Don't be shy! blog@sufficientthrust.com - @MarinaMartin - 206.801.1556
Consider starting a relationship (romantic or otherwise) with someone you’ve just met. You tell them your most embarrassing stories and most intimate secrets, share all your baby pictures, and let them in on your favorite color, animal, and flower. They now know everything there is to know about you.
But do you trust them just because they know all this information? No.
You trust them because of how they act with that information.
Similarly, lists don’t work if you can’t trust them. If I have to waste time and energy reminding myself to remember things that aren’t tucked away safely on a list, then my entire system fails me.
Once you’ve gotten into the habit, your lists may very well have every activity, task, appointment, and idea captured. But being able to trust your list only starts there.
Now, I love lists — I keep lists for my Most Important Tasks, my Next Actions, the food I’m going to eat today, and my AM/PM routines, among other things. While I would certainly survive without them, trusting my trivialities to my lists frees my personal resources up for more important things.
I’m often tempted to cross off an item on a list that I’m sure I’m about to complete, but I haven’t actually completed. For example, checking off “Call Jon” right before I’m about to call him. On the surface, this seems innocent enough.
But what if the phone rings the next second, and I get distracted, and I never call Jon? I already checked it off. I now need to remember that I still need to call Jon, even though it’s checked off on my list. There’s a chance that I might forget to mark my list accordingly, and won’t call Jon at all, because the closed checkbox doesn’t catch my attention.
Paranoia? It might sound that way. But my mantra is freedom through organization, and it’s not freedom if I’m wasting energy questioning the validity of my Next Actions list.
The next time you’re tempted to mark an item you haven’t completed as done, don’t. You can always check it off later, after it’s really done.
When I was first introduced to Twitter, I thought it was sort of silly — just a knock-off of Facebook status updates.
Initially, I was only Twittering with one offline friend, and when he moved on to Pownce, I abandoned my Twitter account until I read that Guy Kawasaki was going to give Twitter a try. Out of sheer curiosity, I went back to Twitter, and the benefits keep pouring in.
Thanks to Twitter, I got:
…to avoid a car accident. I mentioned that my tires were squealing every time I turned a corner. Despite my lead foot, that still seemed strange. Several helpful Twitterers pointed out that my alignment was probably off, and they were right.
…a Guinness and taffy! In yet another testament to how small the world is, Damon found me by tracking the keyword “Seattle.” (He lives there, and I was headed there for a week-long business trip.) Lo and behold, we went to the same (very small) boarding school back in Connecticut *and* used to vacation in the same city in Maine, and had a number of mutual friends. Not only did he buy me a Guinness when we met up, but he also brought me some strawberry taffy from his recent trip to Maine — my personal heaven!
…even more Guinness! I was one of the first people to follow Stephen and he graciously bought me a Guinness, too. Even better: he shared this photo of a flying pig:
…a new web designer. Frustrated with outsourcing anything beyond basic data entry, I turned to the Twitter world for help. I got *five* great recommendations for high-quality designers, and then realized — thanks to Eric — that someone I already knew was a designer and available for the job.
…a much faster computer. Jeremy heard me complain that my MacBook was slow and sent me an email with instructions on how to upgrade my RAM from 512MB to 2GB. I can’t believe I suffered with those slow speeds for so long!
…a new addiction. JKow introduced me to his Internet-based show, Something to be Desired, and I’m hooked — it’s so good, I caught up on the first four seasons in one weekend.
…an up-to-the-minute news source. Thanks to the Truemors News Network, my RSS feeds are quickly becoming old news. (Newspapers? What are those?)
…blog traffic. Google Analytics shows that Twitter is by far my biggest referrer.
…a mnemonic device for remembering how to say “almond”. Of all strange faults to have, I’m known for being unable to pronounce “almond” correctly. (I always said “Al-Muhnd” instead of “All-muhnd.”) Bill dared me to leave said mispronunciation on his voicemail, and our resulting conversation cured me of this problem. (I can’t stand Al Gore, so I shouldn’t say “Al-muhnd”!)
…lots of great new friends. i didn’t understand how at first, but Twitter is really a strong networking tool. Not only does it make Internet gods like Chris Brogan and Guy Kawasaki more human and accessible, but every day I get to participate in a new example of the power of numbers — raising money for college tuition, offering support or information during times of crisis, or simply cheering one another on through yet another all-nighter on the way to achieving our dreams.
I’m sure I’m missing a number of other examples, and I’m positive that Twitter will continue to affect my life in many more ways as time goes by.
If you’re not on Twitter, what are you waiting for? And if you are… how has Twitter changed you?
(Follow me on Twitter by clicking here: MarinaMartin on Twitter.)
Lower your electric bill by rearranging one surge protector so that “always on” electronics are plugged in on the “unswitched” side and optional electronics (like cell phone chargers or bedside lamps) are plugged in on the “switched” side.
Switch the surge protector on at night when your electronics are charging, and turn it off in the morning when you disconnect.
Check out Gina’s Power Strip Optimization over at Lifehacker for more ideas.
(This Monday Quick Tip is part of Blog Action Day, a day of blogging devoted to the environment.)
As my Google Reader fills with posts related to Blog Action Day, I have only this to say…
Don’t get so focused on the “Blog” part of that title that you miss point — the ACTION.
Bike to work. Re-arrange your surge protectors. Clean with vinegar. Buy these really witty outlet switches.
Just DO something!
Then tell people about it. Make them feel bad that they didn’t do as much as you did.
Make ME feel bad that I didn’t do as much as you did in the comments.
Nothing is inconsequential. Too often we let moments go by without considering their importance.
While I’m not trying to make you paranoid, I would like to encourage you to be more conscious of the opportunities that your life presents each and every day. Sometimes, the seemingly smallest decisions are the ones that can change the entire course of your life. Getting in the car 10 seconds earlier could have caused you to be in an accident, or to have avoided one. Saying hello to someone in line at Rite-Aid could lead to meeting your future spouse.
A little story about me…
A neighbor once asked me to take in their mail while they were away on vacation. I saved it all in a brown paper grocery sack, which I delivered to them once they returned.
The following day, I noticed a Pizza Hut flyer addressed to them lying on the ground. Somehow, it hadn’t made it into the bag.
I was going to throw it out. Most people would have thrown it out. But instead, I walked back over to their house to give it to them.
My neighbor’s elderly mother was visiting. She was watching a soap opera and invited me in to watch with her. I agreed.
This was a Friday, and for those of you who are unfamiliar with soap operas, Friday episodes are typically cliff-hangers designed to get you to tune in again on Monday. This Friday was particularly suspenseful (to an 11-year-old)– a wedding thwarted by the appearance of the groom’s ex-wife (who was thought to have died years earlier), courtesy of the bride’s jilted ex-lover.
I was intrigued and asked a bunch of questions about the characters’ relationships. I tuned in on Monday, and Tuesday, and the day after that. I was hooked.
This was back in the day where 14.4 modems were the fastest available on the market, just being able to put an image on a website was VERY cool, domain names were $65/yr through Network Solutions, and Geocities was popular.
One day I logged on to America Online and found a messageboard about this soap opera. I made new online friends, and learned primitive HTML so I could setup my AOL member’s page in homage to my favorite soap couple.
None of the major TV networks even HAD websites at that point. Those pages (I can still see them now — tables with borders, bright purple backgrounds, pages that scrolled for miles…) led to official work for the network, for some of the actors on different soaps, and to actual paying gigs.
This may not seem all that exciting to you.
Except… I was 11. And a homeless runaway foster kid who hid at my “real” parents’ house (*they* weren’t going to turn me back in — one of those six of one, half-dozen of the other situations) so I could get on their AOL and lose myself for awhile.
The money I was secretly earning from those websites paid for me to escape to a really good boarding school, where I made amazing friends whose amazing parents always made sure I had a safe place to stay on holidays and had amazing teachers who treated me like I was capable of achieving anything. The experience led to other jobs that paid for college. The taste of working for myself taught me to never settle or compromise, and is why I work for myself now and would never have it any other way.
More importantly, I also met a woman through those messageboards (and later in “real life”) who took me under her wing and made me believe that I was deserving of a happy, successful life. She and I remain close friends to this day. Even if I hadn’t been able to escape, having her support could have kept me going through almost anything.
All because of a Pizza Hut flyer.
Have you had a Pizza Hut flyer in your life? Please share in the comments!
Let me guess. When you walk in your front door, there’s a living room with a couch, a television, a coffee table, and maybe a couple of side tables and armchairs.
Then there’s your bedroom. Bed, two nightstands, dresser (or two or three), mirror …
Kitchen: a table with some chairs around it.
Am I close?
You, my friend, are trapped by convention and don’t even know it.
About three years ago, in desperate need of a change of pace, I sold almost everything I owned and wandered around the country for six months living on friends’ couches. (I’m a nomad at heart.) One night I found myself in Portland, and decided to stay there.
Since I was still traveling 90% of the time (my cat sitter was only half-joking that I put her through college), my new apartment came together very slowly. When I was home for a few days at a time, I needed the area to work best for me. With a clean palette to work on, I was intrigued when I finally took a step back and saw how I had come to use the space versus how I would have set it up traditionally.
For example:
For comparison’s sake, I keep a second (studio) apartment in Utah. This apartment has a table with four chairs (stools, actually), an armchair, a nightstand with built-in light, a futon, and a garment rack.
Which do you think is easier to keep clean: a small studio or a large two-bedroom?
Answer: the two-bedroom, by far, precisely because I don’t have unnecessary furniture cluttering it up.
Aside from the actual sticker price, factor in all the hidden costs of furniture – the time it takes to clean, walking around the couch instead of walking directly across the room (the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, after all), replacing or tightening a screw, laundering covers, removing stains, spraying Febreze, wondering if the curtains match the bedskirt…
My biggest gripe against furniture is having to vacuum around it. With three long-haired cats, I vacuum every other day. Back when I had an apartment full of furniture (and five long-haired cats), facing the prospect of moving the sofa, tables, chairs, etc. to get underneath them was daunting, and usually meant the task was put off until I couldn’t stand it anymore. All for a set of living room tables I never even put anything on!
Is your furniture helping you or hindering you?
In sum, why furniture is more evil than Google:
Disclaimer: I make decent money. I am not slovenly and I clean up well for cocktail parties. I have (really amazing) friends. Sharing that you don’t have furniture is not a cool thing to do. People make assumptions about you. Funny how furniture can be a source of social anxiety.
I’ve now upgraded to a two-story, three-bedroom unit, and I still have no furniture. (I really wanted skylights. Portland thunderstorms + skylights = Marina’s personal heaven.) I may very well cave in and buy a mattress and a couch after moving to the new unit. But when I do, at least I’ll be aware of what it’s costing me.
While ideally you want to avoid a traditional schedule and keep working until you get too tired, there are plenty of times when you need to stay up longer than your body would like — or even times when you need to forego sleep altogether.
Even with my current 8-4, I try to keep my edge by pulling at least one all-nighter a week. As I’ve learned from Twitter, I’m not alone: Justin likes Sundays; I like Sundays or Wednesdays.
Here’s how to stay up tonight and stay alert tomorrow:
Caffeine — But Not Too Much Caffeine. Stave off your caffeine consumption until you really feel like you need it. Try to space your caffeination out to avoid getting too strung out. I usually sip a venti iced coffee over the course of a couple hours and supplement with a weak cup of coffee or a few cups of tea in the wee morning hours. When the “real” day begins, I have another venti iced coffee.
Eat Light. A big dinner will lead to a serious energy slump that can easily stop a productive night before it even begins. Snack every three hours instead. If you need a short break, cook something instead of resting — it will keep you alert.
It’s All In Your Head. The less you think about the fact that you’re supposed to be asleep, the harder it will be to stay awake. Pretend 8pm is 8am and act accordingly.
Don’t Get Too Comfortable. If you’re in your favorite t-shirt and bunny slippers, you’re not going to work as hard. Remember, it’s mostly mindset!
Don’t Nap! If you’re an experienced napper and you know that you can wake up after 20 minutes with no tempation to lie back down “for five more minutes,” go ahead and risk it. For the rest of us: No Napping!!
Blast Some Music. If your energy really starts to wane, put in your headphones and play an upbeat song or two — loudly. This always gives me an energy surge. (I’ll come clean — awful as it is, “Gimme More” by Britney Spears is one of my favorites for getting a jolt. I also like “Some People” by Linda Eder, “Stand” by Rascal Flatts, and “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera.)
Stay Positive the Next Day. The worst thing to do is to dwell on the fact that you didn’t sleep the night before. Pretend like you did. (Did I mention it’s all about mindset yet?) Don’t complain. Instead, be pleased and excited about the extra work you got in.
and my secret foolproof strategy:
Omega-3s Are Your Friends. Early on in the evening, I’ll eat a small bowl of pasta with a heaping tablespoon of flaxseed oil as the sauce. (Other good sources include walnuts and cold-water fish, but flaxseed oil really packs a punch.) I’ve tried all-nighters with and without flaxseed oil, and my energy simply soars on pasta nights. Flaxseed oil isn’t the tastiest food on the planet, but it’s not that bad, and it’s easy to hide in other foods if you don’t like it.
What keeps you up?
As an entrepreneur and productivity guru, I read information on how to wake up early all the time. There are countless tips, articles, and even entire blogs dedicated to the topic.
It seems like everyone’s striving for an earlier wakeup time. Getting up before 6am for 30 consecutive days is even one of my own personal goals.
I am nocturnal by nature, and while I’ve always been highly productive, waking up before the sun rises is always touted as bequeathing supernatural levels of energy and progress. On those days when my sleep cycle rotated in such a way that I was waking up on a “normal” schedule for a few days, it did seem like I was able to get more done during those daylight hours.
Now, for the past six months, I’ve given up my freelance entrepreneur lifestyle to take an on-site assignment for one of my main clients. (It ends this month.) This has involved my having to physically appear in an office between 7am and 9am Monday through Friday, and often at least being available by phone by those hours on weekends too.
Here’s the funny thing: despite waking up early each and every day, my productivity has plummeted.
Productivity as a whole is a hard thing to measure objectively – at least compared to our total potential for productivity during a given timeframe. Setting clear goals with measurable criteria helps, but there’s no definitive way to know that today’s eight 400-word articles, hour at the gym, and freshly baked ciabatta bread equaled 87.5% of our total possible output for the last 24 hours.
Instead, productivity is measured in general terms – how ahead or behind we are on various deadlines (total number, difficulty, and feasibility of said deadlines notwithstanding), or, even more generally, how productive we feel we were at the end of the day. Herein lies the myth that waking early is a conduit to greater personal growth.
Much as I wish everything were open 24/7, the fact of the matter is that many of our most tangible, measurable tasks need to be done during regular business hours. Grocery shopping, getting a money order, stopping by the DMV – checking off a chunk of errands on our Next Actions lists just feels so much more important than “wrote article #36 while sitting in my pajamas at the kitchen table,” even if said article is what paid for those groceries in the first place.
Think back to that last time you were in a total state of flow, working on a project that truly excited you, not caring when (or whether) you were going to eat or sleep again, wondering where the last eight hours flew by.
These flow states cannot be triggered on and off with a switch (although there are ways of encouraging their frequency). When you’re in flow, you want—and need—to stay in flow for as long as possible.
In order to wake up early on a consistent basis, you need to go to bed early. Going to bed early prevents you from entering flow.
Just the idea of needing to wake up early the next morning can stop flow in its tracks. If I have a great idea for an e-book or a new product or service at 9pm, and I know I have to be up at 5am, I’m probably not even going to get started on fleshing out my idea because I know that I’ll be tired and miserable all the next day if I don’t get any sleep the night before.
This is how people get trapped in mediocrity for their entire lives. Do you want to be trapped in mediocrity?
I didn’t think so (or you wouldn’t be reading this!).
When you ignore conventional schedules and instead let your passion and energy levels be your guide:
Hop on Twitter at 3am tonight. See who’s up talking. Know that YOU are missing out on those conversations, those ideas, and that energy while you are asleep.
You are missing out every single night.
Spend this next week on your usual schedule of waking early. (This works best if you have two consecutive weeks of similar work ahead of you.) Take extra care to record your productivity as objectively as possible, including the total number of hours worked. (Check out Dave Seah’s Printable CEO series for an easy-to-use time tracker.)
It helps to briefly journal about your mood, too – were you crabby this morning because you were tired? In the rush to get up and get going, did you have to leave your hair unwashed? (Yuck!)
Now, for the second week, eliminate your alarm clock. Sleep when you’re sleepy, work when you’re not. Again, record your productivity and total hours slept, along with your mood.
When you compare your final results (and I’d love to hear about them, too!), remember: it’s about quantity and quality together. I would rather work two hours less a week than spend two hours a day “working” but zoned out and pissed off.
I’ve kept “wake up before 6am for 30 consecutive days” as one of my 101 goals in 1,001 days, but now it’s there for a different reason.
Before, I wanted to join the great cult of productivity leaders who accomplish more before 6am than others do all day. Now, I want to do it only because it’s hard and it requires a high level of self-discipline.
In other words, I want to prove I can, and say I did it.
But I’ll have to wait until I can afford to let my productivity suffer.
Today, Chris Brogan tweeted about the reaction to freeze up in the face of a full plate of things to do.
I’m sure we can all relate to this!
My suggestion to Chris was to put himself out there for public scrutiny — announce what task he has to do, and then report back whether he does it or not. Over time, he can develop a reputation as someone who gets things done, or not.
Few of us can claim the Twitter following Chris has, but even if you only have a few followers out there, the thought that someone might be watching and paying attention can be enough motivation to get yourself in gear and tackle that task.
This is especially useful if the resulting task can be shared with your online audience — finishing a blog post, updating a design, writing code, and so on.
I’d love to be your Twitter accountability partner — follow me by clicking here!