037 | Mindful productivity
We are so focused on the day-to-day that we often fail to see the big picture.
Hello friends,
When we look at life on a day to day basis, it’s easy to lose track of what really matters. We get up in the morning, go to work/school, get stuff done, then get home to watch TV/play games. Once you’re done, sleep, rinse and repeat the day after.
Your day might include going to the gym, seeing friends or doing some other activities at night but for most people, living on Monday is only one painful step on their road to the weekend.
And it’s true, what can you really do in a single day? We all only have 24 hours and no matter what you try —even if you have a todo-list, goals and ambitions— you will only find yourself worn out and stressed out if you can never get to the bottom of your daily list. At least, that was my situation (and to be honest it still is, but I’m learning from it).
⏳ Finding the time vs. Making time
Always being so busy dealing with the urgent makes us overlook the big picture, what really matters, down the road. Our family, the skills we want to learn, our sleep, health and mental health… it’s not that we forget about either of them, but we just never find the time to make them a priority.
🗣 “Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month. We overestimate what we can do in a year, and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade."
— Matthew Kelly
But, as you know, time doesn’t extend. We’ll never find it unless we make it ourselves. And we can only do that if we stop being limited by what we can do on a day-to-day basis, and start imagining what we could accomplish in a week, a month a year or even ten years.
🌿 Taking a look back and being mindful
This week, I’ve been digging the idea of Mindful productivity, introduced by Anne-Laure Le Cunff in this enlightening interview with Superorganizers. Here is what the article says:
“For her, mindful productivity means consistently taking a step back to examine what she’s doing and why she’s doing it. It helps her make sure that each item on her todo list actually has value before she plows through it.”
For the sake of being productive, we shouldn’t be the slaves of our to-do lists. Being efficient means regularly taking a step back to see what we are doing, and mostly why, so that we can throw away what doesn’t bring value and put our priorities at the center.
📝 Doing a weekly review & schedule your priorities
My current focus is on disconnecting from the daily stress and observing the big picture. I’m slowly trying to review my weeks and plan in advance: weekly, monthly and quarterly so that I don’t get surprised or sidetracked by urgencies, or little failures. So far, it makes me feel less stressed and a bit more confident.
If you would like to experiment too, but you are new to this idea, here is what I would suggest:
Keep it simple: just think about what you did last week and write it down. What worked, what didn’t, what would you like to prioritize next week?
Think about what you’d like to accomplish: learning a new language? learning how to skate or to play guitar? Writing a book, opening a business? If you didn’t have any limits or obligations, what would spend your time on?
Choose one focus: decide on one (and only one) passion to pursue for today and think about what tiny habit you could do every day to get you toward that goal.
Plan breaks and fun time: playing with friends, working out, reading, watching TV or just taking a walk by yourself. This might be something to look forward to.
Finally, as Stephen R. Covey says in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:
"The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities"
Have you ever considered doing a weekly/monthly review?
Is it something that you think could bring value to your life?
Quick Note: If you were forwarded this newsletter, you can subscribe right here:
— What I loved this week
Here's what I've been loving this week:
🗣 Quote of the week: “That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only which gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price on its goods.”
— Thomas Paine
📱 One tool I'm loving: Shovel: How to Study in College • Although I’m not actually using the app, I’ve been loving this new tool dedicated to making students’ life less stressful and more effective. I’m subscribed to their newsletter and about to read their e-book, both of which have greatly influenced my own plan for this semester.
📖 One book I'm loving: The first 20 hours: how to learn anything by Josh Kaufman, I really like his take on Rapid Skill Acquisition. Contrary to Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers (read my post) who popularized the idea that you need 10000 hours to become a master at a given skill, in the book the author develops a short framework to learn a new skill and be decent at it in 20 hours.
🎥 One documentary I’m loving: Viajar Para Vivir: Episodio 5 Morelos. If you like to discover new cultures, see wonderful landscapes and dream a bit, lately, I’ve been loving the “Viajar para Vivir” documentaries (30min) on the various Mexican States.
✏️ Some posts & videos I’ve learned from:
📰 Plus Minus Next journaling | by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
🎥 What REALLY motivates us? | Ali Abdaal
📰 How Josh Kaufman Does Research | Dan Shipper
📰 The Physics of Productivity: Newton’s Laws of Getting Stuff Done | James Clear
📰 Life is a game. This is your strategy guide | Oliver Emberton
— What I created for you this week
Here is what I’ve created for you and around the web lately.
⏰ How I’m getting ready for a new semester at University with COVID-19
New semester from home because of COVID-19? Here is how I plan my upcoming session to make sure I stay productive and study effectively while still staying healthy.
📅 August 2020, what have I been up to last month?
If I didn't get to travel this summer, I still did my best to enjoy, to learn and to create. Here is what I've been up to in August 2020.
Outliers: The Story of Success • by Malcolm Gladwell
In Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell dives into the story of the most brilliant character... and why they rose to success.
See you next week 👋🏾