#263: The One Thing Atomic Habits Left Out (Brain Science)

🚀 Plus More Actionable Breakdowns

Productivity Stacks Newsletter

Issue No. 263

The Best in Evidence-Based Productivity

for Small Business Owners, Freelancers & Founders

Helping You Work Smarter and Live More

If you've read "Atomic Habits" by James Clear but still find yourself falling off the wagon, it's not your fault, and you aren't lazy.

The standard advice is missing a critical piece of the puzzle: the difference between "Natural Habits" and "Engineered Habits."

In this video, we break down the neuroscience of behavior change to explain why some habits stick effortlessly while others require constant willpower.

We're going beyond the basics of "stacking" and "cue-reward" loops to help you build a productivity system that actually fits your brain.


In this video (or transcript), we cover:

- The "Missing Step": Why standard habit advice fails for complex tasks.

- Natural vs. Engineered Habits: The biological difference between scrolling social media and going to the gym.

- The Context Trap: Why your habits crumble when your routine changes (and how to fix it).

- Real World Application: How to stop fighting your brain and start building systems that last.

Read or Watch Below:

OR:

More Actionable Breakdowns Below👇

The real cost of a bad book recommendation

It's not the money you spent on the book.

It's the hours you'll never get back. The waiting for the “good part”. The opportunity cost of what else you could've been doing. The frustration of realizing halfway through that the good part isn’t coming.

Here's what I've started doing:

Before I commit to reading ANY book now, I check if Shortform has it.

Their guide tells me in minutes:

  • Is this book's advice actually backed by research? 

  • Do experts agree or is this one person's opinion?

  • Are there better books on this topic?

  • What are the major criticisms I should know about?

Last week: Someone recommended a business book to me. Sounded perfect. Shortform's analysis revealed the author's main framework has been widely criticized and so I found a better book that covers the same concepts with more nuance, less woo and more science.

Saved me from spending hours on the wrong book.

The thing is: Not every popular book is good. Not every bestseller is worth your time. Shortform helps you separate signal from noise.

Because our time is limited. Let’s make it count.

Right now just for you guys: $50 OFF the annual plan by using https://shortform.com/express 

More Actionable Breakdowns

Did you miss one of our previous breakdowns? Here are some you might find helpful.

Are you constantly battling between productivity and distraction in the digital age? As a business owner or freelancer, your smartphone is your lifeline, but could it also be hindering your success? Discover how the digital revolution is rewiring our brains and transforming our behavior. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to master your digital tools and unleash your full potential in the modern business landscape.

Your daily experiences, interactions, and projects are shaping your mind and influencing your success. By understanding how your brain decides what to remember, forget, and transform into core skills, you can harness the power of experiential learning to skyrocket your business and optimize your life. Learn how to train your brain the right way to think smarter, not harder.

I have to admit that I don’t remember where I read the actual term “vacation mode” for the first time but suffice it to say I did not invent it. We could even call it the “vacation phenomenon”. I know most think of “vacation mode” as that feeling of being on vacation and that’s not what I mean here…but whatever you want to call it, I am capitalizing on it now and it also just came up in a discussion in virtual coworking in the inner circle. PLUS, the great news is you don’t need a postponed wedding to use this trick…So let’s get to it. 💪

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Got a tip? Hit reply!

I hope you found this valuable!

Wishing you much productivity!

- Jenae :) 

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