How to Defeat Distraction
Three big takeaways from the conversation:
Eyal points out that we often convince ourselves we are being productive when we’re actually being distracted. He differentiates between reflective work, the kind where you think deeply and really get things done, and reactive work—reacting to notifications, emails, office chatter. “We have to spend some amount of our time reacting to our customers and clients’ needs,” he says. “But strategizing, creative work, and thinking requires us to do so without distraction. So you’ve got to plan at least some time in your day for that reflective work.”
He’s been touting the huge potential for business applications of AI for over a decade, and he predicts that we’ll soon begin to harness the power of generative AI to help us stay focused and working on the things we want to prioritize. “What I could see happening someday is that we have these little AI assistants who know our greater intentions, who know what our schedule should look like, and who help us formulate how we can turn our values into time,” he says. “They can help keep us accountable and say, ‘Hey, I see you’re doing this thing as opposed to the thing you planned to work on, is that what you really want to be doing?’”
Eyal is a strong believer in timeboxing, arguing that filling in the white space in your calendar is how you mindfully determine what you want to focus on, and also the best way to pinpoint when and how you get distracted.He also points out that watching TikTok clips and surfing social media is not a distraction if you actually build time for it into your day. “Dorothy Parker said that the time you plan to waste is not wasted time,” he says. “So if you have planned time in your calendar to watch something online, or to go on social media, or to play a video game, that’s great.”
5 Strategies for Getting More Work Done in Less Time
You’ve got more to do than could possibly get done with your current work style. You’ve prioritized. You’ve planned. You’ve delegated. You’ve tried to focus. The next frontier is increasing your efficiency so that you can spend less time and still do a good job. Here are five strategies to help. Start by clarifying what’s actually needed and to what level. Then, ask yourself if there’s any work that you could reuse, and — where you can — copy, paste, and edit. To speed up your process on routine items, create a template or checklist. Having a conversation instead of writing something down can also save time. And finally, decide in advance how much time you will spend on a particular task, and stick to it.
^ADJ: Time Box Your Work would have to be the best strategy for me right now to get work done - having the discipline to plan out what you want to achieve and then order it in priority and allocate time has been a game changer.
6 Work-Life Balance Hacks
Learn how to develop a healthy balance between your job and personal life.
^ADJ: Key item is #2 - setting some ground rules
Setting AI Projects Up for Success
Unfortunately, you can’t set up your organization’s artificial intelligence projects like just any other IT project. By their nature, AI endeavors are quite different and suffer high failure rates. But there are proven approaches you can take to increase your odds of success.
^ADJ: AI is a hot topic right now, what I think a lot of us miss is this is not an IT opportunity this is a fundamental business issue, and needs C level leadership at the top - not everyone looking at it as a tech issue.
5 key benefits of optimizing employee tech tools
Improving the technology that workers use every day boosts productivity, extends the value of tech investments, helps companies stay competitive, and more.
^ADJ: So much potential exists within the tools that we already have!
Optimize Your Water Quality and Intake for Health
Water is a vital nutrient, making up approximately 60-80% of human cells and tissues. In Episode #114, I explain the physical and chemical properties of water and describe the foundational role that water plays in cellular function, mental and physical performance and our overall health. This newsletter explains how to optimize your hydration, clean your tap water and adjust the type of water you consume, but only if necessary.
^ADJ: So easy not to drink enough plain water - enough said.