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Productive people share 2-minute daily habits that help them focus and de-clutter their brains

Small change, big gains.

Image via Canva/blackCAT

Productive people share their 2-minute daily habits for more better productivity.

Being productive requires your focus, determination, and discipline to get things done and achieve your personal and professional goals. Productive people excel at finding ways to minimize distraction and effectively use the 24 hours in each day. Luckily, becoming more productive can happen in two minutes or less.

A group of productive people in the subreddit r/Productivity put their brains together to respond to member erddre23, who asked: "What’s one '2-minute' habit that genuinely changed your week?"

They openly shared their tips and tricks for becoming more productive (and in return, happier) in a short amount of time. These are 15 two-minute habits from productive people to consider adding to your daily routine.

productive, productivity, become more productive, to do list, to-do list gif Happy Game Over GIF by QuickBooks Giphy

"Create a not-to-do list. Stick all the things that are in your head but you're not going to do on there. Great way to focus and declutter my brain. I use it as a brain dump, when looking at my tasks. So it’s things that I consider need doing but on closer inspection can just be dropped. Basic premise is, there’s way too much to do, I over estimate how important things are, only a select few things really matter." - Serious-Put6732

"Even quicker .. try BJ Foggs 'Maui Habit'. Soon as your feet hit the ground after you wake, tell yourself 'today is going to be a great day' and 'feel' it." - Different-Ad8308

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Starting with just 2 minutes on a big task makes it way less scary, and once I start, i usually keep going for hours. my procrastination usually kicks in when things feel too big to even begin." - Alternative_Owl5866

"Anything you want to start, but feel like is too big of a task, break it down in the simplest, easiest form. If you haven’t built up the motivation to read that book, then just read 5 words of the book (I’m serious). focus on consistency - just do." - babatundaeeeee

"Honestly, just taking 2 minutes every morning to jot down the top three things I really want to get done that day has totally changed my week." - sarthakdesigngrow

productive, productivity, being productive, knocking stuff out, getting stuff done Shit To Do Big Brother GIF by Big Brother After Dark Giphy

"Don’t look at your phone within the first 2 mins of waking up." - Deep-Explanation1024

"For me it’s washing dishes right after I eat takes way less time than I think, and my kitchen never feels like a war zone anymore." - felipemsimon0

"Mine - breathing morning practice. Breathe in, breathe out. Before starting my daily routine. Technically, it's for calming down... but it's also the foundation for something bigger, like mindfulness. The practice helps me relax, set a positive tone for the day, and visualize the big picture, among other things" - EpicTale_Production

breathe in, breathe out, breathing, breathing exercise, breath worth Relaxing Inner Peace GIF by Naomi Sharon Giphy

"Literally two minutes. I stretch my neck in three directions on each side for 20s." - SgtRevDrEsq

"Journaling, nothing too complicated: just starting my morning with some pep talk (I get too lost in my head sometimes) and reminding myself of things I need to get done (e.g. drink more water, stretching every time I take a bathroom break, work on a report). To-do lists stopped working with me for years now, but these mental reminders somehow keep me on track for the day. It feels like executing a code in my brain that helps me be more conscious of my actions and makes me less inclined to live on autopilot." - Dry-Key-9510

"Making my bed every morning. I know it’s cliche but it’s legit changed my life." - Jealous-Function-105

make the bed, making the bed, making bed gif, organized room, bed made Hannah Simone Fox GIF by New Girl Giphy

"I get gas on the way home instead of on the way out. NOTHING pisses me off more than urgently needing gas when I’m on a time crunch, which I often am 🤣." - Acrobatic-Beach-5581

"Getting tomorrow ready before going to bed. I pick out which clothes to wear. I set out a place setting for breakfast. I'll put the chips and fresh fruit in my cooler, for tomorrow's lunch. Doing this makes the morning easier to breeze through." - LordBofKerry

"I started doing pushups just as a means to get exercise in my downtime. I started with 10 pushups a day. Now I’m doing 75 a day. I’ve been doing this for such a long time that not doing pushups feels weird now." - ChickyBoys

"Define your vision, hang it on a wall, and read it every morning for two minutes. It's way easier to prioritize and say no if you know exactly where you're going and keep reminding yourself of it." - CarpenterFlat3590

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Joy

Author Ray Bradbury noticed a specific trait that made Walt Disney tremendously successful

This is how creative giants understand one another.

via Alan Light/Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia Commons

Walt Disney and Ray Bradbury.

The world’s greatest innovators think and behave differently from us mere mortals. They have a unique view of the world and are dedicated to their craft in ways that most would deem obsessive. But without that type of dedication, Steve Jobs could never have given us the Macintosh, Michael Jordan would never have been able to fly, and Michelangelo would have never painted the Sistine Chapel.

It’s hard for the average person to understand what makes a cultural innovator tick, which is why an interview with groundbreaking author Ray Bradbury on Walt Disney is so inspiring. It lifts the veil on what great artists see in one another that most of us can’t. Bradbury is the acclaimed author of classics such as Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles, who was a friend of Disney and worked with his legendary company as a creative consultant.

What did Ray Bradbury think of Walt Disney?

In a 2004 interview, Bradbury explained where the incredibly ambitious and creative Disney got his drive and determination.

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“If there’s any secret at all, it’s because Walt, like myself, is not an optimist but an optimal behaviorist. Which means that every day of your life, if you behave well, you begin to feel well,” Bradbury said. “So that’s not false, that’s real. You get your work done every day, and at the end of a week, a month, a year, you’ll turn around and say, hey, look what I did. So you feel good. That’s real optimism. Optimal behavior.”

“He could look back at the end of each year and see his behavior, and it made him want to go on. A lot of people are pessimists because they’ve never done anything,” Bradbury continued. “If you go to bed every night having not done anything, you’re going to wake up unhappy, aren’t you? So the answer to that is do something every day. Be busy, for God’s sake, be busy.”

walt disney, disney world, mickey mouse, disney company, disney theme parks, A statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.via Paul Beattie/Flickr

What is a behavioral optimist?

Although “behavioral optimist” isn’t an official psychological term, it’s one that Bradbury often used to describe himself. “I’ve learned that by doing things, things get done. I’m not an optimist; I’m an optimal behaviorist. We ensure the future by doing it,” he said. “Optimists and pessimists are blind. But I’m not either. I’m an optimal behaviorist. In other words, I behave at the top of my lungs every day. There’s no guarantee, but you’re going to have a heck of a lot of fun. You’ll come to the end of your life with the secure knowledge that you tried everything.”

There are just two critical things in life, he said, “Being in love with your wife or husband and being in love with your work. And then everything’s fine.”

If you’ve always dreamed of living a life like Walt Disney, using your imagination to entertain and uplift humanity, you can start by looking at life in the same way. Big goals can often seem too lofty when we think about the finished product. Instead, take small, consistent steps every day towards achieving your goal. Writing a 300-page book may seem like too much work, but if you write a page a day, you’ll have a book before the end of the year. The key is to stay focused and consistent, just like Uncle Walt.

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walt disney

Despite the odds, one young writer is passionately chasing his literary dreams.

'I want to become a published author. And there’s nothing that’s going to stop me.'

True

Do you know what it’s like to have a dream that you’ll stop at nothing to achieve?

Justin Susan does.

When Justin first read a book that transported him to another world, he knew he wanted to re-create that magical feeling for others just like him.

"I want to become a published author. And there’s nothing that’s going to stop me."

‌All images via Taco Bell.‌

Since then, he's been working relentlessly to make his literary dreams a reality, one chapter at a time.

"When I feel like I'm going to stop, I think about if J.K. Rowling would've stopped," he says with a quiet confidence. "If John Green, Steven Spielberg — all these great people — if they would've stopped. It just keeps me going."

The odds, though, haven't often been in Justin's favor.

When Justin was in the eighth grade, he was reading and writing at a fifth-grade level.

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Despite multiple attempts throughout high school, not once was Justin accepted into a college preparatory program. Justin is from the White Mountain Apache reservation, and organizations like College Horizons have reported the high school graduation rate for Native Americans is about half. And of that half, only 5% immediately go on to four-year colleges.

But Justin knows what it will take and is determined.

He wakes up around 5:30 a.m. to get his mind going and his blood flowing — a habit of some of the world's most successful people. For him, something as simple as a morning walk can make all the difference when it comes to tackling the day ahead.

The most inspiring part, however, is what drives him every single day.

"I want to work hard for it. And not only for, you know, the fame or any of that. I’m doing it out there for the simple inspiration for another kid out there just like me, who may not have the right path in life. And hopefully, my characters, my words, can help them just get a little closer to that right direction. And that is the biggest reason why I do it."

‌‌

It's no wonder Justin stood out from the crowd and was eventually awarded the Live Más Scholarship from Taco Bell.

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"Hope ... it gave me hope that my dreams are possible."

Those were Justin's words when he first found out he had won.

You see, Taco Bell is celebrating our young innovators, creators, and dreamers — the next generation of students whose skills go beyond the usual athletics and academics. Despite the challenges of the path ahead, these young men and women aren't afraid to dream big and do what they love. They're going after what they want in life and are doing it with determination and truckloads of heart.

Watch Justin talk about his inspirational journey:

‌‌

Family

Meet the fitness model using his scars and artificial heart to inspire people.

It was just like any other daily run for Andrew Jones. He put one foot in front of the other. He breathed in. He breathed out. He made it to the mailbox, but he knew something wasn't right.

"It kind of felt like my lungs had turned into sponges. Like I was breathing through a sponge."

That bizarre feeling first happened in 2012. And it would change his life forever.

Labored breathing would alarm anyone, but for Andrew, an avid runner and fitness hound, it was particularly worrisome.

After his run, he called his doctor and requested to see someone right away. Two specialists and 24 hours of heart monitoring later, Andrew was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy.

"I didn't really know much about what it meant," Andrew said. "I was still very strong, getting my workouts in at the gym like normal, just being young and feeling invincible."

So after that one troubling run, Andrew kept working out. But his symptoms started getting worse.

Andrew, now 26, has loved the gym since college. He found an unexpected home there and noticed that regular workouts kept him focused and disciplined. "The best way to explain it is that being active is in my blood," he said.

But soon his fatigue and shortness of breath turned into pain and weakness that left him, at times, unable to stand up for more than 10 minutes.

Eventually, Andrew suffered heart failure. He was coughing up blood and had to be rushed to the hospital. There, doctors told him that if he didn't get a heart transplant soon, he could die.

That was two years ago.

He is still awaiting a heart transplant and relies on an artificial heart and a pacemaker to keep him alive.

While he waits, Andrew is doing something few people awaiting a transplant would do. He has become a professional fitness model.

It's more than just #heartdisease. It's about leading a healthy life and promoting a positive attitude about body image. Encourage the world to accept who you are. ❤️💪🏾 📷 @sweeneyphotography #AJFitness #fitnessgoals #fitness #fitnessmotivation #bodyimage #effyourbeautystandards #model #surgeryscar #hearttransplant #organdonor #fitnessaddict #fitfam #fitspo #LVAD #live #motivation #inspiration #nike #justdoit #eatclean #eatcleantraindirty #fitnessmodel #fitnessaddict #inspiration #rolemodel #muscle #bodybuilding #bodybuildingmotivation

A photo posted by 👻Snapchat: AJFitness (@fitnesswithaj) on Jul 2, 2016 at 3:53am PDT

I greet each day with a smile. If the day smiles back, great! If not..then challenge accepted...💪🏾😆 #AJFitness #fitnessgoals #fitnesslifestyle #goals #donatelife #beadonor #heartdisease #hearttransplant #eatclean #motivation #inspiration #fitfam #fitspo #fit #fitnessmodel #fitnesslifestyle #aesthetics #smile #dontquit #nevergiveup #beliveinyourself #LVAD #warrior #nothingcanstopme #selfie #model #organdonor #healthy #strong

A photo posted by 👻Snapchat: AJFitness (@fitnesswithaj) on Jun 28, 2016 at 3:56am PDT

Let em know what day it is.Letem know that it's #FLEXFRIDAY 💪🏾⚡ 📷 @sweeneyphotography 📸 #AJFitness #fitness #fitnessmotivation #fitnessgoals #goals #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessmodel #nike #justdoit #aesthetic #model #motivation #inspiration #noexcuses #whatsyourexcuse #eatclean #train #trainhard #beadonor #donatelife #hearttransplant #fitfam #fitspo #dontquit #dontgiveup #heartdisease #LVAD #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney

A photo posted by 👻Snapchat: AJFitness (@fitnesswithaj) on Jul 1, 2016 at 4:04am PDT

As you can see, Andrew doesn't hide from his scars. Nor does he hide from the tubes coming in and out of his body that operate his artificial heart.

Instead, he wants those things to inspire others. He wants people to know that whatever your goals are, you shouldn't let anything, including a near-death experience, stand in your way.

Everywhere Andrew goes, he carries a backpack. Inside it is the machine pumping blood through his veins and keeping him alive. The literal weight on his shoulders is a constant reminder of how close he came to losing everything.

"Tomorrow's not guaranteed for any of us," Andrew said. "For someone in my situation, it’s guaranteed a lot less. ... Two and a half, three years ago? I probably would've taken waking up in the morning for granted."

Now, he says, he's grateful for every single morning he gets.

Andrew knows that everyone has goals. Whether it's starting a business, paying off bills, or writing a book.

"If there’s something that’s on your mind 24/7 that you can’t stop thinking about, you need to act on it," he said.

Andrew uses his body and his mind to inspire people all over the world. On his Instagram, he spreads messages of hope and acceptance, calling on people everywhere to embrace the hand they were dealt and push forward.

"I want people to leave with a little more motivation than they came in with," Andrew said.

In all of his photos, scars and medical equipment are on proud display.

They remind people that no matter what you're up against, you can achieve incredible things.

Andrew has also started a foundation called Hearts at Large, which raises awareness for organ donation and collects the stories of people whose lives have been saved by it.

For Andrew, paying it forward is not just a thing he occasionally does, it’s a mantra for his life.

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Fans gushed over Jessica Biel's toned body in a white dress. Then she gave a reality check. - Upworthy ›

3 years ago, this 78-year-old could barely climb stairs. Now she deadlifts 225 pounds.

Watch this badass woman shatter 'little old lady' stereotypes.

When you think of a badass weightlifter, what image typically comes to mind?

Is it something like this?

Photo via iStock.

Or maybe this?

Photo via Republic of Korea/Flickr.

In either case, it's probably not something like this...

Photo via Kent Webb, Shirley's son, used with his permission.

Many of us have a few preconceived notions about elderly women: They're sweet and innocent. They need our help crossing the street. They're weak.

But while 78-year-old Shirley Webb certainly fits the bill when it comes to sweetness, she couldn't be farther from the "little old lady" stereotype in the strength department.

Last week, a video of her deadlifting 225 pounds not once...

Beast mode? Activated. GIFs via SoundFX/YouTube.

...not twice...

I like to call this one the "early bird special."

...but THREE times — with the ease of an angry Lou Ferrigno — made its way around the Internet.

"I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Schwarzenegger!"

Webb's Herculean feat quickly went viral, with the online community praising her stereotype-shattering strength, resiliency, and fabulous choice of workout attire.

Webb has become something of a powerlifting powerhouse for the past year, setting deadlifting records in both her native Illinois — a staggering 237 pounds — and in neighboring Missouri.

Less than two years ago, however, Webb was another person entirely — one who very much fit in line with the common stereotype of what it means to be "elderly."

"At the time, I couldn't walk up the stairs unless I held on to the handrail, and if I got on the floor, I couldn't get up without a chair," she told "Today."

It was at that point that Webb joined Club Fitness in Wood River, Illinois, along with her granddaughter.

Under the tutelage of trainer John Wright, Webb's physical conditioning rapidly began to improve. Within six months, she was lifting over 200 pounds. Within a year, she was setting records in age and weight divisions left and right. By this time next year, one can only assume she will be bench pressing the actual bleachers her cheering section sits on. With all of them on it.

Photo via Kent Webb, used with permission.

Last June, Webb competed in the Missouri State Powerlifting and Midwest Open in St. Louis in the 75 and older division.

And, of course, she won her division with a 215-pound deadlift that would give many a younger woman or man a hernia, two separated disks, and an unrelated coffee addiction. Think I'm being hyperbolic? Go strap 20 bags of potatoes to a curtain rod and let me know how lifting it goes.

"She's gotten to the point where everybody greets her and is just absolutely impressed," Wright told ESPN. "She inspires everybody that goes to the gym and it's fun to see that."

Since her video has gone viral, Webb has also become something of a local hero to the other senior citizens in her community.

Photo via Kent Webb, used with permission.

"I've seen such a remarkable difference in myself," said Webb to "Today." "I'm glad that people are getting inspired by me doing this. I had one lady come in the gym and say, 'I saw your video and I decided to come down and join this club.' That makes me feel good."

It just goes to show that with enough motivation and persistence you really can do almost anything at any age.

"I have no intention of stopping right now," Webb told ESPN. "When I go to the gym and work out, when I leave, I feel so much better than I did when I went in, and I just feel so good. I feel tremendous."

determination

Productive people share 2-minute daily habits that help them focus and de-clutter their brains

Small change, big gains.

Author Ray Bradbury noticed a specific trait that made Walt Disney tremendously successful

This is how creative giants understand one another.

What did Ray Bradbury think of Walt Disney?

What is a behavioral optimist?

Despite the odds, one young writer is passionately chasing his literary dreams.

'I want to become a published author. And there’s nothing that’s going to stop me.'

Do you know what it’s like to have a dream that you’ll stop at nothing to achieve?

The odds, though, haven't often been in Justin's favor.

It's no wonder Justin stood out from the crowd and was eventually awarded the Live Más Scholarship from Taco Bell.

Watch Justin talk about his inspirational journey:

Meet the fitness model using his scars and artificial heart to inspire people.

"It kind of felt like my lungs had turned into sponges. Like I was breathing through a sponge."

Labored breathing would alarm anyone, but for Andrew, an avid runner and fitness hound, it was particularly worrisome.

So after that one troubling run, Andrew kept working out. But his symptoms started getting worse.

While he waits, Andrew is doing something few people awaiting a transplant would do. He has become a professional fitness model.

As you can see, Andrew doesn't hide from his scars. Nor does he hide from the tubes coming in and out of his body that operate his artificial heart.

Andrew knows that everyone has goals. Whether it's starting a business, paying off bills, or writing a book.

3 years ago, this 78-year-old could barely climb stairs. Now she deadlifts 225 pounds.

Watch this badass woman shatter 'little old lady' stereotypes.

When you think of a badass weightlifter, what image typically comes to mind?

In either case, it's probably not something like this...

Last week, a video of her deadlifting 225 pounds not once...

...not twice...

...but THREE times — with the ease of an angry Lou Ferrigno — made its way around the Internet.

Less than two years ago, however, Webb was another person entirely — one who very much fit in line with the common stereotype of what it means to be "elderly."

Last June, Webb competed in the Missouri State Powerlifting and Midwest Open in St. Louis in the 75 and older division.

Since her video has gone viral, Webb has also become something of a local hero to the other senior citizens in her community.

It just goes to show that with enough motivation and persistence you really can do almost anything at any age.

Everyone said this couldn't be done. See how this guy did it in under 7 hours.

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A compassionate vet paused his exam to give a tiny, terrified dog some much-needed cuddles