space solo, without allies, is doable. But it’s easier to sustain when you have support. Interactions with others and not just your own actions lead to positive change. 

2) To shift mindset, you start with yourself. Cut down on unnecessary meetings, stop interrupting others, and keep your emails clear and brief. Avoid being redundant without being harsh and cold. 

3) How to check and process emails

4) How to avoid overuse of digital devices, which lead to absent presence

5) The skill of saying no by sandwiching it between two yeses or using the hourglass method

6) When assigning tasks or delegating projects, spotlight what's most important. (The to-do list can be confusing and overwhelming.) 

7) The 50/50 Rule: "Anything that bothers you at work is 50% your responsibility until you’ve asked for what you want.” 

8) A four-step approach to express your truth with less stress: vent, empathize, prepare, share

9) The importance of selecting the right medium for the message you want to share

a) The two types of communication

• 2D communication involves simple issues, yes/no answers. 
• 3D communication is more nuanced and complex. They benefit from verbal cues, tone of voice and eye contact. 

b) The two types of mediums

• A 2D medium is static, like email, Slack, and instant messages.
• A 3D medium is live, like telephone, video and face to face meetings.

c)  A 2D message is efficient in a 2D medium and wastes time in a 3D medium. A 3D message is effective in a 3D medium, and compromises richness in a 2D medium. 

10)  In meetings, the three key questions to ask yourself before you say something are: Is it kind? Is it honest? Is it necessary? 

11) How to find out if you're in an SBH (Shouldn't Be Here) situation and negotiate your way out of it

12) Fix the road, not the car. Isolated Interventions are quick, short-sighted fixes to complicated issues. 

13) As a change catalyst and leader, you speak the language of the person you seek to engage. 

• Making judgments and using force and commands don’t sit well and is bound to spark underground sabotage and outright resistance.
• Knowing how to talk with Finance Folks, People People, and Idea Lovers is key

14) Making space is not just for the workplace, but also sparks high joy and deep joy at home. 

• High joy is an experience that makes you gasp; it comes from surprise, risk and exertion. 
• Deep joy is an experience that reaches down into your body and warms you; it comes from friendship, gratitude, giving, and peace.

Read the transcript. 

Resources cited:

• Juliet Funt, A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast,  Ep. 34, Create Space to Think (part 1)
• Dyan Williams, The Incrementalist podcast,  Ep. 16, Hack Back Email

Music by:

• Sebastian Brian Mehr: Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve (hearnow.com)

Dyan Williams
Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com
Subscribe to productivity e-newsletter