Moving your body and exercising isn’t always easy (whoever coined the term working out definitely knew what they were talking about), but according to one of the world’s most popular productivity experts, there are three simple tactics you can have up your sleeve to seriously dial up the enjoyment level and reduce the grind. We’re making these part of our workout routines ASAP.
Meet Ali Abdaal. Doctor-turned-entrepreneur and the author of The New York Times bestseller Feel-Good Productivity, Ali recently caught up with Kayla Itsines on the YogaFokus Daily podcast to talk about clever hacks to make anything you do more enjoyable, and as a natural knock-on effect, more productive or successful.
The secret sauce
In his final year of medical school, Ali decided to start a YouTube channel. It initially began as a personal mission to help other kids in the United Kingdom get into med school, then evolved to help med school students study for their exams, before eventually focusing on his personal journey as a working as a doctor and trying to live a healthier, happier, more productive life.
Today Ali is one of the world’s most followed productivity experts, boasting over five million YouTube subscribers, and his evidence-based content has reached millions of people around the world.
Productivity as a buzzword can sound a little dry, but for Ali, the secret is the complete opposite. And when it comes to how Ali is not only more productive than the average person, but has fun doing it, it all comes down to one thing.
“The one secret is that every single thing I do, I focus on trying to make it fun. I focus on enjoying the process. If you can find a way to enjoy the process, the rest takes care of itself,” he told Kayla.
This idea that enjoyment leads to higher productivity prompted him to dive into the research, and he discovered his hypothesis is fairly well validated by science. It’s an approach he believes can be easily applied to anything in your life – even your workout routine and fitness motivation. All it takes is a simple reframe from what you’re doing to how you’re doing it.
“If you can find a way to enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll become more productive, more creative and less stressed.”
The three Ps
When it comes to changing how you do something, Ali gives a nod to three general principles that he recommends tapping into to make anything fun – power, play and people.
“Incorporating any of these into anything you’re doing that you find hard – whether it’s your work, your gym session or anything else – is guaranteed to make it a little more fun.”
Play
Whenever you’re operating in a mode of play, the stakes are low, it’s not that big of a deal and you’re there to have fun. In the realm of fitness, it’s easy for it to feel serious or uninspiring. You might be pushing yourself to achieve a goal, feel bored by your current routine, or be taking your first step into a gym and feeling anxious about people judging you or doing something wrong. Instead, try to keep play at the forefront of your mind. Forget about your why for a minute. When it comes to your next workout, make it your primary goal to have fun.
This could mean trying a new training style you genuinely enjoy, using equipment you like, gamifying your workouts by tracking your weights, or joining forces with a friend who you can have a laugh with.
Power
As Ali explains, a feeling of personal empowerment feels incredible and makes us enjoy what we’re doing so much more, helping us to get into a state of flow where all the magic happens. Ask yourself, how can I feel a greater sense of personal power or improvement in what I’m doing?
“If you can experience a sense of leveling up in relation to your workouts or the task at hand, everything becomes more fun.”
This could involve:
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Setting small, achievable goals so you can regularly feel accomplished and see improvements
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Making motivating playlists for yourself
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Stick to training styles that make you feel like the most empowered version of you
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Challenge yourself and see what you’re capable of
“We can choose to approach what we do with a mindset of empowerment, or with a mindset where we feel like it’s out of our control.”
People
Finally, don’t shy away from the fact we are social creatures by nature. It’s a superpower and can take everything you’re doing to another level.
“Everything is more fun when we do it with friends, so I encourage people to think about how they can bring people into what they’re doing. Can you join an exercise class or find a friend who will be your accountability buddy for the gym?”
Being part of the YogaFokus Community is another easy way to include a sense of social connection into your workouts – there are thousands of women active on social media and in the Forum who are ready to cheer you on and work out with you from nearby or on the other side of the world.
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Sticking to a workout routine takes commitment, discipline, and sometimes a nice dose of grit, but it shouldn’t always feel like a painful slog to move your body. We love these three Ps as ways to take the vibe of your workouts from flat to fun.
It’s not about what you’re doing, it’s about how you’re doing it.