How to be productive and motivated: My recommendations

I know what it's like; it's late at night, you're staring in front of the

computer, you're thinking: "Ah, I should be doing something useful, but I'm kind

of tired. I don't really have the energy to do anything useful". So, I'll have a

look at that, and I have a look at that. And then when I'm really tired: "Oh. I'm

just too tired; I can't do the thing I want to do." My name is Benjamin. And in

this video, I'm going to be looking at study habits, routines, and mindset to

make sure that the time you have for improving your English is well spent.

You see, for me, I know that I'm most productive when I've got a good routine.

So, my first thing that I have to do... I'm not saying everyone has to have

horses; I haven't had horses all my life. And the... I don't... these don't

even belong to me. But what I'm saying is: It's good to have something outside

and physical, like to go outside first thing in the morning. So, my... my

morning routine: I come out; I come up here, and, you know... then I have to

clear out their stable, take them outside because these... these two,

there — they're my responsibility. So... right. Come on, Zeus; come on, Bailey —

let's go out. We come. Out they go.

You see, if I — first thing — try to sit down in front of the computer and start

studying, my brain would be, like, a little fuzzy; it wouldn't be thinking

very straight. I'm someone... I need the fresh air. I need... It just, like,

clears my head off for a night of sleep. And it's good to get some oxygen into

the lungs, oxygen up to the brain, so that when I am ready to work, I go back

down and I can think straight, and you know... I'm focused. Okay? And I know

that I've got these two — they're taken care of. Yeah? I can relax — that is

done. Okay? So, let's get them out the stables, and then I can clear it out.

Brett, what are you up to? There you go. Go on. So, by doing physical work, it

helps us with a sense of... of well-being. Okay? Now, I know a lot of

people live in the city, and getting outside, you know... you can sort of go

and run around a park; like, go to an outdoor gym or something, but if... if

we're feeling good in our bodies, then our mind is more able to focus on what

it is doing.

Now, the next thing I want to talk about is sense of challenge and comfort zone.

So, I'm not really a horsey person, as you can probably tell; but recently, a

friend of ours who has just given birth — she's had a baby — she was running a

riding stable; a place for horses, where children went to have... have riding

lessons. And because she was having the baby, she couldn't look after these two

ponies, here. So, she came to my wife and I, and said, you know... "Know you

two have got children, and you like your boy riding. Do you think you could look

after them?" And we could have been like: "No way." You know? "We've got

enough going on in our lives — we don't need that change". We've got a dog,

we've got a cat, we've got, you know... two kids, running a business — like, all

sorts of things going on. But it was like: "Yeah, okay. Let's do this.

Challenge accepted." And when we take on challenges, that's when we grow. When we

do things that are, like, slightly outside of our comfort zones — that's,

like, the zone of growth. So, if you'd asked me, like two months ago, if I

thought I could walk two ponies around a wood on my own whilst carrying a baby on

my back — no, probably not. But by having to do things, you just do them.

So, I think there's a danger in life of too much planning; too much thought.

"Oh, I'm only going to do that when I'm absolutely ready." But if you have to do

things, because there's, like, no choice — then you're learning as you go along.

So, how does that relate to, like, English-language learning? Well, if you

go and live in an English-speaking country, then you're hearing English the

whole time and you're having to communicate in English for your... your

day-to-day life, and perhaps your work. I went to go and live in Spain, and I

didn't really know any Spanish; I had to learn Spanish. So, think of ways in

which you... instead of, like, you know... being part of a Facebook group

or watching something passively — like, how can you actually apply what you

know? How can you put it to the test? Because that is where you will grow.

So, I'm going to tell you a quick story now, which is about how to respond to

life when life is a bit difficult. So, there was once an old farmer, and he had

this donkey that was very, very old. And it was costing him a lot of money to

keep the donkey alive. He kept on having to go to the vet. And the vet, you know

what the vet's like — they can be very expensive. So, he decided he didn't...

he didn't want to shoot the animal, so what he did, you see, he got it... he

made it go down a well. You know? Circular structure with water down at

the bottom. Okay? I don't know how he got it down there, but, you know...

donkey down in the well. But this donkey, being a donkey that wouldn't

give up — he got down at the bottom, there. It was like: "Oh, here I am. It's

not very nice, but, you know... it'll be okay". And one day they... well, some

people in the village, they were throwing stuff down into the well. I

think they were... they were, like, trying to bury the donkey or something.

And the donkey saw their stuff coming down. It was like: "Oh, what's this?" He

stepped to the side. And stuff came down there. And he saw more stuff, and he

stepped to the side. Gradually, he worked out that he was going up, and up,

and up, and up until he got to the top and he was able to hop out again. And

yes, he was old; yes, he had a couple of pains in his joints — but he survived.

And the moral of that story is that, you know... if life has been difficult, and

we have problems — you got to try and step on top of them. Because that

process of building, and growing, and adapting is what keeps us going; it

keeps us alive.

So, one of my jobs is making sure they've got fresh water to drink when

they're out here. There we are. Now, it's quite, you know... in life, we can

be... we can get all sort of wrapped up in ourselves, and can be like: "I've got

to do this, I've got to do this, I've got to do this", and you can kind of

forget about other people. But if you... if you give and if you kind of care for

others, like, you know... I'm just looking after these horses now, but it

gives me a warm, fuzzy glow inside because they're kind of my

responsibility; I'm looking after them. And if we're thinking about, like,

optimal mindset and, like, being in a really good zone so that we can learn,

and improve, and progress — if we do spend a bit of time, like, each day or

each week, looking after others, whether that is visiting an elderly relative or,

like, washing some plates in a homeless shelter or, you know... looking after

some animals in a sort of rescue centre; walking someone's dog. It doesn't take

us... take long, but it can energize us to then go back and attack our work

with, like, renewed energy.

Now, the next thing I want to talk about is more of a lifestyle thing. So, a few

months ago, I was... I was teaching in a very good school, but wasn't

particularly enjoying it. And I... I decided to get out of there and set up

my own business. And I think we can get trapped in these situations for so long

that you're not, like, really growing in; you're not really, like, fulfilled

by — and you're kind of scared to break through and to break out with that,

like, structure that is supporting you. And it can take quite a lot of courage

to quit something. You know... you're worried about what people are going to

think, but... I'm not saying: Be reckless. I'm saying, like: You got to

think about decisions. But, for me: Getting out of something I didn't want

to be in and starting to concentrate on running my own business — it's allowed

me to, you know... I wouldn't be able to be looking after these horses if I was

commuting two hours a day and working six days a week, and working really long

hours. So, sometimes when you let go of stuff that you don't really like, the

new things can start flowing into your life.

I appreciate that this video has been a little bit different. We're used to

Benjamin standing in front of a whiteboard. What on Earth is going on?

But, look, let's just review what we said. If we want to be... come here. If

you want to be productive, if you want to make sure that the time spent

learning, spent in front of a computer is time well spent — then, let's get

outside; let's get physical. And remember, you know... when we help

others, we actually help ourselves; helps our sort of mental state. Naughty,

naughty, naughty. Hey. So, that's it for me today, but thank you very much for

watching. And until next time, get out there. Let's get busy. Let's get active.

Let's get physical. Please remember to subscribe. If you want more help with

your English, I help high-end professionals to write and speak better.

Visit www.honeyourenglish.com. Thanks, guys. And ring that bell.