Want to have more productive days and control over distractions? Are you overwhelmed as you serve clients, follow up with real estate leads, answer emails, create posts for social media, etc.? In today's professional world, we go, go, go, multi-task, and wander without the focus necessary to improve our productivity and intellectual acuity. I'm here to share how to no-go to take control of your day, gain success and make yourself more present in your everyday life.

Being distracted and pulled in different directions is typical throughout the day and results from the way we, or our industry, have trained ourselves to go, go, go. There's a better way to take back control of your day to feel less chaotic, and it's called the no-go approach.

American adults check their phones 344 times per day, according to a study by reviews.org.

No-Go Approach

Being more productive and less distracted can be as simple as controlling two circuits, your go-go and no-go strategy, stemming from your basal ganglia. With the no-go approach, we can learn to inhibit impulsive actions, stay more focused, and get more done in less time.

The no-go functionality isn't something we're used to using in our adult lives, but it was prevalent when we were children. When you were told to" stop fidgeting!" as a child, you were learning the no-go function. As adults, no one is telling us to quit checking our smartphones every few minutes, but if we consciously decided to, we would be able to boost our productivity. Folks, our no-go approach has weakened, and we need to intentionally make an effort to get it back to improve our success in life.

Let's start with all of the interruptions we get each day, including the ones we subconsciously create.  There are many ways we can control each of these scenarios, get more out of our day, and feel more balanced in our life.

• Looking at your phone every time it pings  
• Feeling the need to scroll endlessly on social media  
• Snacking when overwhelmed
• Interruptions from family as we work from home 

When we learn to inhibit impulses, we succeed in the no-go approach. Examples include the ability to stick with a challenging project or overcome the habit of picking up our phone repeatedly throughout the day.  

We succeed in the no-go approach and boost productivity when we learn to inhibit impulses.

Practicing Control of Impulses

Let's explore controlling our impulsive behaviors as we practice the no-go approach. Dr. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neuroscientist who studies this approach, practices no-go 20+ times each day (once you try it, you'll see how quickly it adds up). As I write this, I have wanted to reach for my phone each time it buzzed, but I have successfully ignored it. You can practice and overcome moment-by-moment impulses like this by consciously being aware of them.

• Consciously aware of distractions and time-wasters
• Slowing down for 1 minute each day
• Setting boundaries with family and office mates
• Waiting a couple of minutes when wanting to snack

Practice slowing down even if that means merely 1 minute of uninterrupted quiet time. Whether you sit outside enjoying the sunshine, meditate in your office, or perform deep breathing exercises in your car, you'll practice no-go strategies that will force you to no-go.

Practice ignoring your phone. Put your phone on silent or vibrate mode and consider putting it out of sight. It's kind of like snacking. If you don't have a bowl of nuts in front of you, there's nothing to grab when you mindlessly reach for it.  Permit yourself to check your phone once an hour vs. every time it buzzes. Have your assistant or family member monitor it if you're worried about missing a lead notification or an important text message.

Benefits of No-Go

The no-go strategy will help you regulate your attention and set boundaries in an effort to have more productive days and a more satisfying life. Practice self-control through small repetitive acts throughout the day, and say no to wandering aimlessly through a distracted day.

• Self-control
• Fewer excuses
• Focus on clients
• Boost lead conversions
• Finish large projects quickly
• Fewer wasted hours scrolling on social media

Try this no-go approach today, tomorrow, and the next day. Soon you'll find you're getting more done in your day because you're aware of unwanted distractions and you can overcome them.