Ep. 36: Habit Tune-Up: Scheduling Life Admin, Finding Time for Practice, and High-Tech Metric Tracking

33 snips

Oct 15, 2020

Discover the battle between Trello and Workflowy for task management supremacy. Learn how to weave life admin seamlessly into your workday, even amidst chaos. Uncover ways to carve out time for deliberate practice, crucial for skill mastery. Dive into the battle against distraction and rekindle your lost reading habit with effective strategies. Plus, explore high-tech solutions for tracking your progress while safeguarding your privacy in a world dominated by tech giants.

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ANECDOTE

Time Block Planner Origin

Cal Newport designed his own planner after being frustrated with existing options.
This planner evolved from his need for a better time-blocking system.

ADVICE

Daily Metric Tracking and Shutdown Ritual

Track daily metrics; the Time Block Planner includes a dedicated space.
Use the "shutdown complete" checkbox for psychological closure.

ADVICE

Trello vs. Workflowy

Trello and Workflowy effectively manage and organize tasks.
Choose the tool based on your specific needs and existing workflow.

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The Art of Life Admin

How to Do Less, Do It Better, and Live More

Elizabeth F. Emens

The Art of Life Admin explores the concept of 'life admin,' which includes tasks like scheduling appointments, managing paperwork, and planning events. Emens provides strategies to reduce, redistribute, and optimize these tasks, making them more manageable and less time-consuming. The book also delves into admin personalities and how they impact relationships and productivity.

How to win at college

Cal Newport

This book offers practical advice for making the most of college years, including strategies for graduating with honors, choosing exciting activities, building a strong resume, and gaining access to post-college opportunities. It is based on interviews with successful students from universities such as Harvard and the University of Arizona, and it emphasizes how to balance academic success with a fulfilling college experience.

Digital Minimalism

Cal Newport

In 'Digital Minimalism', Cal Newport argues that we need to be more intentional about the technologies we allow into our lives. He proposes a philosophy of digital minimalism, where individuals focus their online time on activities that strongly support their values and ignore the rest. The book highlights the negative effects of behavioral addictions created by technology, such as solitude deprivation and the fleeting nature of social media satisfaction. Newport suggests a 30-day 'digital declutter' process and other practices to help readers integrate digital minimalism into their lives, emphasizing the importance of optimizing technology use to support personal goals and values[2][3][5].

So Good They Can't Ignore You

Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

Cal Newport

In this book, Cal Newport challenges the conventional wisdom that following one's passion is the key to career happiness. Instead, he argues that passion often follows mastery and that developing valuable skills and expertise is essential for creating work you love. Newport presents four rules: Don't follow your passion, Be so good they can't ignore you, Turn down a promotion, and Think small, act big. He supports his arguments with case studies from various professionals who have found satisfaction in their careers through hard work and skill development.

Deep Work

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Cal Newport

In 'Deep Work', Cal Newport argues that the ability to perform deep work—professional activities in a state of distraction-free concentration—is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains why deep work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, while the second part presents four rules to transform your mind and habits to support this skill. These rules include 'Work Deeply', 'Embrace Boredom', 'Quit Social Media', and 'Drain the Shallows'. Newport provides actionable advice and examples from various successful individuals to help readers master the skill of deep work and achieve groundbreaking results.