📚 A&B #144

How to Focus on What Matters, 2 Awesome reading hacks, and more.

June 04, 2023

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👋 Hey everyone,

Here are a few popular posts you may have missed:

PS: Mexico was awesome, I’m back in NYC now. And thank you to everyone who replied to last week’s email!

📚 Book Summary:

This week's book is “Make Time” by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsk.

This is an easy-to-read productivity book that’s packed with 80+ actionable tips that will help you focus and get more done in your day. If you enjoyed “Essentialism” or “Atomic Habits” you'll like this book.

Here are 3 key lessons from the book:

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1) Skip The Morning Check-In

When you wake up in the morning, the day is fresh and your brain is rested.

You have no reason to feel distracted yet BUT most of us ruin this moment by reaching for our phones.

We check our emails, read Twitter, or scroll through Instagram and TikTok. Next thing we know, 15 minutes have passed and we’re thinking about a news event or weird video instead of focusing on our goals for the day.

Although it can be very tempting to reach for our phones and see what’s going on in the world, doing so leads to a tug-of-war of attention between the present moment and an infinite number of distractions.

The authors recommend putting off your morning check-in as late as possible because doing so lets you preserve that feeling of calmness and makes it easier to get into a focused state to do your work.

Personal example:

I’ve started scheduling my social media posts the night before so that I don’t have to be on my phone first thing in the morning and it’s been a game-changer. This way, I usually don’t open up social media until 10am or later.

Instead, I start my day by going for a walk outside, reading a book for 15-30 minutes, or jumping into a deep work project. I now feel much more relaxed in the morning and am able to get into a state of focus much easier than before.

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2) Use An Internet Timer

The internet is a fantastic tool but oftentimes we can get lost in a sea of distractions and rabbit holes.

Using your willpower to stay focused on a task can be difficult, but fortunately, there’s an easier way–use an internet timer.

It’s a $10 timer that you can plug into your router and set specific times for when you want the internet to be on or off.

For example, if you’re a writer or artist, you can set it so that the internet turns on only from 12pm to 8pm. That way you’re not tempted to jump online in the morning and instead are able to achieve your important tasks in the morning.

Or if you have a bad habit of constantly checking work emails late into the day, you can set it so that the internet turns off at 7pm. This way after 7pm the internet will be off and you can spend your evening hanging out with your partner, kids, pursuing your hobbies, or some other rewarding activity.

Personal example:

One of my favorite reading hacks has been to set my timer to turn off the internet at 10pm. This way with the internet off, I have two options–go to bed or go read a book. And since I’m usually not tired at 10pm, I pick up a book and read anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

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3) Make A “Distraction Catcher”

The book calls this tip a “Random Questions” list but I’ve modified/improved it (I also think my name for it is catchier haha).

You know that feeling when you’re working on a hard task and you get an itch to check your phone or some other task pops into your head that you need to do later?

Well instead of switching tasks, getting distracted, or leaving your flow state, have a post-it note next to you and jot down every task/idea that pops into your mind. This way you can offload them onto paper and clear more space in your brain for the tasks at hand.

This is a super simple tip that will vastly improve your productivity.

Personal example:

This is another one of my favorite reading hacks. Here’s an in-depth thread about how to create a “Distraction Catcher” and improve your ability to focus on books.

✅ Actionable Advice:

1) Skip the morning check-in:

  • Try to delay checking your phone, email, or social media for as long as possible in the morning.

  • Aim to push it back to 9am and then slowly push it even further.

2) Get an internet timer:

  • Set your internet timer so that you can only be online from 9am to 10pm (or whatever time that helps you be more productive).

3) A few of my favorite quotes from the book:

  • “Every time you check your email or another message service, you’re basically saying, “Does any random person need my time right now?”

  • “Perfection is a distraction—another shiny object taking your attention away from your real priorities.”

  • “You only waste time if you’re not intentional about how you spend it.”

  • “When you don’t take care of your body, your brain can’t do its job. If you’ve ever felt sluggish and uninspired after a big lunch or invigorated and clearheaded after exercising, you know what we mean. If you want energy for your brain, you need to take care of your body.”

  • “If you change your priorities, people will notice. Your actions show others what’s important to you.”

  • “A 2014 study by the University of British Columbia found that when people checked their email just three times a day (instead of as often as they wanted), they reported remarkably lower stress.”

📖 Reading Lesson:

Reply to this email with your biggest reading obstacle/problem.

I’ll answer the most common problem in-depth in next week’s email.

⭐️ Weekly Quote:

“Learn how to be alone without being lonely. Solitude is essential for creativity.”

Thank you for your support everyone, I'll see you next Sunday!

Read on,

Alex W.

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