The world’s BEST productivity hack

I had a realization yesterday while working from home…

Motivation is super difficult when I’m by myself. 

Now, the caveat is that I identify as self-driven. But, I get antsy when I’m locked in my upstairs office in complete silence. 

There’s this phenomenon that I experience where external stimuli make me more productive. 

I crave intellectual stimulation, and a coffee shop provides mental engagement or stimulation that is not overly distracting for focused writing. I get into a flow state almost instantaneously. Especially if I have some Hans Zimmer or Shingo Nakamura in my headphones. 

Other examples:

• As a musician, I perform better when there’s an audience that is actively listening

• It’s easier to lift heavier weights in front of others at my gym vs. doing it alone.

Even though these aren’t collaborations, the people around me aren't working on the same thing I am, there’s an energy present. 

Turns out, I’m not the only one that feels this way. 

Robert Bolesław Zajonc, a social psychologist, coined this phenomenon “social facilitation” with a research paper in 1966.

His theory states that some people have a tendency to be more productive or have higher performance when they are in the presence of others. It even suggests that this presence doesn’t have to be real. It can be imagined or even digital. 

It’s also broken down into 2 different effects: coaction and audience. 

Coaction effects are when two people work on the same task together or in the same vicinity (coffee shop). 

Audience effects is where a person completes a task in front of others (performing music in front of others).

Pretty wild. 

One caveat is that this typically only works if it’s a skill that you’ve done before. If it’s something new, social facilitation turns into social loafing, a phenomena where you are LESS productive. 

So, try putting this tool in the toolkit. 

Next time you find yourself pacing around an empty room distracted out of your mind, pack up your stuff, drive to a coffee shop and get your social facilitation on. 

Cheers,

Swanagan “coactor” Ray

P.S., if you are getting good vibes from these emails, send it to 5 friends and I’ll send you a shirt.