There is so much to do.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Everything calls for our attention, and there are myriads of tasks that take you closer to your goals.
You only have so much time left here on earth.
How do you want to spend it?
Every goal you have may have an endless list of Todos attached with it. But of all those tasks, some have more impact than others. There is one task that moves the needle the most.
Time spent planning your day is time well spent.
Identify what needs to be done. Write everything down. Go through that list. Ask yourself what is truly essential. Only do that.
You don’t need to hurry.
Just take one step at a time. And take your time to enjoy the journey.
Reading Recommendations
See Good Intentions - Dr. Rick Hanson
“Hustling through an airport, I stopped to buy some water. At the shop’s refrigerator, a man was bent over, loading bottles into it. I reached past him and pulled out one he’d put in. He looked up, stopped working, got a bottle from another shelf, and held it out to me, saying ‘This one is cold.’ I said thanks and took the one he offered.”
The Splintered Mind: Randomization and Causal Sparseness
“Suppose I'm running a randomized study: Treatment group A gets the medicine; control group B gets a placebo; later, I test both groups for disease X. I've randomized perfectly, it's double blind, there's perfect compliance, my disease measure is flawless, and no one drops out. After the intervention, 40% of the treatment group have disease X and 80% of the control group do. Statistics confirm that the difference is very unlikely to be chance (p < .001). Yay! Time for FDA approval!”
Defending Perpetual Intermediacy
“How many things would you classify yourself as "expert" at? I drive to and from work every day, but I hardly consider myself an expert driver. I brush my teeth at least twice every day, and I'm no expert on oral care; just ask my dentist. [...] I am a perpetual intermediate at a vast array of tasks, and expert at only a very, very tiny number of tasks.”
Weekly Mindfulness Practice
This one’s simple:
go for a walk and leave your phone at home.
Ideally you can take a walk in a forest, without time pressure. But walking through the city without being distracted or in a hurry is also a great experience.
You’ll notice so much more of your surroundings and you’ll be more present.
End Note
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Have a great week
Simon
PS: If you found an article you think others might like, and that fits this newsletter, I’d love it if you write me an email. Just reply!