“Let it sink…”

The cost of addiction is tolerance - we need more over time to feel the same. Lately, I’ve stopped bringing my AirPods on daily walks (about 60 minutes). Not gonna lie, it takes effort not to reach for them. Try it for two weeks straight, and then we’ll talk.

Power moves

Yesterday, I caught myself over-preparing to write another newsletter:

• Brewed tea (green, loose leaves only).

• Turned on my “Chill Music” playlist (on YouTube Music, of course).

• Toggled DND mode by tapping an NFC tag (my latest toy - I’ll share more once I figure out why I need them).

Then, I opened Notion to pick a topic… and immediately got annoyed. My topics were dumped onto a page with no structure. Hard to track, harder to choose.

So, I started organizing. Created a database. Added filters to hide used topics. Then I made different views - a Kanban board for a high-level overview...

One hour later.

Out of tea. Went to the kitchen to brew more.

Came back. Cursor blinking in an empty text editor. Still hadn’t picked a topic.

Felt productive. Made progress. But in what direction?

My buddy Jakub (from the intro email, remember?) once said: "Honing your digital environment is a form of procrastination."

That was exactly it.

But if life gives you lemons...

The topic revealed itself: Don't spend major time on minor things.

So, I leaned back, hands laced behind my head, staring out the window, and asked myself: Where else am I guilty of this?

My current “guilty pleasure” list - things I don’t need to make progress:

• Obsessing over tools. Testing productivity apps for hours instead of using them. (Irony - I’m currently debating switching from Todoist to Apple Reminders. My only excuse? I’m on vacation and want new emotions).

• Organizing instead of doing. Color-coding calendars, perfecting Notion dashboards, rearranging to-do lists…

• Over-customizing software. Researching Obsidian or Raycast plugins instead of working.

• Overthinking decisions. Spending hours picking a new kettle when it has just one core function.

• Binge-watching reviews. Deep-diving into YouTube videos about PowerBeats Pro 2 - not even sure I’ll buy them.

At this point, I had successfully found a new way to kill my mood.

To balance it out, I flipped the script: What am I doing right?

Turns out, these no longer apply to me:

• Overthinking what to wear – Solved by buying everything in blue, black, red, white, and gray. I dress based on the weather, not thinking if it would match.

• Tracking expenses. Used to run spreadsheets (tedious). Now, YNAB auto-categorizes, I just review and adjust if needed.

• Getting gas at Costco. Cheaper, yes. But the 10-15 min lines? Not worth it. I crunched the numbers - I save just $1.30 per fill-up. Pass.

• Reacting to every message immediately. DND mode stays on most of the day. My time, my rules.

• In-store shopping – 90% of non-grocery purchases happen on Amazon. Bonus: my wife’s favorite Peet’s coffee is 10% cheaper there with free overnight delivery.

• Low-value networking. Prioritizing meaningful connections over random coffee chats (though, admittedly, this might be a double-edged sword).

• Chasing small discounts. A convenience store within a 5-minute walk is, on average, 5-7% more expensive than the one that’s a 5-minute drive away. I don’t drive. I walk.

  • I get more steps toward my movement goals.

  • I stick to my shopping list – I can’t carry much anyway.

This was progress.

Now, shifting gears - I noted down what should I improve next.

On their way out:

• Giving family rides. We have one car (work from home, yeah!), and no public transport in our “rural” area. Uber is cheaper than buying and maintaining a second car (plus insurance, property taxes). No more chauffeur duty.

• Tax filing. Turbotax takes hours and a minor existential crisis. A CPA costs 25% more, but I get peace of mind and professional advice.

• DIY outdoor projects. Example: covering our patio’s weather-damaged bricks with outdoor tiles. I resisted hiring someone last year, but I’m coming to terms with labor costs exceeding material costs. Acceptance pending.

So, what do I do with all this saved time?

That’s probably a topic for another post. But in short - consume and create: read more, experiment more, write more.

What’s not going away (yet):

• Cooking. I love it, especially when I cut a recipe’s sugar by a third.

• Mowing the lawn. The smell of fresh-cut grass is in my top-10 pleasure list, alongside the first sip of coffee and a long, tight hug from my wife (who, apparently, reads my newsletters!).

At the end of the day, doing things and getting things done are not the same.

Naval Ravikant once said:

The real challenge isn’t figuring out what needs to get done.

It’s figuring out what doesn’t.

...That said, let's be honest - I'm still going to play with my Notion dashboards. Some habits die hard.

Till next time.

Our favorite digital finds

Short & Sweet

Ask for no, don't ask for yes - 3 min read.

Solving problems efficiently is all about framing, so I started collecting them. This one keeps projects moving by asking for a "no" with a deadline instead of a "yes".

High Agency In 30 Minutes - 30 min read.

All of social media is screaming about the importance of high agency, but what exactly is it, and why does it matter? This comprehensive overview is one of those "I wish I had read it when I was 13" pieces. A great investment of your time.

5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Enhance Your Work Output - 5 min read.

You've probably heard about Pomodoro techniques and the curse of multitasking, both of which are part of this article. However, the reason it made the list is a new phrase that caught my attention: "micro-productivity." Interestingly, this is exactly how I approach assembling this newsletter without even realizing there was a word for it.

A Tweet That Hits

One sentence described my whole student life. Due tomorrow? Do tomorrow.

Add this to your shelf

Zero to One is like a masterclass in entrepreneurship. Thiel breaks down why the biggest opportunities come from creating something entirely new, not just improving on what already exists. It's packed with great insights on startups, innovation, and thinking differently.

A Workspace I Envy

I’m captivated by this setup and how seamlessly it blends with the window view (and the cats!). The cool gadgets on the desk (especially the bike clock) are worth checking out. Take a peek at their Insta to see the details!

Unpacking the routines of interesting people

While these activities are often mentioned, Thiel himself says he doesn't stick to a fixed daily schedule - he prefers to stay flexible and adapt as he goes.

Interesting facts:

PayPal Mafia Leader: Thiel co-founded PayPal and helped create the so-called "PayPal Mafia" - a group of former employees who went on to start billion-dollar companies like Tesla, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Yelp.

Chess Mastermind: Thiel was a ranked chess player in his youth and nearly became a Grandmaster. He credits chess with shaping his strategic thinking in business.

Against College for Entrepreneurs: Thiel believes college isn't necessary for ambitious founders, so he created the Thiel Fellowship, which pays young entrepreneurs $100,000 to skip college and build startups instead.

Facebook’s First Big Investor: In 2004, Thiel gave Mark Zuckerberg $500,000 in exchange for 10% of Facebook. That small bet turned into a fortune when Facebook went public.

Co-Founder of Palantir: He helped start Palantir, a secretive data analytics company that works with governments, intelligence agencies, and major corporations.

Watch-worthy clips

I've been putting "presentation skills" in my "areas for development" column during annual performance reviews for years. Now that I feel like I can connect chunks of content into a decent something, it's time to work on speaking more articulately. I stumbled across this video just in time. Good tips on how to build that "muscle memory".

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