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Watch the interview with the writer James Clear.
LISTENING
- According to James Clear, what is the key to a productive life?
- How does Clear use Sir Isaac Newton's laws of motion in his work?
- What is the "2-minute rule" mentioned by James Clear?
- Why are habits important according to James Clear?
- How does Clear suggest we can reduce time spent on our phones?
According to James Clear, breaking down tasks into small, __________ goals leads to higher productivity.
b) achievable
c) challenging
d) unattainable
Clear applies Sir Isaac Newton's laws of motion as an analogy for:
b) increasing productivity
c) managing time
d) enhancing creativity
The "2-minute rule" suggests scaling down your habit until it:
b) takes two minutes to complete
c) becomes a weekly task
d) requires maximum effort
What happens if you improve just 1% each day for an entire year?
b) You end up nearly 37 times better.
c) You remain the same.
d) You experience minimal change.
To reduce technology addiction, Clear suggests:
b) moving your phone charger to another room
c) keeping your phone with you at all times
d) downloading productivity apps
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the box. Not all words will be used, and some words may be used more than once.
Words: habits, productivity, science, compound, manageable, embody, technology, addicted, results, cues, focused, goals, success, crucial, achieve, analogy, actions, friction, sense, achievable
The key to a productive life can be found in __________ (1), according to author James Clear. He suggests that breaking down tasks into small, __________ (2) goals leads to higher __________ (3). To illustrate this point, Clear applies Sir Isaac Newton's laws of motion as an interesting __________ (4) for increasing productivity, simplifying work, and improving life. More than 400,000 people subscribe to Clear's newsletter on __________ (5) and performance, including teams from the NFL, NBA, and MLB, as well as leaders from Fortune 500 companies. James Clear is here to tell us more. Good morning, James!
The 2-Minute Rule: Starting is Key
Good morning. __________ (6) are really important because they __________ (7) over time. For example, if you can improve just 1% each day for an entire year, you'll end up nearly 37 times better by the end of it. These small choices may seem insignificant in the moment, but over the span of our lives, they make the difference between who you are and who you could be. The New York Times describes this concept as "micro progress," which involves breaking down big __________ (8) into small, __________ (9) units.
One way to start is with the "2-minute rule." The idea is to scale down your __________ (10) until it takes only two minutes to do. For example, going for a run can be scaled down to simply tying your running shoes. Folding laundry can be scaled down to folding the first pair of socks. Often, we focus on the __________ (11), but instead, we should focus on the starting line, not the finish line.
The Importance of Habits
We shouldn’t obsess over the big picture of __________ (12); instead, we should concentrate on doing something small every day. When you __________ (13) a result, you only change your life for a moment. For example, if your goal is to clean your room, it will be clean for now, but if you don't change the messy __________ (14) behind that goal, you'll have a cluttered room again in two weeks. __________ (15) are important because they give us the __________ (16) we want: they can help us earn more money, lose weight, or be more productive. But the real reason __________ (17) matter is that every __________ (18) you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become. Each time you write, you are a writer. Each time you play the violin, you are a musician. Each time you work out, you are an athlete. So, your __________ (19) are the method through which you __________ (20) your identity and develop your __________ (21) of self.
Addressing Technology Addiction
If you have a big problem like __________ (22) addiction, how do you break it down into __________ (23) pieces? We're all somewhat __________ (24) to our phones. Most people keep their phone by their bed at night, and it’s the first thing they see in the morning. One way to reduce the time spent mindlessly browsing is to move where you charge your phone, for example, charging it in the bathroom. The goal here is to reduce the time spent browsing aimlessly while you're in bed. It's also important to reduce the __________ (25) that prompt you to use your phone during the day. In my case, I've tried to reduce these __________ (26) by removing app screens. The goal is to increase the __________ (27) a bit so that we don’t use our phones automatically.
The Best Habit for Productivity
My best __________ (28), and the one I'm most proud of, is leaving my phone in another room until lunchtime each day. This gives me three to four hours of __________ (29), productive work. In fact, I should highlight the importance of starting: according to Newton's laws, an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Starting allows you to develop the most effective form of motivation: progress. If you see yourself achieving small wins, you'll have a reason to keep going. And if you start in a small way, you'll want to continue.