#193: 7 Shocking Productivity Hacks

When it comes to productivity, there is no shortage of advice. The problem is it's often the same advice, repackaged with a bright new wrapper. Nothing new inside.

And there's no problem with that. Often, we need to hear the same advice presented differently, at different periods in our life, before it “clicks” and we finally “get” it. But sometimes, we need something truly different, something that rises above the normal, and begins to look more like a revolution than an evolution.

Today's “7 Shocking Productivity Hacks” may not seem new at first, but the extremes to which I will advise you to take these measures is, at least, something outlandishly more radical than what most would recommend. When you listen to today's show, you'll discover:

  • How you can finally conquer your overflowing email inbox, once and for all, guaranteed. For free.
  • The devastatingly effective method that ensures you never receive another unwanted phone call.
  • A radical, but powerful method for getting rid of “dead weight” friends and acquaintances who are dragging you down… without making them feel judged, and without hurting their feelings.
  • The almost magical technique to prevent writer's block, plus multiply your creativity, energy, and productivity by a factor of at least 7 … maybe 10.
  • How to eliminate – totally and permanently – the #1 way other people waste your time.
  • How to slash unwanted interruptions, meetings, and junk mail from your life, with one simple, bold “directive.”
  • The single sentence (that you will come up with) that will erase any excuse you have for wasting a single minute of your time on someone else's priorties, for the rest of your life.
  • How God can set you free from self-destructive habits,
  • Plus, I'll share a resource that helps you improve your marketing.
  • That's all comin' up on this week's show!

Spiritual Foundations

If you're breathing, you are tempted by various kinds of self-destrcutive behavior. It may be overeating, drinking, drugs, sex … or seemingly “lesser” sins like compulsive gaming TV watching, or even being “grumpy” all the time. God will set you free from these and any other self-destructive behavior, also known by the less popular term, “sin”. How do we know this?

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
-Romans 8:1

Don't get tripped up if your Bible says, “who do not walk accoirding to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Some translations, such as the New King James, include that line but it isn't in the oldest, most reliable Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. (NOTE: Sean thought it might be a good idea for me to point out that not everyone agrees that those are the most reliable manuscripts…. I explain more about this in the show.)

Now. Back to our topic – that verse. Notice the tense: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

So don't get all filled with guilt when you are tempted to sin. Just don't engage in the self-destructive behavior. Having the thought is not a sin. Acting on it is. As it was explained once to me: “You can stop birds from landing in the tree, but you can stop them from building a nest.”

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is inside you now, and that means you have the power of Christ to resist the temptation. And lest you fall into a “shame spiral”, just remember that even when you do give in, when you fail, you are still “the righteousness of God” in Christ. And there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

As you become more aware of how Jesus has cloaked you in His righeousness, and you see more of the Spirit living in you, you will not keep on sinning. You will not keep up the habits that destroy you. You have the power to “go and sin no more” – but only after you experience the reality of His Grace.

Tip Of the Week

Get your tickets early for Social Media Marketing World 2016. I'll be speaking there this time around, and right now you can save a lot of money on your ticket.

  • April 17-19
  • San Diego, California
  • Networking party on the USS Midway aircraft carrier.
  • You’ll choose from 100+ expert-led sessions and workshops in multiple social media marketing tracks (you get access to all).
  • Mari Smith, Guy Kawasaki, Chris Brogan, Mark Schaefer,Michael Stelzner, Jay Baer, Brian Solis, Amy Porterfield, Michael Hyatt, Cliff Ravenscraft, John Lee Dumas, Joel Comm, Pat Flynn, Chris Ducker, Dan Miller… and so many more!
  • Great information, inspiration, and motivation … in a no-pitch zone!

I want to “storm the gates” with our own little cohort. See you there?

Feature Segment: 7 Shocking Productivity Hacks

  1. Delete your email account. (How you can finally conquer your overflowing email inbox, once and for all, guaranteed. For free.)
  2. Change your phone number. (The devastatingly effective method that ensures you never receive another unwanted phone call.)
  3. Move to a different city. (A radical, but powerful method for getting rid of “dead weight” friends and acquaintances who are dragging you down… without making them feel judged, and without hurting their feelings.)
  4. Don't share your email address, phone number, and mailing address. (To anyone. How to bring unwanted interruptions, meetings, and junk mail from your life, with one simple, bold “directive.”)
  5. Never return another phone call. (How to eliminate – totally and permanently – the #1 way other people waste your time.)
  6. Stop consuming content. (The almost magical technique to prevent writer's block, plus mutliply your creativity, energy, and productivity by a factor of at least 7… maybe 10.)
  7. Ask the “desert island” question. (The single sentence that you will come up with that will erase any excuse you have for wasting a single minute of your time on someone else's priorties, for the rest of your life.)

Do you have some ‘shocking produdctivity hacks' of your own?

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Ray Edwards is a world-renowned copywriter and communications strategist, writing for some of the most powerful voices in leadership and business including New York Times bestselling authors Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and Tony Robbins. Ray is a sought-after speaker and author, hosts a popular weekly podcast, and blogs at RayEdwards.com.