60 useful seconds with kalaboukis

Sleep is the new thing – even though sleep has always been the thing. Even though our hard-charging culture constantly talks about superhero entrepreneurs who never seem to sleep, project teams, and work through every night and weekend, everyone waking up at 4 or 5 am and going to bed at 1-2 am is simply not the best strategy for productivity. The human brain needs rest and especially sleep in order to be as sharp and productive as it can be. Shoot for at least 7 hours of continuous sleep.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

While many of us spend a majority of our days working on things that may pay the bills, but not fire up our passion, it is essential to carve out some time every day to work on our passion project. Otherwise, you may literally go mad! There are so many people who, day in and day out, simply go through the motions of life. These people can survive, but can they truly live? This is why people turn to drugs (both non-electronic and electronic), alcohol, and binge-watching TV or YouTube, for something to do to release them from the essence of a soulless existence. Try this instead: try swapping any or all of the above for a chunk of time working on your passion project. Something that you really enjoy doing. Even if it doesn’t make you any money, as long as you enjoy it, and are passionate about it, I say dump your unproductive efforts and do it.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

We spend a lot of our time moving objects from place to place and looking for them. Unless you have a perfect photographic memory, without a way to organize things, you will always spend an inordinate time looking for things. In fact, a great organizational system can easily shave off a ton of searching time. Additionally, a cluttered desk can also cause you a certain level of cognitive stress. While there are tons of systems out there, any of which is right for anyone, I suggest you try a few different systems until you come to the right one – hopefully as quickly as possible. For example, while I swear by GTD, there are others who like other systems, like Marie Kondo’s. They are all different and work differently for different people. Try them out and see which works best for you. There is even the “throw everything on the lawn” tactic and only bring back into the house what you truly need.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

Speaking of time frames – start seriously thinking about the future. If you are looking to increase your productivity gains, its important to at least partially plan your future. In order to plan your future, you must think about your future and where you what to be – to set goals – and to determine your success metrics when it comes to those goals.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

As a corollary to the previous show point above, stop thinking about the past. Stop thinking “if only I’d” Stop regretting any decisions that you made in the past – since they were probably the right decisions at the time. The past is the past, there is nothing you or anyone can do about it. Sure, learn from the past, but never look back with longing or regret. What’s done really is done, and you can never ever go back.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

Like it or not, the mere fact that you exist in the world makes you a visible role model for others. As long as others can see and hear you, they can observe your actions, and make judgments on if you are worthy of following or not. Never mind if you are the boss, and people need to follow you to keep their job, you are still being observed in every social situation. For example, the other day, I learned that there was a whole company in the Philippines, which the CEO was having watch my videos. It was a funny feeling thinking that my few YouTube videos had such a profound effect on a company on the other side of the planet. You never know who might be watching, listening, or reading.     support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

How much time do you spend complaining about something that did not go your way? Since we cannot change the past, spending time complaining about wrongs, be they justified or unjustified, will not change what has happened. There is little upside to complaining, and many downsides in lowered mental states, time lost in complaining, and instead of a focus on how one can improve, the focus is on nothing that can be changed. Think back over your life – how much time have you lost complaining to others. Does it make you feel better to unload on others? You are the same person that you were before, and after the complaint – complaining does not bring you any further ahead. Stop complaining, and do something productive instead.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

Reddit is just like TV and any other feed. Empty, emotion-driven entertainment. You learn nothing.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

Think of the paper as a paper version of the “feed” I described earlier. Do you need to spend your time reading other people’s opinions designed to drive your emotional engagement, either stroking or enraging you? Life is too short. Same for politics. Does the fact that you follow this political party or another contribute to your productivity in any way, shape, or form? Does being outraged by Donald Trump help you get new customers, or complete that report, or write that book? Does being offended by his opponents, “fake news” or any other new help you in your life at all? Take my advice: FORGET ALL GENERIC NEWS AND POLITICS. If required, and only if needed, read news focused on your specific industry and nothing else. Stay away from getting sucked into politics.  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support

The Last Jedi was over 2 hours long. Add in getting to the theater early, finding parking, buying tickets, popcorn, soda, watching the trailers, watching the movie, grabbing food, finding your car and going home, you are talking most of if not more than HALF A DAY of your life. Now, seriously, do you think that is the best use of your precious time? Unless you need to see the film for your job, then it’s not that important. Ask yourself, do I need to spend so much time watching movies?  support the show: https://anchor.fm/60usefulseconds/support