Time and Attention

Takeaway:There are countless ways to form a new habit, which James Clear covers in Atomic Habits (and in our interview). A few of my favorites: sort your habits by how much they’ll help you out in the long-run; become more thoughtful about your environment; question habits that provide immediate enjoyment; make new habits take less than two minutes of your time; develop “home court” and “away court” habits; and focus on developing your identify, not your goals. Estimated Reading Time:3 minutes, 1s. Podcast Length30 minutes, 45s (link to play podcast at bottom of post). Atomic Habits, by James Clear, is one of the best books about habits I’ve read—I’d put it up there with The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, as being one of the best books on habits available. This week, James was generous enough to join me on the podcast to dig into how to establish new habits and break negative ones—especially around losing weight, given we’re in the middle of that weight-loss challenge for the show. There are too many nuggets in the book—and the interview!—to list out in one blog post. But here are just a few of my favorites from the book and the interview, which should get you thinking about your own habits: Make a list of your habits, and sort them by how much they will help you out in the long-run. This is a great way to identify the habits that bring you real, lasting value over time, and which ones are distractions from your larger goals. If you want something to be a big part of your life, make it a big part of your environment. This is a simple idea, but is very powerful in practice. Want to eat better? Make sure there’s a plethora of healthy food in your kitchen, so you crowd out any unhealthy options that are available. Want to learn the guitar? Keep your guitar in the living room, so you can just pick it up and play. By introducing—and removing—objects from your environment which aid and detract from your habits, you build stronger habits. As James puts it in the book, “environment is the invisible hand that shapes behavior.” Question all habits that provide you with immediate enjoyment. James writes: “As a general rule, the more immediate pleasure you get from an action, the more strongly you should question whether it aligns with your long-term goals.” Practice the 2-minute rule. The 2-minute rule is this: when you start a new habit, make sure it takes less than two minutes to do. If your goal is running a marathon, try just tying up your shoes for a couple of minutes. If your habit is to work out at the gym, show up at the gym, and work out for just two minutes. This way, you have a framework that you can actually build upon in developing your habits later on, instead of trying to wish habits into existence. Pay attention to your “home court” versus “away court” habits. Something else I asked James in our interview is how we can maintain our habits around life disruptions, such as travel. He recommends developing two types of habits: “home court” habits, which we do when our environment is predictable, and “away court” habits, which we invest in after developing solid habits at home. Focus on your identity, not your goals. According to James, “the most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become.” He views habits as “votes” for your identity: by focusing on which behaviors help you become the person you aim to be, instead of which behaviors simply bring you closer to your goals, you connect with your habits on a deeper level. Instead of trying to develop a meditation habit, begin to think of yourself as a meditator. Or, instead of trying to lose weight, begin to think of yourself as someone who deeply cares about maximizing their health and longevity. There are too many nuggets from the book and the interview to cover here, but these are just a few of the ones I found especially powerful! Enjoy the conversation, and have a great week! The post 6 Nuggets from Atomic Habits, by James Clear appeared first on Chris Bailey.

Takeaway:When we have a bit of time to relax, we tend to spend time on activities that provide us with a quick dopamine hit. This is especially the case when we spend our downtime in the digital world. The key to relaxation is to invest in strategies that make your mind less stimulated. Usually this means spending more time in the analog world. Estimated Reading Time:2 minutes, 53s. Podcast Length23 minutes, 38s (link to play podcast at bottom of post). How to Relax For the past few months, I’ve been poring over quite a bit of research on the topic of relaxation. If there’s one thing that has become clear from this deep dive, it’s this: true relaxation is something that few of us achieve. I’d include myself in this group—up until recently, I’d been doing relaxation wrong. When many of us have some time to relax, we distract ourselves—turning our attention to social media, YouTube, Netflix, and other things in the digital world. In the moment, these things feel like a reprieve from the stressors of daily life. But the truth is that tending to them in our downtime may hurt more than help. There’s a reason for this: digital activities rarely lead us to relax. So what should we do to relax? The key is to do things that actually make your mind less stimulated. Each time we pay attention to something new and novel in our digital world, our brain rewards us with a hit of dopamine, a pleasure and reward chemical. We get a hit each time we refresh YouTube. We get another hit each time we check news websites like CNN and the New York Times. We get yet another hit when we refresh Instagram. This dopamine release feels good in the moment. But it can also lead our mind to become overstimulated when we turn to our digital devices too often. If you want to relax and recharge during your breaks, it’s essential that you try to settle your mind, by engaging with activities that don’t lead to a quick dopamine release. Digital distractions feel like a break, because they’re different from our work, but they don’t allow our mind to actually settle. Analog activities, on the other hand, do settle our mind. They stimulate us, without overstimulating us. This is not to say that your favorite websites and apps shouldn’t have a place in your life. But because they lead you to become overstimulated—especially when you’re already tired—they’re not great activities to engage in if your intention is to relax. The Two Types of Relaxation The best relaxation activities are found in the analog world; you should almost always avoid the digital world if your intention is to recharge. Depending on how you’re feeling, and how much energy you have, there are great ways to relax both actively and passively.  Active activities can include things like: Going for a run; Attending a yoga class; Practicing an instrument; Hitting the gym, or playing a sport; Playing with your kids; Spending time on your favorite art—writing, painting, or writing poetry. Passive tasks include things like: Doing a guided meditation, or solo meditation; Reading; Doing a gentle yoga video (here’s my favorite yoga channel on YouTube); Listening to an audiobook with a cup of coffee—while putting your phone on airplane mode. Most of these are analog activities—and as such, they don’t just lead to a quick dopamine release, which can lead you to feel even more stimulated and tired and fatigued. Activities like these are less novel than your work and digital life, and so they settle your mind as a result. A settled mind is a productive mind. The more relaxed your mind, the more recharged you feel, the greater mental clarity you have, and the more ideas and plans you generate.  The next time you want to relax, be sure to spend time on analog activities that don’t just lead to a quick dopamine release. You won’t just feel better—you’ll actually get a chance to recharge. The post The Key to Relaxation appeared first on Chris Bailey.

In this podcast, the host interviews author Neil Pasricha about his book 'You Are Awesome' and discusses the power of resilience. They highlight the importance of daily reflections on gratitude, focus, and letting go. They also share personal stories and valuable insights on building confidence and becoming a big fish in a small pond. The podcast concludes with a recommendation of the book and key takeaways on gratitude and personal growth.

The hosts discuss their weight loss challenge and invite listeners to join. They reflect on their recent food habits, share their motivations and set goals. They explore the concept of weight fluctuations and the importance of tracking food and exercise habits. They discuss measuring body fat percentage, managing indulgences, and anticipating obstacles. They invite listeners to participate and share their own plans and obstacles.

The podcast discusses the impact of alcohol on productivity and creativity, highlighting the negative effects on energy and health. However, it also explores how alcohol can loosen inhibitions and lead to more fun and creative ideas. It emphasizes the importance of consuming alcohol strategically rather than out of habit. The podcast covers topics such as the role of alcohol in social interactions and creativity, its negative impact on sleep and weight, and the benefits and challenges of not drinking alcohol.

Separating the real experts from self-proclaimed ones is challenging. Guest Cait Flanders shares her journey of paying off debt, starting with her popular blog. They discuss the flaws of expertise and the value of personal experiences. Reading blogs and books for personal finance advice differs in inspiration and practicality. Seeking advice from experts depends on personal growth goals and journaling.

This podcast dives into the science of consuming caffeine strategically for optimal performance. It explores strategies such as timing caffeine intake before important tasks and adjusting consumption for introverts. The hosts discuss various methods of intentional caffeine consumption, including caffeine pills and the ritual of drinking coffee or tea. They also touch on tea options, the benefits of consuming grapefruit with green tea, and strategies for consuming caffeine more strategically.

Takeaway:The paperback version of Hyperfocus comes out today! It looks awesome. Estimated Reading Time:1 minute, 12s. One year ago, my second book, Hyperfocus: How to Manage Your Attention in a World of Distraction, hit store shelves! I consider the book to be the best thing I’ve created to date. It’s about how to take advantage of the science behind how our attention works. Today, a new version of the book hits store shelves, as a paperback published by Penguin Books! Same book, but with nice new packaging (including a little penguin on the front), at a slightly cheaper price. I know your time is valuable, so I’ll cut right to the chase. If you haven’t checked out the book, it would mean a lot to me if you did. If you dig the posts on my site, I’m confident that you’ll enjoy the book, too. Here are links to pick up the paperback in the US and Canada!  Amazon.com Amazon.ca Barnes and Noble Chapters/Indigo Audible (same book; linking to this just for fun!) Have a wonderful week!Chris P.S. This week’s episode of the podcast is all about how to read a nonfiction book. The episode is more interesting than it sounds, and you can play it below! The post Hyperfocus comes out in paperback TODAY! 🎉 appeared first on Chris Bailey.

Learn three strategies for holding yourself accountable for aversive tasks: get a deadline, use Focusmate or find an accountability partner. Research shows unstructured tasks lead to procrastination. Productivity platform Focusmate is discussed, along with the benefits of setting deadlines and having someone to hold you accountable.

In this discussion, Jon Krop, a Harvard-trained lawyer and meditation instructor, shares insights on the practical benefits of meditation for professionals. He explains how meditation saves time by boosting productivity and clarity. Jon highlights five key advantages: increased happiness, improved focus, deeper relationships, enhanced clarity on priorities, and reduced dependency on devices. He emphasizes starting small for lasting change and advocates for self-kindness to enhance personal and community well-being.