physics of productivity - newton's laws of getting stuff done

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The Physics of Productivity: Newton’s

Laws of Getting Stuff Done

In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton published his groundbreaking book, MathematicalMathematical

Principles of Natural Philosophy Principles of Natural Philosophy , which described his three laws of motion. In the

process, Newton laid the foundation for classical mechanics and redefined the way the

world looked at physics and science.

What most people don’t know, however, is that Newton’s three laws of motion can be

used as an interesting analogy for increasing your productivity, simplifying your work,

and improving your life.

Allow me to present this analogy as Newton’s Laws of Productivity.

Newton’s First Law of Productivity

First Law of Motion: An object either remains at rest or continues to move at a

constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force. (i.e. Objects in motion

tend to stay in motion. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.)

In many ways procrastination is a fundamental law of the universe. It’s Newton’s first

law applied to productivity. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

The good news? It works the other way too. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.

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When it comes to being productive, this means one thing: the most important thing is

to find a way to get startedget started. Once you get started, it is much easier to stay in motion. [1,

2]

So, what’s the best way to get started when you are stuck procrastinating?

In my experience, the best rule of thumb for getting started is the 2-Minute Rule2-Minute Rule. [3]

Here’s the 2-Minute Rule adjusted for productivity: To overcome procrastination,

find a way to start your task in less than two minutes.

Notice that you don’t have to finish your task. In fact, you don’t even have to work on

the primary task. However, thanks to Newton’s first law, you’ll often find that once you

start this little 2-minute task, it is much easier to keep moving.

Here are some examples…

Right now, you may not feel like going for a run. But if you put your running

shoes on and fill up your water bottle that small start might be enough to get you


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out the door.

Right now, you might be staring at a blank screen and struggling to write your

report. But if you write random sentences for just two minutes, then you may find

that useful sentences start to roll off your fingers.

Right now, you might have a creative block and be struggling to draw something.But if you draw a random line on a sheet of paper and turn it into a dog, then you

might get your creative juices flowing.

Motivation often comes after starting. Find a way to start small. Objects in motion tend

to stay in motion.

Newton’s Second Law of Productivity

Second Law of Motion: F=ma. The vector sum of the forces on an object is

equal to the mass of that object multiplied by the acceleration vector of the object.

(i.e. Force equals mass times acceleration.)

Let’s break down this equation, F=ma, and how it can apply to productivity.

There is one important thing to note in this equation. The force, F, is a vector. Vectors

involve both magnitude (how much work you are putting in) and direction (where that

work is focused). In other words, if you want to get an object accelerating in a

particular direction, then the size of the force you apply and the direction of that force

will both make a difference.

Guess what? It’s the same story for getting things done in your life.

If you want to be productive, it’s not merely about how hard you work (magnitude), it’s

also about where that work is applied (direction). This is true of big life decisions and

small daily decisions.

For example, you could apply the same skill set in different directions and get very


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different results.

Note: the idea for this image came from artwork created by my friend, Oliver Emberton, in his

wonderful post titled, “Life is a game. This is your strategy guide.Life is a game. This is your strategy guide.” Thanks Oliver!

To put it simply, you only have a certain amount of force to provide to your work and

where you place that force is just as important as how hard you work.

Newton’s Third Law of Productivity

Third Law of Motion: When one body exerts a force on a second body, the

second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in

direction on the first body. (i.e. Equal and opposite forces.)

We all have an average speedaverage speed that we tend to perform at in life. Your typical levels of

productivity and efficiency are often a balance of the productive and unproductive

forces in your life — a lot like Newton’s equal and opposite forces.


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There are productive forces in our lives like focusfocus, positivity positivity , and motivationmotivation. There are

also unproductive forces like stressstress, lack of sleeplack of sleep, and trying to juggle too many tasks attoo man y tasks at

onceonce.

If we want to become more effective and more productive, then we have two choices.

The first option is to add more productive force. This is the “power through it” option.

We gut it out, drink another cup of coffee, and work harder. This is why people take

drugs that help them focus or watch a motivational video to pump themselves up. It’s

all an effort to increase your productive force and overpower the unproductive forces

we face.


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Obviously, you can only do this for so long before you burn out, but for a brief moment

the “power through it” strategy can work well.

The second option is to eliminate the opposing forces. Simplify your lifeSimplify your life, learn how tolearn how to

say nosa y no, change your environmentchange your environment, reduce the number of responsibilities that you takeon, and otherwise eliminate the forces that are holding you back.


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If you reduce the unproductive forces in your life, your productivity will glide forward

naturally. It’s like you magically remove the hand that has been holding you back. (As I

like to say, if you eliminated all of the things distracting you from being productive,

you wouldn’t need tips on how to become more productive.) [4]

Most people try to power through and hammer their way past the barriers. The

problem with this strategy is that you’re still dealing with the other force. I find it to be

much less stressful to cut out the opposing forces and let your productivity naturally

flow forward.

Newton’s Laws of Productivity

Newton’s laws of motion reveal insights that tell you pretty much everything you need

to know about how to be productive.

Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Find a way to get started in less than 2

minutes.

1.

It’s not just about working hard, it’s also about working on the right things. You2.


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have a limited amount of force and where you apply it matters.

Your productivity is a balance of opposing forces. If you want to be more

productive, you can either power through the barriers or remove the opposing

forces. The second option seems to be less stressful.

3.

James Clear writes a weekly newslettera weekl y newsletter about the science of habit formation and

how to use behavioral science to improve your health, creativity, and productivity.

Click here to leave a commentClick here to leave a comment.

Sources

Psychology studies have also revealed that it is easier for us to stay in motion once we

have started. Actually, what the studies show is that our human brains have a strong

urge to finish tasks that we start. We don’t like leaving things unfinished or partially

done. This is a widely research phenomenon known as the Ziegarnik Effect, named

after the Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik.

1.

After writing this post, I found out that Stephen Guise has also written about the idea

of “objects in motion, stay in motion” in his book, Mini HabitsMini Habits.

2.

The 2-Minute Rule originally comes from David Allen’s best-selling book, GettingGetting

Things DoneThings Done.

3.

This idea of analyzing supporting and opposing forces, which is sometimes referred to

as a Force Field Analysis, was first thought up by Kurt Lewin. This is the same man

who is responsible for Lewin’s EquationLewin’s Equation.

4.

Thanks to Rob Norback Rob Norback for sharing the idea behind the “third law of productivity”, which

sparked this post. And to Sir Isaac Newton for being a man ahead of his time and for being a

bold mofo who owned his rockstar hairowned his rockstar hair.

James Clear writes about science-based ideas for living a better life and building habits


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94 Comments

Patty says:

Great truths. Love the classic physics approach to productivity. Some eternal truths cross

platforms-which you just proved. Thanks!

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Trevor says:

Love your diagrams James.

Had to think about the final one until I realised the box had moved closer to the Effective

end of the Productivity spectrum.

Maybe Fb could be Fb- (for Fb minus) or Fbdownwardspointingarrow?

Anyway the message is clear.

Cheers,Trevor

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James Clear says:


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Fair point. I’m still trying to get better at labeling my drawings. Thanks for the

feedback, Trevor.

Great to have you reading!

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Oleg says:

You should add a scale on the line. Or at least a zero point.

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Adan Ova says:

I hate those ideas in which they wrongly associate exact science with human behavior.

This, however, is genius. It was a pretty clever way of showing some of the forces that drive

our motivation and work. I loved this article.

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Laurent says:

Another great article James, very very well done indeed!!!

I’m inspired by the 3rd rule which you stated that productivity is a balance of opposite

force, it makes me realized that I’ve been chasing so much things in my life before.

“Eliminate counter force, not to force yourself to put more force.”

Thanks James. =)

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Anand R Ekbote says:

Very nice!! You explained the other side of the great Newton’s law.

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Daniel Toh says:

Thanks James, your articles are always so well thought out and useful. Imagine how

productive you will be when one eventually utilises all 3 laws! Keep ‘em coming!

-Dan

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Melane says:

Hi James,

I love all your articles — thanks so much. This one is extra good! It’s so true and so

interesting. I live by all this positive stuff and by using a name like “Newton” makes me feel,


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“Yeah, I just have to think like him and I can do it!” Really great!

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Ved says:

Simple and effective. I need to get off to doing things which are just piling in my to-do list.

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Mark says:

Great article James, your writings have really helped my productivity levels.

Quick question, what app do you use for your drawings in your articles?

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Tebogo says:

Hi,

Just joined.

Nice post, I like how you took something from science and turned it into a lesson. Great

stuff.

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Erika says:

Thanks, that was another helpful email. I am really enjoying them – obviously some more

than others, but I always enjoy reading them and hearing about your own struggles has also


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been helpful. So keep up the good work, I am sure there are a lot of other people you are

also helping with your work.

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Thomson Muriyadan says:

Really interesting comparison James. That 2-minute rule is just perfect to get things

moving. I also like how you are thanking contributors and acknowledging sources (as per

your new resolutions). Your stuff just keeps getting better and better. Cheers!

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Eswar says:

Great truth and well connected to Newton’s laws.

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Nithiy says:

The law of physics put on for another good use. I remembered Newton’s laws for my school

and uni exams and probably now I would remember them for life. We’ll done.

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Santhosh Thatipelli says:

Thanks James for sharing this intellectual article.

I realized that all I got only way of second option for this I need to get motivation every time

on work.If i fail in getting motivation,i faced defeats.But based on your second option it will

be every easy to get success.


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I love this article.

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Dennis says:

thanks for this article. i found it very useful.

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Dubem Menakaya says:

Ha wasn’t expecting that – that was dope! Kept it simple – and that’s what it’s about! Great

way to start my day and I’m going to take these 3 core elements forward with me from now

on.

Thanks James!

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Venugopal says:

Excellent interpretation of facts, James. It is a crisp and powerful way to put things in right

perspective. Thanks very much for the presentation.

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Joan says:

Yet another well-written post. I really look forward to reading your work. Thanks for

another great article.

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Don says:

So I’m torn……do I go for Newton’s “rock star” look (love the link) or your hairstyle? You’re

both super bright guys that I’d like to be more like.

Seriously, great post and excellent follow through on your commitment to include more

drawings.

Regards, Don

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Emri Pamundur says:

The addition of drawings is brilliant! Nice post.

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Patty says:

Wow! That is an excellent application. My biggest problem is getting started. I’ve always

followed the 15-minute rule — set a timer for 15 minutes and do something. But I like your

2-minute rule better.

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Amirreza says:

I’m pretty sure that you will become a very nice and impressive writer and life

coach, so keep up the good work and make us more educated by your very nice stuff

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NMG says:

Very clever. This is a great article! I really enjoyed it.

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Claudio says:

Well thought out. This can be applied to just about any endeavour.

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Corwin says:

Hi James,

I really enjoy your articles, keep up the great work.

Unfortunately, the second law is only partially correct, and I think this is a golden

opportunity to help teach others the full form. The sum of the forces on a system is actually the time derivative of the linear momentum, i.e. F = d/dt (mv). http://www.grc.nasa.gov http://www.grc.nasa.gov

/WWW/k-12/airplane/newton2c.html/WWW/k-12/airplane/newton2c.html For a system with constant mass, that reduces to F =

ma. But when the mass flow rate of the system is non-zero, you can use the chain rule to

compute the full expression: F = mdot v + m a. I think you can pull both terms into your

productivity analogy still. And you can also tie this into your analogy of the first law

regarding the momentum of productivity, since force is the rate of change of the


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momentum. Another nice tidbit: work is defined as force times distance.

Another term to consider is “impulse”: an instantaneous change in momentum. So a very

small impulse in the beginning of your task may be enough to get you going. Other

applicable terms include the resting coefficient of friction vs kinetic coefficient of friction:

the resting coefficient is greater than the kinetic coefficient. http://www.pstcc.eduhttp://www.pstcc.edu

/departments/natural_behavioral_sciences/Web%20Physics/Experiment%2005web.htm/departments/natural_behavioral_sciences/Web%20Physics/Experiment%2005web.htm

All of these facts were hammered into my head while studying for my PhD qualifying

exams, so it’s really interesting to see them applied them to productivity.

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James Clear says:

Thanks for sharing Corwin! Always nice to have a physics PhD in the audience.

Interesting that you mention work being force applied over a distance. I was very

close to writing about that example.

Thanks for reading,

James

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Marcos says:

Hi James

Good post!

What I liked the most, though, were the graphics you are using. I’ve read a previous post

which you describe them but you didn’t give any clues about how we could do the same.

What do you do to draw it? Are you drawing by hand and scanning it or using a software?

Best regards.


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Papi says:

Hi James.

Excellent piece. I am not quite sure what are my opposing forces.

Would you be able to give me a list of the most common opposing forces then I can isolate

what could be pulling me back?

I greatly appreciate your work.

Thanks.

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Gerald says:

This is brilliant!

I read your articles for a while now and you already helped me a lot!

Thanks James!

Cheers,

Gerald

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Claire says:

I used to write a magazine column about technology, and the hardest part was always the

opening sentence. I discovered that the best way for me to get past that was to write “This is

the opening paragraph.” And then start on the second paragraph, where the meat of the


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article would begin. Sometimes when I was through, I discovered that the second

paragraph worked just fine as an opening; other times, the opening paragraph was easy to

write once the rest of the article was complete.

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Godisaniron says:

You were doing great (even including the notion of vectors in the Second Law) until you

reached the Third Law, then the analogy fell apart.

The concept of equal and opposite forces is NOT about externally applied forces acting on a

body. It is about forces that oppose the forces you apply. You push on a wall, the wall pushes

back on you; if it didn’t, you’d fall through it. It has to do with maintaining equilibrium and

balance.

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James Clear says:

This is a fair point and I thought about this (external vs. internal system) as I wasdrawing the images. In the end, I decided to stick with the analogy because the

point wasn’t to give a physics lesson, but to use the general principle to get you to

think about the opposing forces in your life. Do you simply try to power through

them with more force? If you simplified and eliminated some of the opposing

forces would it be easier to be productive?

Hopefully I didn’t lose the message by making a less-than-perfect analogy. Thanks

for reading!

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Katherine Razzi says:


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Dear James,

I’ve been reading your articles and they are truly inspirational. This last one on Newton’s

Law of Productivity really hit the WOW factor for me. True enough, even on a more simple

level, when I work around my house, even though I didn’t really want to or started being

lazy and tired, I find that once I begin, I’m doing more and more than the day permits and

keep working until I’m exhausted – however, like I always say, a “happy” tired because I’m

glad at what I was able to accomplish on my day off. Now, I need to apply that to other

works in my life too!

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Thomas says:

Really excellent article, intelligent thoughts elegantly articulated. I will be reading this a few

times and endeavouring to practice the solutions offered. Thank you, James, please keep

this tremendous work coming.

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Sajed says:

Dear James,

I’ve been reading on your blog and I have to say this is probably one of the greatest articles

you’ve written. I mean what a revolutionary way to approach work and it just fits! I’m going

to think deeply about my situation and apply it.

Thanks,

Sajed

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Adam Duncan says:


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James,

Thank you for taking the time to deliver another writing that is rich in wisdom.

My inner dork fully appreciated Newton’s Laws an how they apply to our life.

Your writings create clarity in my life each and every week. I’m really grateful to be apart of

your fan base.

All the best,

Adam Duncan

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Iris says:

James = (clear + brilliant) x 100

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Juan Magno says:

The visuals do help with the understanding of the laws. I enjoyed how you brilliantly apply

Newton’s Laws to enhance the possibilities of continual growth in once life to avoid

stagnation. Thank you!

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Rob says:

Love this post! One of the best ways I know to remove opposing forces for me is browser

plugins that block your access to web sites during certain hours. It takes the “mindless

surfing” exit path away.


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Glenn says:

That moment when you realise what is making your life challenging and how to deal with it.

“remove the opposing forces.”

Thank you.

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Fallevoz says:

Thank you for this brief, but so energetic message. Lesson #3 is just great.

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Ahmed says:

Awesome.

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Lou says:

Interesting concept. I’m an engineer, and I liked it but so you know Newtons Third Law ,if

the x & y Axis is 0,0 Positive forces in the Y direction go up and Negative forces go down, X

forces to the right are positive and negative forces to the left. The Physics of Productivity

should be reversed.

Just Saying!

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James Clear says:

Good point! Thanks Lou.

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Daniel says:

Great post – thanks!

Focus on one thing first and start improving from there.

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Michael says:

This is a great post James… beautifully written, easy to understand and right on point in

today’s world of overwhelm and stress. I always remember what the late Zig Ziglar said,

“Motivation follows the action” not the other way round.

Start taking action and the motivation will soon flow.

Thanks.


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Debra says:

James,

Thanks you for your insights regarding the Newton’s Laws of Getting Stuff Done.

Have you done some research and study regarding Quantum Physics? I would like to see

your insights about how to apply Quantum Physics into our daily life.

Would it be possible to do that? I will really appreciate.

Debra

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Sinead says:

James,

I’ve been reading your articles for ages now, just want to thank you so much!! I’ve learned

so much from you every week, you make me believe its all achievable.

Cheers,

Sinead

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Jeremy says:

Great stuff as always, thanks mate

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Norma Chavez says:

WOW!!!!! Thanks James, this one spoke crystal clear to me as I continue moving forward

with my life. But I want to take this opportunity to let you know that I read all your mails,

over and over, when I am riding the subway or the bus.

I started to read them when I was googling: motivation to lose weight, I was back then

struggling emotionally and physically with pain, so when I hit search, Bam!!! I read your

name for the very first time in the Huffington Posts, from then, I went to your website and

then search for you on YT.

The results and benefits in reading all your mails? Ok, let me see: I lost 70 pounds, I eat

clean, go to the gym 6 times a week, good grades in college, and the list goes on and on.

You may think I am very young, but no, I am a single 56 years old mom and empty nester.

Life is wonderful with its ups and downs and this mail about the laws of motion, is helping

me to continue improving my life journey.

Thank you,

Norma Chavez

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Enwongo Ettang says:

Thank you James for your wonderful blog post. I rarely comment on blog posts but this one

was really helpful.

Thank you for adding value.

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Erica says:

Can I Just say I love, love, love your articles! I look forward to your articles, ESPECIALLY


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Mondays!

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Dan Vuksanovich says:

Hi James – Great article. I’ve used a variation of the 2-minute rule for some time now to

avoid procrastination. I start my day by accomplishing something tiny, regardless of what it

is. Maybe it’s taking the garbage cans out to the curb. Maybe it’s returning a phone call. Just

that one “checked box” leads to an entire day of productivity.

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Mona Lisa says:

Excellent post. Good information that I can implement right away and keep my head

around.

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Behary says:

Thanks James for really useful tips. I wish that I read this article ten years ago especially the

second law.

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Sten Dieden says:

Another stellar piece by our ingenious friend James Clear – do keep in motion, please!

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Chow says:

Great article. Love how well you write. The diagrams are bonus.

Thanks,

Della

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shanaz says:

Another great article I have ever read….keep writing James

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Arvind Kumar Sharma says:

I am very unknowingly doing just that; inching forward, however little is possible on an

occasion. Just Google arvindatma for my invention.

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David says:

To remove the opposing forces, I recommend a daily meditation session.

I enjoyed this, good read.

Thanks,

David

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Eddy says:


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I always subscribed to the idea of working smart instead of working hard. Newton’s theory

explains with clarity what working smart is and how to work smart.

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NunoB says:

Just brilliant.

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Erickson Fonseca says:

Loved this article… I never thought about it that way!

Thank you James.

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Yosi says:

Nice and wise.

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Ben says:

Absolutely inspiring.

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Chris says:


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Concise and applicable!

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Andrew Kidd says:

Thanks for taking the time to share this, James. As a concept engineer, your article appeals

on all kinds of levels!

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Rex says:

Thank you for a wonderful article. It’s exactly what I need right now: to get started, choose

what and where to put my energy and to let go of any physical or mental quicksand. It’s a

great formula to get back on track to finish daily and project tasks.

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Warrick Pleash says:

Insightful, succinct, mind expanding,visual and simple to apply… Just Brilliant ! We’ll I

suppose it should be it’s Einstein after all…

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Ashwini says:

Excellent comparison.

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Farid says:

Beautiful! Well done it all goes to prove the UNITY in Cosmos from the micro to the macro

all are complying the Universal Laws. As Ali the founder of Sufism in Islam and prophet

Muhammad’s nephew and son in law said All knowledge is but a SINGLE POINT.

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Godfrey Kigozi says:

Dear James,

Since physics “almost rules” the world, this article is spot on. Here in Uganda (and I think

most of Africa), we tend to overlook these truths. Your illustrations with diagrams make it

even simple and fun to understand the facts stated.

Thanks!

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Peter says:

Thanks for this simple presentation. I’ve been using the 3 Laws to encourage my

ESL students to write. It’s an excellent motivator just knowing there’s an empirical

truth behind the approach!

The diagrams are excellent!

Keep it simple.

Peter

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Sunit Moghe says:


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Superb, bravo man.

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Carolyn says:

Awesome and simple — I’m so happy I found this site! You talk about everything I’m

struggling with and love in such a straight forward manner that still makes an impact. Look

forward to being an avid reader here!

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Stuart says:

Elegantly put with a nice nod to Kurt Lewin’s force field analysis from the 1950s in that

Third Law. Thanks.

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Jason Love says:

Great idea using physics as a metaphor for behavior. I am currently reading a book that

talks about the “magic” of the universe and how if you pretend something will happen or

has happen it will happen.

This article is similar in that it promotes getting started (objects in motion) but without the

B.S. of talking about a magical universe.

That was the long way for me to say I love the article.

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Julia Tobey says:


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In my experience, “powering through” – as I’ve done too many times to count – only leads

to burnout, exhaustion and sometimes depression. Your advice to simplify is really

wonderful and I agree whole-heartedly. Focus on the important stuff, remove distractions,

and be sure to take care of your own body, well-being and loved ones before any work.

Thanks James! Really enjoy your blog!

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Jamie says:

Good analogies on laws 1 and 2, but it falls apart on the 3rd law. The 3rd law analogy

abandons physics entirely. There should be an equal and opposite reaction to your increase

in Fa or addition of Fc.

My point in making this comment is not to be overly critical, rather it is to suggest that the

analogy with the 3rd law is incomplete, and if you dig deeper you can probably find the true

analogy. Do it for us, your readers! If you increase Fa, or add Fc, is there an equal and

opposite force (a consequence)? If you decrease Fb, does something automatically happen

to Fa?

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James Clear says:

Fair points, Jamie! And I appreciate you holding me to high standard. I’ll try to

raise the bar next time. Thanks for reading!

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Foli says:

I remember reading something about Newton’s law of productivity, but your article is more

elaborate and clear. Thanks James for this insightful article. You’ve helped me identify my


37 08/Dec/2014



opposing forces: overwork, stress, insufficient sleep and procrastination. Thank you, James.

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Suzanne says:

Made me feel bad that I was procrastinating by reading this article! Ok, I’ll start now by

actually opening the file I am supposed to be working on!

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Jean says:

Thanks for sharing this! Very useful!

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Frank says:

Good stuff!

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M. Thompson says:

Great article. Simple truths for everyday. Keep it up man, you’re doing a great service to

mankind.

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Luis Ismodes says:


37 08/Dec/2014



Great articles.

Thanks.

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Andre Schnabl says:

This is a great analogy. I could further the dimensions that it is extended to by saying that

knowledge is what gives one the potential energy to overcome static friction and obstacle

would otherwise contribute to frictional losses.

Because Newton’s laws were suggested based on the system in a vacuum environment, your

proposed laws of occupational physics could equate/relate air resistance to the distractions

we have and will experience in our own environment.

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Heather Physioc says:

Sometimes my 2 minute kick-start is just opening a file on my computer and getting out a

pen and paper. At times even that is difficult to do, so I really have to psych myself into

opening the file. But once it’s open and I’m looking at it, things start to unfold.

Thanks for posting – interesting take on productivity!

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Jay says:

Stumbled upon this site looking for some info on physics to draw metaphors to productive

habits and am glad your site has what I was looking for and more.

I LOVE how you explained the concepts very simply and yet so powerfully. Glad I found this


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– I’ll be consuming more of this content to fuel my entrepreneurial journey.

Thanks!

Jay

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Alexey says:

Awesome instruction, thanks!

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Denise Green says:

What an incredibly creative blend of geeky and pragmatic brilliance. I’m glad you got

started…and eliminated any opposing forces…so you could create this!

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37 08/Dec/2014



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physics of productivity - newton's laws of getting stuff done

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