A&B #52

Hey everyone,

If you're an avid reader, you probably realized that most 300+ page books could be a lot shorter. That's why this year, I've been focusing on reading more short books (200 pages or less). Short books tend to get to the point faster and don't waste your time with unnecessary information or stories.

If you're interested in a great short book, here are

And if you're looking for a new reading challenge, here's one:

• Read a book for 5 minutes every morning before you pick up your phone.

Alright, let's dive into this week's newsletter.

📚 Book Lessons:

This week's book is Mind Management Not Time Management by David Kadavy.David introduces a new approach to productivity which focuses on getting more out of your mind instead of trying to get more out of your time. If you're a productivity nerd or work in a creative field, you'll find the lessons in this book helpful. Here are 3 lessons from it:

1) Realize That Not All Hours Are Created EqualAccording to time management, a one-hour task should take one hour to complete. But mind management, says otherwise. For example, it takes me an hour to write my newsletter if I do it at 3pm, but it would take me a lot longer if I tried to do it at 3am. And that's what mind management is all about–managing your energy and creativity instead of your time.Similarly, writing for 1 hour a day for 30 days is not the same as writing for 30 hours straight. Although the same amount of time is spent, if you try to write for 30 hours straight, after a few hours, the quality of your writing will become less and less valuable, and eventually, you'll be so exhausted you won't be able to continue. Focus on managing your energy and creativity, not your time.2) Follow The First Hour RuleThe First Hour rule is simple yet incredibly effective: Spend the first hour of your day working on your most important project, and your most important project, only.If you start your day working on the most important thing, there's less of a chance for other things to get in the way. So, don't check your phone, email, or social media–just get right to work on your most important project.Make this a new rule and you'll be surprised by how much progress you make on your projects. And when you start your day off right, you'll feel better about the rest of the day and go to bed knowing you were productive today.3) Change Your Room To Change Your ThinkingHave you ever had a feeling that your thinking changed depending on your environment?Well if you did, you were right. Scientists call his construal level theory. It's the idea that people's thinking changes depending on their physical environment.For instance, if you want to generate big-picture or abstract ideas, it's best for you to be in an open space or in a place with 10 feet or higher ceilings. But if you're trying to do more focused or analytical thinking, it's better to be in a space with 8 feet or lower ceilings.

✅ Actionable Advice:

1) Focus on managing your mind instead of your time:

• Not all hours are created equally–some people may find it easier to work on a task at 7am while others prefer to do it at 7pm.

  • Reflect on your energy level throughout the day and try to match it with a task that corresponds with how productive you're feeling.

2) Follow the First Hour rule:

• Spend the first hour of your day working on your most important project, and your most important project, only.

3) Move to a different physical space to generate different ideas:

• If you need to think of a big-picture or abstract idea, go outside or a large indoor space like a public library.

• If you need to do more focused or analytical work, go to a more confined space like a small cafe.

🎧 Podcast Update:

My podcast guest had to reschedule so no new pod this week.Instead, here are two of my most popular podcasts on YouTube:

• Dr. Robert Glover: How To Stop Being Mr. Nice Guy

• Morgan Housel: The Psychology of Money & How to Become A Better Investor

📖 Reading Lesson:A fun reading challenge:• Read It Then See ItRead a book then watch the film-adaption and compare the two.You can also do it the opposite (if there's a movie on this list that you loved, read the book it's based on).Here are 20 awesome movies based on books.

⭐️ Weekly Quote:"With reading, you have this opportunity to learn whatever you want from the greatest people who ever lived along that dimension." -Jordan B. Peterson

🙏 Support:This week's sponsor is Morning Brew.Morning Brew is a daily newsletter that covers business, finance, and tech news. It will get you up to date with everything going on in the business world in just 5 minutes. The best part? It's 100% free–they also use funny gifs and memes so it's fun to read.3 million+ people are subscribed to their newsletter. Don't miss out, sign up for free here.

Thank you for your support everyone, I'll see you next week!Read on,Alex W.