One Rule That Might Change Your Life for the Better
I call it the 100% Rule.
You and I, we’ve probably fallen into the hole of distracting ourselves away from undesirable situations, like secretly browsing through social media while bored out of the mind in history or daydreaming about a steaming bath (with lavender petals!) as your spouse raves about her day at work over dinner. In such instances, we’re not actively engaged in the activities, and soon after, the history class or dinner conversation might seem like the biggest waste of time.
Through our attempts to be as productive as possible, it’s a horrendous crime to waste time like that. But understandably, it can be difficult to use our time productively when we’re uninterested: do we want to be learning about the Industrial Revolution? Likely not, and so we resort to wasting time by scrolling through our Instagram feed.
To solve this issue of squandering our time, I’d like to propose one of the most significant things I’ve pondered about in my journey as a student, and that is what I call the 100% rule.
Well, what does this principle encompass? Simply, it involves dedicating 100% of your focus to the single task you’re doing or should be doing at any given time.
Say you’re attending the annual budget meeting for your shoe company, chatting with your pal over a cup of Starbucks coffee, or studying for your organic chemistry exam, then the goal is to be 100% committed to the activity.
So if you’ve got to write an essay, commit yourself only to that assignment for some time — fifteen minutes, a Pomodoro session, or whatever you need. In this way, you won’t waste as much time, doing only the work you’d like to finish.
Similarly, in school, you may have classes during which you suffer and grimace in boredom, like most students. Instead of grumbling around and procrastinating, waiting for the class to end, try to devote yourself to what you’re doing in that class, whether listening to a lecture or doing a group project.
If you do, then I assure you (from experience!) that not only the time will go faster, but you might even find the slightest satisfaction in what you did in the class. And, rather than wasting time, you’ll have learned something new or done some productive work.
But remember, this guideline doesn’t apply solely to academics! If you engage 100% of your concentration on making dinner or doing a chore, then you’ll probably do it quicker with much fewer mistakes.
When you’re talking to someone, commit 100% of yourself to that conversation — even if you really don’t feel like talking — and you might find enjoyment in the talk. And yes, that means taking out the AirPod from your ear.
Moreover, if there’s anything you should take out of this post, then consider this: the next time you find yourself facing a daunting, boring, or unpleasant task or situation, then remember the 100% rule I propose here.
Devoting yourself to a task, no matter how unenjoyable it may seem at first, will permit you to get more out of the moment than otherwise possible.
If you apply this principle and minimize the time wasted procrastinating, your life will soon become more satisfying, productive, and meaningful.
