Oh Gawd, more books! Talk about time management! I was a in a bookstore in Baton Rouge several decades ago. On the wall was a poster, “Of course you don’t have room for any more books. If you did you wouldn’t be worth knowing.” I’ve always considered it as permission to buy more books. Someday maybe I’ll be worth knowing. Moving books has made my peripatetic life expensive.
Regardless, thank you for the book recommendations.
My parents, of course, were a much earlier generation, but a rule was we always kept our books. I would rather cut an arm off than lose a book. My CC bill peaks every Friday when the WSJ Books newsletter arrives in my Inbox.
I use a tool from Slow Productivity with some success to limit constant ruminations and self catastrophizing thoughts "after hours". At the end of my workday, I take a few minutes to review and note what I've done for the day, then a friendly suggestion to myself of what I want to accomplish tomorrow and then finish saying out loud "You are done for the day". Its a permission to stop working and give myself some distance to focus on other aspects of life.
I'm attempting something similar when I wake up in the middle of the night and start to "problem solve." I tell myself — "now isn't the time" — and block it off. Works 75% of the time. Thanks Nils
I do a similar thing at the end of the day except for the I’m done for the day. That’s a brilliant way to wrap it up! Permission to quit. I’m adding that to my routine. Thank you.
Burkeman’s “Meditation for Mortals” is one of the best things I’ve ever read. One chapter reflection a day for two weeks. I struggled with his book spotlighted here. Also a big fan of Cal.
I am new to your community after recently finishing Not Too Late! 4000 Weeks is one of my favorite books of all time and I am excited to add the other books to my list.
Welcome to Not Too Late! That's great to hear about 4,000 weeks. Let us know what tips work for you in the other books — and please recommend good reads you find to the community here.
Great post! Because procrastination is a main culprit in my time-management failures, I often recall Jocko Willink's mantra, "Discipline equals freedom," from his book, "Extreme Ownership," to keep me doing the stuff I need but don't want to do, so that I have the freedom to do what I really want to do. I also documented, for one week, how I spent every waking moment, in 15-min increments. It showed me exactly how undisciplined I was handling my time. Humbling but effective.
Adding that Jocko book to my reading list. The document-your-time-for-a-week strategy is really effective. I was horrified at my little time sucks. Wiping out those made a huge difference.
Oh Gawd, more books! Talk about time management! I was a in a bookstore in Baton Rouge several decades ago. On the wall was a poster, “Of course you don’t have room for any more books. If you did you wouldn’t be worth knowing.” I’ve always considered it as permission to buy more books. Someday maybe I’ll be worth knowing. Moving books has made my peripatetic life expensive.
Regardless, thank you for the book recommendations.
LOL - I have stacks of books towering in corners. My new rule is one book in, one book out. Of course, I break that rule consistently.
My parents, of course, were a much earlier generation, but a rule was we always kept our books. I would rather cut an arm off than lose a book. My CC bill peaks every Friday when the WSJ Books newsletter arrives in my Inbox.
Big points for being a WSJ guy! (My employer ...:)
I use a tool from Slow Productivity with some success to limit constant ruminations and self catastrophizing thoughts "after hours". At the end of my workday, I take a few minutes to review and note what I've done for the day, then a friendly suggestion to myself of what I want to accomplish tomorrow and then finish saying out loud "You are done for the day". Its a permission to stop working and give myself some distance to focus on other aspects of life.
I'm attempting something similar when I wake up in the middle of the night and start to "problem solve." I tell myself — "now isn't the time" — and block it off. Works 75% of the time. Thanks Nils
I do a similar thing at the end of the day except for the I’m done for the day. That’s a brilliant way to wrap it up! Permission to quit. I’m adding that to my routine. Thank you.
Burkeman’s “Meditation for Mortals” is one of the best things I’ve ever read. One chapter reflection a day for two weeks. I struggled with his book spotlighted here. Also a big fan of Cal.
I've been meaning to read "Meditation" ... this is a good reminder to do so.
The hard part is only reading a chapter a day!
I am new to your community after recently finishing Not Too Late! 4000 Weeks is one of my favorite books of all time and I am excited to add the other books to my list.
Welcome to Not Too Late! That's great to hear about 4,000 weeks. Let us know what tips work for you in the other books — and please recommend good reads you find to the community here.
Hi Wendy, two suggestions for the playlist: Vertigo by U2 and Tom Sawyer by Rush
Adding now Stephen! Tks.
Great post! Because procrastination is a main culprit in my time-management failures, I often recall Jocko Willink's mantra, "Discipline equals freedom," from his book, "Extreme Ownership," to keep me doing the stuff I need but don't want to do, so that I have the freedom to do what I really want to do. I also documented, for one week, how I spent every waking moment, in 15-min increments. It showed me exactly how undisciplined I was handling my time. Humbling but effective.
Adding that Jocko book to my reading list. The document-your-time-for-a-week strategy is really effective. I was horrified at my little time sucks. Wiping out those made a huge difference.
Loved Essentialism. Adding the rest of these to my list!
Awesome. Let us know what works for you once you've read it.
Sunrise by Simply Red and Electric Relaxation by A Tribe Called Quest are on my speed walking list.
Nice. Thank you. I like speed walking too. Trying it now w/ my ruck.