Setting clear boundaries between work and personal responsibilities is crucial for maintaining efficiency and avoiding frustration.
To make Zoom meetings more efficient, establish clear agendas, predefined processes, and assign roles and time limits to participants.
Living a deep life involves identifying the important areas of your life, developing keystone habits, and continuously aligning your actions with your values.
Deep dives
Transitioning from Working from Home to After School
For Heather, transitioning from a working mindset to a mom mindset can be challenging since there is no longer a commute between the office and after school care. It is not advisable to mix work and childcare, as it can lead to inefficiency and frustration. Consider reinstating aftercare to maintain a clear boundary between work and personal responsibilities. If that is not possible, establish a definitive shutdown at the end of your workday, even if there has been a hazy boundary throughout. Engaging in a different activity, such as exercise, can help signal the transition from work to home life.
Making Zoom Meetings More Effective and Speedy
To make Zoom meetings more efficient, it is important to have clear agendas and predefined processes. Avoid unstructured discussions involving all participants, as they can be time-consuming. Instead, assign specific roles and time limits to each participant to streamline the meeting. Focus on proposals and concrete actions, ensuring that notes are taken and action items are assigned. This way, the meeting remains purposeful, and participants are more engaged.
Achieving the Deep Life: Radical Alignment with Values
The deep life involves living radically aligned with your values. Start by identifying the different areas of your life that are important to you, such as craft, community, family, health, and contemplation. Develop keystone habits in each area to signal your commitment. Then, dedicate four to six weeks to overhauling each area, clearing out distractions and focusing on what truly matters. Engage in radical changes that align with your values, evaluating their impact on all areas of your life. Repeat this process regularly and iteratively to continuously deepen your life's alignment with your values.
The Benefits of Using Headspace for Mental Health
Headspace is a mindfulness app that can help manage feelings and mental health. Research has shown that just two weeks of using Headspace can reduce stress by 10%. The app offers guided meditations for focus, which can be helpful for tasks requiring concentration. Overall, Headspace provides a scientifically proven way to improve mental well-being.
Blinkist: Accessing Summaries of Non-Fiction Books
Blinkist is a platform that offers short summaries of best-selling non-fiction books. It allows users to quickly grasp the main ideas and concepts from these books in just 10 to 15 minutes. Blinkist helps people explore new ideas, decide which books to read in more detail, and exposes them to alternative viewpoints. It is a valuable resource for those seeking to expand their knowledge and gain insights from a wide range of topics.
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
- Does time blocking work with ADHD? [33:39] - How should I approach my PhD? [35:38] - How can I meet other deep workers? [39:40] - How can I improve Zoom meetings? [44:19] - How do I shutdown while watching kids? [47:21]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- How do I balance my personal and professional life? [57:12] - How do I pick a major if I can’t follow my passion? [59:27] - Is there a place where I can find all of the ideas from this podcast? [1:04:45]