Self-Discipline for Tedious, Boring, and Difficult Things

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” —Carl Sandburg

“Time is the coin of your life.

the more immersed you are and the fewer distractions you indulge in, the quicker the work goes and the less tired you feel.

When you plan your time properly, less work can actually mean more work.

None of us can control the fact that there are some annoying tasks and obligations we’re required to do in life, but we can control how we do those things and the way we think about them.

Being engaged in deep work can feel great—and procrastinators are sometimes surprised by just how much they can do once they’ve gotten started. But resist the temptation to do just five more minutes, even if you’re feeling really engaged.

he entire system falls apart if you’re muddling through your work with half a brain or thinking about all the things you’re going to do while you’re supposed to be relaxing.

Being successful, accomplishing your goals, and being disciplined and focused means applying your efforts to the things that are genuinely under your control.

Being uninspired, unfocused, and lacking purpose and motivation means applying your efforts to things that are not under your control and never will be.

fifty-two minutes and then take a seventeen-minute break

Pomodoro Technique, which is a simple time management method that involves twenty-five-minute focused work intervals (pomodoros) followed by five-minute breaks, with a longer break after four cycles.