Good morning, friends!☀️
I hope everyone had a good week. I have been quite busy recently, but looking forward to a more relaxed week ahead.
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I was listening to this podcast between Ali Abdaal and Cal Newport earlier this week. They discussed Cal Newport’s new book Slow Productivity.
Interestingly, we often equate productivity with being busy. Just because you worked 12 hours today doesn’t mean you produced so much. Of course, there is a correlation between those two things, but it is definitely not a causation.
I remember doing this a lot when revising for my exams at university and school. I would use the number of hours I revised as a measure of my studying instead of what I actually learned and took in, which is what really matters.
This podcast re-iterated to me that it is always better to slow down what you are doing and think deeply about a single topic. This is often better in the long run and will guide you where you want to go more effectively.
This is something I am trying to do in my own life. For example, when I write this newsletter, I ensure it's my only thought for the next two hours. Otherwise, my brain is using a scatter gun approach, making the process arduous and of lower quality.
So, I encourage you to slow down when doing any work and see how you get on. You will feel calmer in the process, and the result will often be better than expected.
Weekly Favourites ❤️
🎙️ Podcast — Cal Newport: The Secrets of Slow Productivity. The newsletter is about this podcast, so I recommend you check it out!
🎬 YouTube — 3 HOUR STUDY WITH ME | Background noise, Rain Sounds, 10-minute break, No Music. I often listen to music when working, as I find it improves my focus a lot more than just simple silence. I use Merve's videos quite a lot, as the vibe is so calming.
🎬 YouTube — 48 HOURS IN LILLE - ft. The 12 Best Restaurants & Bars (France's Unsung Hero). I have been following TopJaw for ages now, and they give really good food and restaurant recommendations for so many places. I am going to Lille next week, so watching this Video was a no-brainer!
(PS: Some links are affiliate links that I get a kickback from with no extra cost to you 😎)
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