- Nov 12, 2022
Why do prominent people choose to live a minimalist life? Does not making simple choices in life -- blue or red shirt, coffee or Coke -- really affect performance?
In The Science of States, a new book by US authors Brad and Steve, we discover the secrets behind the minimalist lives of these remarkable people.
One study in America found that judges granted parole 65% of the time at the start of the day, but almost zero of the time at the end. This phenomenon is known as decision fatigue. As judges are forced to make more and more decisions, they become mentally exhausted and eventually have no energy to think critically about the case, opting for the simpler default option of no parole.
The researchers concluded that making too many decisions puts people in a state of exhaustion that impairs their performance in future activities. This is true even when making the simplest decisions. So, some brilliant people who know something about brain science and physiology are well aware that we have a finite amount of energy to devote to the things that really matter. Don't waste our precious energy on trivial things. Only by becoming a minimalist can we get more done with less.
How to Be a minimalist
1. Avoid decision fatigue
If we want to get twice the result with half the effort, we must spend our energy on the cutting edge and stop wasting time on unnecessary things.
We can go back over all the decisions we've made in a day, identify the ones that aren't important to us, and automate the unimportant decisions.
What's for dinner today? What to wear? What kind of food? When do you exercise? Are you going to the party or not? These kinds of decisions involve our energy, and we should try to make it a daily habit to automate them.
For example, get up at 5 o 'clock every morning and exercise for half an hour. When we get into the habit, we automatically wake up at 5 o 'clock and go exercise. When habits become natural, your brain is no longer required to make decisions.
2. Identify your chronotype
Chronotype is the scientific term for the ups and downs of energy that each person experiences over a 24-hour period.
Everyone has their own biological rhythm. Some people are at their best in the morning. Scientists call them skylarks. Others are most awake at night, what scientists call the "owl type."
We can define our time patterns and plan our activities for each day.
People like Skylarks use their waking hours in the morning to do their most important work. Do less demanding tasks when you're less alert.
3. Choose your friends wisely
A lot of people don't think about that. In fact, our social circle has a profound effect on our behavior. What we do and when we do it is more important than who we do it with.
When we see someone else happy or sad, the relevant neural networks in our brains become active, too. "Surround yourself with positive people" is not just a motto, it's backed by rigorous science.
When we spend time with people who support, inspire, and challenge us, our brains are more active and reach a higher level than when we are alone.
On the other hand, if we spend time with negative people, we can infect those around us with pessimism, and the neural networks of our brains will stagnate.
4. Do the work itself
Outstanding people plan their days strategically and actively practice minimalism to maximize productivity. At the same time they are working hard. Everything you know means nothing if you don't take action.
Attitude is often the product of behavior, the best thing we can do is to do the work itself, nothing can replace the day to day work, in the effort, we also grow.
It's a collection of the latest science on growth thinking, flow, self-control, deliberate practice, and the law of attraction designed to help us be the best we can be. Thus, let our state worthy of our pay, let our performance live up to our efforts!