You’re Not Lazy: 3 Keys to Effortless Productivity (with Ali Abdaal) 

Thanks to Brilliant for sponsoring this video! Go to brilliant.org/izzy/ to get a 30-day free trial + the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription.

This was such a fun video to make - thanks so much for having me on the channel 😊

The forks as mic holders = perfection.

in brief: The video discusses the concept of productivity and how to achieve it in a sustainable and enjoyable way. 1. **Definition of Productivity**: Ali defines productivity as doing what matters in an intentional, effective, and sustainable way. The focus is on generating positive emotions in work and other activities, which helps in being more productive, creative, and less stressed. 2. **Positive Psychology**: The video touches on the role of positive psychology in productivity. It references the work of psychologist Barbara Frederickson and her broaden-and-build theory, which suggests that positive emotions drive productivity and creativity, reduce stress, and provide energy. 3. **Three Core Elements of Productivity**: - **Play**: Incorporating an element of play in tasks can make them more enjoyable and engaging. This involves approaching tasks with lightness, ease, and creativity. - **Power/Empowerment**: Feeling empowered in what you're doing, taking ownership, and having control over the process or outcome can enhance productivity. This includes shifting one's mindset from 'have to' to 'get to' do something. - **People**: Engaging with others in a task can make it more energizing and enjoyable. The concept of 'relational energy' is discussed, highlighting how interactions with others can either energize or drain us. 4. **Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation**: The video discusses how intrinsic motivation (doing something for its own sake) is more sustainable and enjoyable than extrinsic motivation (doing something for external rewards like money or status). Adding extrinsic motivators can dampen intrinsic motivation. 5. **Overcoming Procrastination and Burnout**: The video briefly mentions strategies to beat procrastination and sustain productivity without leading to burnout. This includes aligning what you do with what truly matters to you. 6. **Feel-Good Productivity**: The overarching theme is that productivity should not be a struggle but rather an enjoyable and energizing process. The video encourages viewers to find ways to make tasks more enjoyable, even if it's just by a small margin. 7. **Sponsorship and Additional Resources**: The video is sponsored by Brilliant, an educational platform. Ali also mentions his book on productivity, which delves deeper into these concepts. The conversation between Dr. Izzy Sealey and Ali Abdaal is engaging and filled with personal anecdotes and examples, making the concepts relatable and practical for viewers. The video concludes with an encouragement to check out Ali's book for more detailed strategies and to explore the sponsor's educational offerings.gpt4

So good to see the couple finally doing things together!

Are you two a couple? I can feel the chemistry, you make a cute couple! 😂

Omg couldn’t imagine you both sit together and converse! You both are my favourite content creators! Love the way you go and especially the way you hold the mic 😂

Watching your videos rejuvenates my drive to pursue my interest and passion and it always give me more insight into how to approach it. I found that when you do surround yourself with positive people and create a fun supportive atmosphere .... good things happen. Music is such a great motivator for me. I do find that when extrinsic motivation comes into play, sometimes my creativity is boosted. Maybe I'm forced into thinking out of the box because of the pressure. Thanks Izzy!!

Great vid, been a fan of both since 21 crazy to see the growth... best of wishes in the new year everyone !! 🎉

Dr. Izzy, I have watched over 20 of your videos and you definitely have a passion for medicine, excellent communication skills and an engaging demeanor. My prediction is that in 10 years you will become the Executive Director of a prestigious holistic health institute and retreat center catering to highly educated and affluent clients from the UK and beyond. You may also become a well known and highly respected "media personality" on British TV. Much success!

I’m so happy you interviewed Ali! My two favorite people!

Thank you so much for making this video. I hope you find yourselves intrinsically motivated making it. Sometimes we lose track of why we started doing something in the first place. And it’s important to ask ourselves if we still find joy doing it. Thanks again, the video was enjoyable.😊😊😊

Love this casual convo and the mics 😂 Very creative. I think I’ll steal it for my next video haha. Can’t wait to dig into the book! ❤

You're the most positive vibes person I've ever seen. Can't stop smiling when looking at you:)

The collab that I i have been wanting! Love the amazing video especially on the play part since i have always have this mentality of play is play and play couldn't mix with something more serious. Definitely would try to implement this tips and hope you all have a nice new year coming up! 🙂 Side note: love the microfork! It adds such a nice "texture" to the video, it just makes it more fun. I will definitely see the other video about RU-vid tips.

Dr Ali is an amazing personality... I've learned so much from him.

Thank you so much for sharing the tips of productivity. I’ll definitely incorporate them into my work and life. ❤

I've never been so excited to get a book until Ali Abdaal released his book. I suppose being someone who has always been interested in self-improvement, I love reading these kind of books that provides a different point of view on how to achieve more with less. I love to do book summaries, so I'll definitely be picking up the book at my local bookstore, and hopefully share my takeaways on it on my channel after I'm done. Great video!

I can’t get enough of you Dr. Izzy. You are classy, intelligent, gorgeous gorgeous woman. Thanks for another amazing video with Ali

Please do more of these videos together. You're both amazing on your respective channels, but your close friendship and banter are captivating. Funnily enough, I finally found the time to become a yoga teacher, which killed the joy of yoga for a while. I've had Ali's book on my shelf for a while, so thanks for reminding me to read it.

Thank you, Izzy. Both of you have been inspiring me so much. I am one of those yoga teachers who loves yoga but have been struggling with how to make teaching feel really authentic and fun. Both for me and my lovely students. ❤🙏

Thank you, Ali and Izzy, for this inspiring video. May it empower us to live happier, more fulfilling lives and approach our work with renewed passion and productivity.

Thank you for posting this video… it’s very inspiring and helpful Jeroen

Loved this interview - thank you! I'm curious that the " clutter " issue didn't arise in your conversation. My experience as an organizing consultant for over four decades is that clutter (physical, digital, emotional or spiritual) is a huge block to productivity (which I define as "accomplishing your work and enjoying your life!). Keep up the great work!

Whoa look at you! Doing collabs now! IZZY IS GROWING! LETS GOOOO! I wish you all the success IZZY!

I've been watching Ali's channel for a while now started in 1st year of grad to now 6 years later in final year of law school. Still I didn't really think about reading the book, even tho I've learnt alot from him. But this video/interview made me rethink because maybe the the target audience is people like us (Who focus on high achieving and providing value to people, classic Asian fluff 🤭) the book might finally give us "permission" to chill out a bit and recenter ourselves. So genuinely thank you for sharing your pov by asking good question and helping Ali navigate us through the book. I don't read self help that much anymore but will definitely read this one. PS your videos are very helpful too. Great work and again thank you!

*So excited for Ali's first book launching. 🌟🧡*

Its so nice to see you guys making smth splendit

My two favourite productivity motivators in the same video! This year couldn’t have started better. Love you guys and keep up the amazing content!

Love the microphones with the forks and the interview! Well done! Inspiring as always you two!!! ☺️✨🫶🏻

I find this end of December such a good video to prepare for a new year!

My love for two of you who always sharing your knowledge with us... greetings from Indonesia

🎉keep progressing. You are helping people. Thats exciting in itself! 😊

The way you guys are looking at each other 🥰

I feel like these insights have been discussed in the educational psychology and teaching methodology as well. Thanks for integrating them into a more relatable situations in the day to day life.

i really enjoy this video so much that i forget about what time it's in Jordan Amman thank you Dr.Izzy and thank you ali

So why am I grinning watching this?❤ they have chemistry - or is it just me?😅

*Wow! My duo role model! This is great collaborative conversation. Hi Izzy, thank you for having Ali. I watch Ali in many channel (Mark Manson, Matthew Hussey, and many more). Now I am happy Ali to be here, talking to Dr Izzy. Keep up! ☕🍹*

they both touched their mic-fork which means a date :) hahahah

@IzzySealey your videos are really motivational for me ❤.. its very helpful for those people who have lost their self belief.

Thanks for this video, it provides good insights in psychological aspect. Totally agree. Additionally, from my privious research in neronfeedback sicence, positive emotions are often associated with elevated levels of alpha waves, which in turn indicate heightened creativity, productivity, intuition and the ability to enjoy life, and the alpha level is divided into two distinct types: the pragmatic and materialistic alpha wave, and the spiritual enlightenment alpha wave.

Btw the fork thing, definitely a key feature of yours that I noticed! KEEP USING IT!

ohmygod i can't believe I qualified for the 20% off deal, thank you so much Izzy I'm currently working on my masters application while working and I've been thinking about Brilliant for extra maths!

This was wonderful to learn about! ✨

love ❤ it's really feels enjoyable to see both ali and izzy thanks u look beautiful flawless izzy..u strong confident now 🎉🎉 😊😊 keep it up!!

OMG you guys put me in shocked I approached you both differently. Good to see both of you are friends!!! Amazing 😍 love your content, and I am commenting very first time ❤

thank you for this video!!

I liked this video, it's nice to see two RU-vidrs together who that I follow a lot and watch all the time. It's a great chance that you are together and I watched you frequently .

Great video! Positive mindset and creative goalsetting really makes tedious work somewhat enjoyable

Thanks , your definetly give great advice, thanks !!!

Thank you Doctor Izzy! Great subject. And Ali was a great guest writer. I'm more inclined to make the purchase of his book now. Best to you. Charlotte USA

HI IZZY!!!!! If you see this, Happy New Year!!! Really glad I found your channel during 2023!

Watching a video about productivity but being distracted the entire time by her drop-dead-gorgeous face. My god, what a beautiful woman!

Look forward to seeing your book available for purchase in HK!

Thank you so much for this video clip. I had to do interpretation from Japanese to English the other day for a presentation, and I hate public speaking, and it is such nerve-wracking. But, I was able to do ok after reminding me of what I learned from this video clip. 😊

Hey, this is awesome Video! Looking forward for the book :) 😮😊 Thanks Dr. IZZY

I agree so much on the argument at 17:00 because that was like tennis to me when I was younger, I really liked to play tennis so my father signed me up in a tennis club, and when I started to practice there it didn't take long until I didn't like anymore, I feel like when it becomes an "obligation" it stop being fun and I don't enjoy it as much. Then in my life it happened again with other things, so I love books and reading but I swore I wont work on that because it would make me loose passion for it.

Thanks Izzy, I loved this

I was fired up by David Goggins on the huberman podcast just yesterday and now this. Its like the Yin and Yang of productivity. Both embracing the “suck” and having fun.

Wow, this is exactly the video I was waiting for 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

I happened to be in London for new years and just picked up a copy today. Even got a signed one

Just looveed it so much value ❤❤❤

Received my copy of Ali's book today 😊

Wow❤ I am a huge fan of both of you for a long time. So excited to see you together😊

Ali the way you described the thing I guess might be way better than the book itself, thanks for sharing your book before it is published, I wanted to read it but I guess I don't need to now😅

☦️God bless you two! I wondered if you both knew each other and why I never saw both of you in the same video, yay!! Two exemplary approachable people with the same mission and mentality. Friends are one mind in two bodies after all ❤❤

it's a balance between discipline and 'feel good'. even many speakers like goggins who talk about 'discipline' implicitly acknowledge feeling good in the process or at the end of it. 'feel good' does not necessarily mean "pleasure" (which can be harmful and lead to addictions), but a sense of reward and fulfilment which is much more sustainable.

Oh Jesus, I cannot unsee the forks once I actually noticed them and cannot stop laughing xd Lovely collaboration, Ali 's videos helped me a lot when I was in college.

Just got the book on Audible!

This is a dream team up! Please collaborate more in the future as well!!!!! 🎉

Wowowowoo.. how come? My 2 idols in one frame❤

Two of my favorite RU-vidrs are working together!

Thanks for video

the best duo on productive youtube

Excellent Collaboration!!

This is a great collab. You should consider doing it more often with other RU-vidrs. The mic forks are cute.

I just started my RU-vid channel and this is such a perfectly timed video for me, thank you Izzy and Ali! I really resonated with the idea of play. I’ve noticed that if I reduce the stakes of creating a video, and just approach it from a “let’s make something dumb but fun for me”, it makes it WAAAAY easier to make, and I tend to like the end result more, too.

Saludos desde México, eres la mejor!

Happy New Year ❤❤❤❤

look at you two! you look good together! :)

I love you guys so much. ❤

Really fun and motivative❤

i love ur microphone!

Took me a moment to realise the ultimate productivity hack right there on the screen: "Make do with what you have & have fun". Im definitely stealing the fork & mic hack.

a video with two of my fave youtubers :’)))

OMG!!!!! Finally this collab happened….!!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻❤❤❤ , i was wondering for a long time whether Izzy is Ali’s girlfriend…! 😃

Great video thnx

I was so focus on listening the video until realize that they are both holding a fork, what a cutie 😄 a great video as always by the way 😊

I've given up all hope of ever doing anything with my life. But thanks for the great video.

Best collab on youtube

Great Collaboration ❤

Hey, I am a PTYA student, so glad to see you together but wait a second are those forks?

Luv you both

Great session! What a mic holding skill😅

Two icons unite 🙌🙌🙌

Great episode :)

Awesome!

love the fork and the mic combo 😂

It’s best to do everything with conviction and what I mean by this is to always have reasoning and for everything that u do to be grounded in purpose.I also don’t think it’s wise to align energy and positivity with everything.Im not saying it’s bad to feel good with what u do but I don’t believe positivity is about feeling good that’s what they sell to all of us.Positivity is really just being passive and ultimately going with the flow and taking everything for what it is not wanting nor seeking or believing that things can change and be better than what it is.This is why wen people try to align positivity with the truth,facts and purpose it never works because the truth,facts and purpose doesn’t align with anything it doesn’t take sides it stands on its own.The fact we hear so much about positivity,energy and feelings is beyond me we need to learn to death from our feelings rather than staying caught up in them.

Wowwwwwww So nice doctor ❤❤❤ I do love your both videos ❤❤❤