PRG 🛫 MUC 🛬 BCN
🛫 BCN 🛬 PRG
Every day I check whether macOS Monterey has been released yet. I can’t wait to have focus modes and shortcuts on my iMac.
Nitpicking: Why do I have to scroll to read this text? Couldn’t they just make the text area a little bit larger?
Though the summary did not motivate me to buy this book, I love the quote:
One of the most unfortunate realities about being productive is that most of what we do is a total waste of time.
10 years freelancing
Yesterday I realised that in September I passed my tenth anniversary as a freelancer. This prompted me to spent this morning doing a review of those ten years.
For the past hours I have been on a trip through memory lane. I have reviewed my financial information, my list of past customers (I should call many of them to keep in touch!) and projects, the material I produced and many, many pages of notes.
I am not sure yet what to make out of all that information. It is a lot to take in. For the moment I will simply let it sink in and maybe in a few days see if I can write up some conclusions, lessons learned and action steps.
The conscious belief that effort is the good part links dopamine to the process rather than the result
Dopamine is not about having, but about wanting. It is released as you work towards a goal, not just when you achieve it. Focusing only on the reward at the end makes the effort feel heavier: time seems to pass more slowly, and resistance feels more painful.
The key is consciously linking dopamine release to the effort and discomfort itself. This starts with a mental shift: when something feels hard, remind yourself that you’re on the right track. Not despite the resistance, but because of it. By convincing yourself that the effort is the good part, you naturally start enjoying it. Initially, this is a conscious choice, but over time it becomes automatic.
Athletes who love their sport have learned exactly this: they find the effort satisfying, while those focused solely on the result see the process as suffering. This aligns perfectly with the Self-Determination Theory: intrinsic motivation arises when the enjoyment is in the activity itself, not in what you get in return. Those who can cultivate this build a sustainable and self-reinforcing source of energy.
Related:
- People with a wandering mind (ADHD) are motivated by actions that captivate, create, compete, or complete
- There is no evidence of any effects of growth mindset interventions on academic achievement
- Link the desired behavior to a clear signal
- Start with a simpler version of the task to boost your confidence; then move on to a more challenging one
- Do things that makes you happy everyday, since happy workers are 12% more productive
- Cold showers temporarily reduce your cognitive performance
- The words you use influence how you see the world
- Use AI to reduce unnecessary difficulties, not to avoid essential effort
- Motivation grows with the perceived distance to the goal, not the real one
Some more thoughts by Cal Newport based on the same research that led me to write this note in my Digital Garden.
The allure of productivity is therefore a complex one. We cannot dismiss it as the result of the evil master plan of mustache twirling capitalists. We also cannot embrace it as an unalloyed good. It’s a human drive tangled with the contradictory imperatives of culture.
This is by far my favorite feature in iOS 15: Scheduled Notification Summary.
Instead of having a constant stream of interesting things, I now receive my notifications bundled at my most convenient moments.
Mindfulness meditation reduces the size of your amygdala, making you less prone to distractions and procrastination
Research shows that regularly practicing mindfulness meditation can lead to a smaller amygdala. This part of the brain is important because a smaller amygdala often means you have less stress and can concentrate better. When the amygdala is less active, we are less easily distracted by things around us or by our own thoughts.
Furthermore, studies indicate that mindfulness meditation not only changes the size of the amygdala but also how it interacts with other parts of the brain. This means that the amygdala communicates differently with, for example, the prefrontal cortex. These changes help us manage our emotions better and concentrate more effectively. As a result, people procrastinate less often because they can focus their attention better on what they need to do.
The great thing about mindfulness meditation is that you don’t need much time or effort to experience these benefits. Research shows that even a short, intensive period of mindfulness, such as a three-day retreat, can cause lasting changes in the brain. This means that mindfulness meditation is an easy and effective way to improve your mental clarity and focus. It is therefore a valuable practice for anyone struggling with concentration and procrastination.