Productivity is important because it relates to income and time. The more productive you are, the more money you can earn in many situations. You can also save time. That time can be spent on anything you like, including making more money.

There are many obstacles to productivity, such as a lack of focus, a lack of intention, a lack of stamina, and too many distractions, to name a few.

Hack your brain and increase your productivity with these strategies:

1. Set an intention. Most people can’t focus because they’re not truly clear on what they want to focus on or for how long. Give yourself a fighting chance by choosing a specific task for a specific amount of time.

– For example, you might decide you’re going to work on your tax return for 30 minutes. Set a timer and do your best for those 30 minutes.

– Your brain will do its best to give you what you want if you give it clear instructions.

2. Meditate. Meditation helps to build focus and calm your mind. Meditation is incredibly popular right now, so there is plenty of free information on how to meditate effectively. Educate yourself and get started. It’s simple and effective.

3. Take regular breaks. Experiment with break frequency and duration. The best option for most people is either 25 minutes of work and a five-minute break, or 50 minutes of work and a 10-minute break. Discover what works best for you and then stick with it. Timers can be powerful tools.

4. Avoid giving in to temptation. Most of us give in to the temptation of distraction far too easily. It’s a very difficult habit to break. We quickly go from feeling bored or stressed to amused. It feels good to check email or read a text.

– The most productive people are able to overcome the urge to break their attention from their work task.

– It’s important to avoid these distractions during your breaks, too. It’s too hard to get back on task, and your breaktime magically extends from five minutes to 25. Learn how to say “no” to your urges.

5. Alternate high and low-focus tasks. Many people report greater productivity when they alternate between cognitively intense activities and those that require less intellectual effort. It’s similar to interval training in the gym.

– Lower-level activities might include returning calls and emails, or other routine work. The lower-level activities give your brain a rest and the chance to recover. Soon, it’s ready for another round of more intense activity.

6. Drink plenty of water. Most people are partially dehydrated. The solution is to drink plenty of water. That doesn’t mean you have to be chugging 20 ounces of water every hour. But, a 20-ounce bottle of water every few hours would be beneficial to most.

– So many metabolic processes require water that you’re not at your best if you’re dehydrated.

7. Develop a positive mindset. A positive outlook on life makes you more productive. Studies show that mindset affects productivity. Work on having a positive outlook and you’ll accomplish more each day. You’ll also be a lot happier.

Productivity should be important to everyone. Time is your most valuable asset, so do what you can to maximize it. We can all be more productive, but it doesn’t happen by magic. It must be a priority if you want to see real results. Dedicate yourself to maximizing your productivity.

Give your brain every chance to be your ally on this important journey.

There are plenty of beliefs you hold that you allow to influence your life. You haven’t even given many of these beliefs a lot of thought.

For example, you probably have similar religious beliefs as your parents. Did you ever sit down and think about which religion best suits you? Or did you just continue with what you were exposed to as a child?

You don’t have to be a slave to your old beliefs!

Try these techniques to maintain only beliefs that support you:

1. Your previous beliefs and knowledge can prevent you from gaining new knowledge. If you think you know something already, you won’t be open to new views. Knowledge is great, but when it gets in the way of learning something new, it’s poison.

2. Ask more questions. Be curious. Avoid believing that you already know the answer because of your previous experience. You can learn while you listen. You can’t learn while you’re speaking. Ask questions and then be quiet and listen to the answer.

3. Pretend that you’re a beginner. For example, imagine that you make a living as a real estate investor. When a novice investor starts telling you about his latest deal, you probably don’t believe there’s anything you can learn from him.

– Pretend that you know absolutely nothing about a topic. Be open to everything you hear. Even if you’re a leading authority on something, there are still things you don’t know. If you pretend that you’re a mere novice, you’ll have a better chance of gaining that knowledge that eludes you.

4. Determine if your beliefs are truths, or merely just beliefs. Beliefs are personal, often unprovable, and often no more correct than another belief.

– Truths don’t require constant validation. For example, gravity is a truth.

5. Where did your belief come from? If you believe that women are better than men, how did you decide that? Or, if you believe that you’re not capable of managing money, where did this belief come from? What is the source of your belief?

– Many of our beliefs come from our parents. Most of us didn’t have parents that were Rhodes Scholars.

– Question the origin of your beliefs and determine if that idea is worth a second look.

6. Let go of your identity. Our identities are largely built around our beliefs. We might believe:

– “I’m an overweight person.”
– “I’m not intelligent.”
– “I’m the most intelligent person I know.”
– “I’m liberal.”
– “I’m someone that can’t learn math.”
– “I’m lazy.”
– “I’m a school teacher. That’s what I am.”
– We take our beliefs, good or bad, and associate with them. If you believe that you’re naturally overweight, it makes it challenging to lose weight. If you associate with being bad at math, you make it harder to learn math. It’s hard to achieve or believe something outside of your identity.

7. What is the cost of your beliefs? Some beliefs come with a heavy price. Look at your beliefs and consider the impact they are having on you.

Since beliefs are personal and alterable, think about which of your beliefs are making your life more challenging. When a belief doesn’t serve you, you’ll be more interested in letting go of it.

We’re all slaves to our beliefs. Unfortunately, many of our beliefs are unhealthy and unhelpful. Beliefs can be very limiting. Face the world with an open mind, and you’ll have an easier time of finding your truth.

Avoid allowing your old beliefs to control you. Be the master of your life, not a slave to your beliefs.