Beating Procrastination [Four Quarters Method]
Beating Procrastination
[Four Quarters Method]
SUPERHUMAN SCORE: 8.63
Written by: Ben Meer | September 10, 2023
The most powerful life hack to get consistent results. Four Quarters Method:
Principle-First
I wish I knew this life hack sooner…
It’s called The Four Quarters Method (courtesy of Gretchen Rubin).
And once you learn it, you’ll skyrocket your consistency.
Whenever I used to hit a snag in my day, I’d think: “I’ll wait until tomorrow for a fresh start.”
It’s how watching one Netflix show spirals into binging a whole season. Or how an unhealthy snack can turn into an unplanned cheat day.
Sound familiar?
What if instead, you viewed your life like a game—with four daily quarters?
SUPERHUMAN SCORING
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Impact (9.5/10)
Most people only play 1-2 solid quarters daily.
Because they “quit” when things don’t go exactly to plan.
Imagine if you pushed that daily number to 3-4 well-lived quarters.
You’d close the gap between where you are and where you want to be—physically, financially, emotionally, etc.—up to 400% more quickly.
Here’s how to execute The Four Quarters Method…
Setup (8.0/10)
Step 1: Split your day into four sections.
Assuming you get 8 hours of sleep, you have 16 waking hours each day.
So divide those 16 waking hours into quarters.
For example, if you wake up at 6am, here’s how that looks:
- Quarter 1 (Morning): 6am-10am
- Quarter 2 (Midday): 10am-2pm
- Quarter 3 (Afternoon): 2pm-6pm
- Quarter 4 (Evening): 6pm-10pm
Step 2: Consider what you’d like to do in your quarters.
Potential Ideas:
- Q1: Morning routine, deep work session
- Q2: Healthy lunch, power nap, exercise
- Q3: Meetings, admin tasks
- Q4: Quality time with family, self-care
Everyone’s situation is different.
What’s important is to be intentional with your time.
Maintenance (7.5/10)
Step 3: Journal on your daily execution.
In the evening, reflect on how you performed in each quarter.
Did you live intentionally?
Maybe you had a bad quarter but bounced back in the next one.
Celebrate that! Those turnarounds are life-changing.
Pro tip: Another empowering mantra I learned from James Clears’ Atomic Habits: “Never miss twice.” Have a bad quarter? No big deal. Focus on the next one.
BRINGING IT HOME
Know this: Our lives will never be perfect, but they can be extraordinary.
The next time you hit a rough patch in your day…don’t wait for a fresh start tomorrow.
There’s another quarter right around the corner.
Who’s in?
All systems go,
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