The Psychology of Progress: Why Ticking Boxes Feels So Good (and How to Hack It)
Progress is Powerful — Here’s Why
Your brain is wired to want progress. Every time you complete a task, your brain releases a dose of dopamine, the same chemical behind those one more episode Netflix binges. That tiny rush makes you feel good, keeps you motivated and makes you want to take on the next thing.
It’s called the progress principle, the idea that people feel happiest and most engaged when they’re making headway. It doesn’t have to be massive, world-changing progress. Small wins count.
Why That Matters at Work
Ever wonder why your team starts strong on a project but fizzles halfway through? Blame the invisible progress. If nobody can see the momentum, motivation drops fast.
It’s not the work that kills productivity; it’s the feeling that you’re spinning your wheels without getting anywhere.
When you break projects down into bite-sized chunks and track them properly, you make progress visible. Every tick, every update, every done adds up.
How to Hack the Progress Principle
Here are a few easy ways to put this into action:
Break Work into Smaller Pieces: Big, vague projects = overwhelming. Clear, manageable tasks = progress you can see.
Celebrate the Small Wins: A quick high-five emoji or “Nice work!” comment on a completed task can give your team that mini dopamine hit they need to keep going.
Make Progress Visual: Dashboards, status bars, timelines are like psychological fuel. A glanceable view that shows what’s done (and what’s left) keeps everyone motivated.
Automate the Tick: Think automatic status changes, deadline reminders and instant task creation, monday.com can handle it all
Set your team up for success by making wins visible, rewarding effort and creating systems that fuel momentum.
