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Here's That Scientific Secret to Productivity You Were Looking For

Updated 6/19/2020
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Science has a secret to productivity. To find out what it is and learn more tips to being as productive as possible, watch this AsapSCIENCE video.

Ah, productivity, one of the most popular buzzwords around. After all, the feeling of wasting time and accomplishing little (or nothing) isn’t the most pleasant.

The secret to getting things done in an efficient manner, though, is pretty simple: Just get started. Instead of spending precious time thinking about how hard the task is going to be or how long it’s going to take you, put those thoughts aside and just do it already.

Why? There is a construct of the mind called the Zeigarnik Effect, and it causes us to finish what we’ve started. If we initiate a task and leave it hanging, we become uncomfortable and can’t stop thinking about it. In other words, it’s our own built-in nagging system (yay!).

Watch this AsapSCIENCE video to learn more about the science behind productivity as well as more tips on how to attain it (and how to pronounce Zeigarnik). And when you’re done, get started on that project you’ve been putting off.


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Abby is a writer, career coach, and health educator living in Portland, Maine. When she’s not trying to make the world a happier and healthier place, you can find her cuddling with her cats, hunting down the city's best coffee and grilled cheese, or dipping her toes in the Atlantic. Say hi on Twitter .
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