THE WEEKLY PAGE 📝 No. 244
Three productivity myths + what to read, watch, listen to and enjoy...
The productivity world is rich with myths and I really enjoy busting them so today we’re going to talk about three productivity myths and what to do instead:
🥇 MYTH #1: “Start with your hardest task first”
This old saying is based on the idea that if you tackle the hardest task first, you’ll get over that hump and the rest of your day will be a breeze. For some, this approach can just cause us to procrastinate — not wanting to face that hard task so we put it off.
Instead: try starting your day with “three simple wins” — three small tasks that you can complete in five minutes or less. This can help jump-start your day and create some good endorphins and momentum to carry you into more difficult tasks.
🕰️ MYTH #2: “You have the same hours in the day as Beyonce”
We definitely do not have the same hours in the day as Beyonce. Especially if you are a parent, caregiving for a sick or aging loved one, living on a budget, between jobs, dealing with health issues, cooking your own meals, commuting an hour every day, juggling work and school, etc etc etc.
Instead: Be realistic about what resources are available to you and all the systemic factors that might be working against you. Recognizing that these potential barriers exist will benefit you much more than pretending you have the same supports as one of the world’s richest women.
😵💫 MYTH #3: “Multitasking = more productive”
We love to convince ourselves that multi-tasking means we are getting a lot done, but usually it doesn’t. Whenever we switch between tasks, our brain has to recalibrate. Not to mention we may also have to adjust our workspace, gather certain tools, or open specific programs. All of this takes up time and energy!
Instead: Pay attention to the Available Blocks of Time (ABTs) throughout your day where you have no meetings or other commitments scheduled. Assign that chunk of time with a specific theme, such as “focused work” “creative work” “administrative work” etc., OR a specific task “complete Q1 reports” “schedule social media posts” etc, and do your best to reduce distractions.
Note: As always remember that we ALL have different brains! Some of these “myths” might be things that work for you. If so, that’s great! Take what’s helpeful and leave the rest.
📚 READ: I’ve been reading this book slowly over the last couple weeks and it is FASCINATING. Feels like I learn something mind-blowing on every page. “Eve is not only a sweeping revision of human history, it’s an urgent and necessary corrective for a world that has focused primarily on the male body for far too long. Eve will completely change what you think you know about evolution and why Homo sapiens has become such a successful and dominant species.” Learn more here (there’s also an adapted version for young adults).
📺 WATCH: We put this movie on the other night fully expecting it to be cheesy and possibly awful…but were pleasantly surprised. Although I think it could have been 20 minutes shorter, it had some real laugh-out-loud moments and a great cast. Plus, Reese’s bangs?! S’cute. Watch the trailer here:
🎧 LISTEN: A podcast series called The Telepathy Tapes rose to prominence a few months ago, garnering so many downloads that for a bit it even reached the top of the podcast charts. So many people have recommended it, and I finally listened to the entire series this week. The host, Ky Dickens, makes a very compelling argument claiming that non-verbal children with autism are able to communicate in other ways — such as with their mind (AKA, telepathy). While the show is riveting and a great listen — I feel like the truth is somewhere in the middle. I have no doubt that we don’t yet know all the ways people (and animals!) are able to communicate. I love the idea that our brains create fields or waves that can be deciphered by others. It’s all so interesting! But, the show is not without flaws and listening to Conspirituality’s episode “Unraveling The Telepathy Tapes” is a great way to sort through some of the controversy and misrepresentations in the show, as well as what aspects might also be harmful. Listen to The Telepathy Tapes here and Conspirituality here.
🧡 ENJOY: I have not been able to get enough of these gosh darn cucumber salads that took the internet by storm last summer. I pair them with salmon and a little sticky rice and they make a simple, delicious meal. Here’s a variation I’ve been loving lately.
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