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🔎 Finding Focus #14 — Stick to the Plan: A Sticky Note Strategy
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👋 Hey Friends, I've been heads down the last week or two. There are some cool things brewing (more on that at the bottom of this message). Stick to the Plan: A Sticky Note StrategyThese first 90 minutes are essential. They are my most valuable of the day. This short window after I get up is when my brain is sharpest. It is my High Energy Time. I’ve known this for two years now, but I still wait until that block starts before I schedule something for it. I wake up, walk down the hall, grab a coffee, my MacBook and begin. By begin, I mean begin the process of what to do with the most valuable time of my day. I open the most distraction-filled place in the world, (no, not Instagram) my To-do list. It’s filled with so many delightful things to explore and hits of dopamine to be gained by checking off easy wins. Twitter/X couldn’t curate a more seductive list of topics if it tried. After culling through the 20+ options of things I could work on, I choose a task. Success. Except thirty minutes have passed. I’ve burnt through a third of my high energy time, and a good bit of my decision-making quota for the day. I think there is a better way.Over the past week, I’ve been trying something a little different. An experiment, if you will. Instead of starting my day with a coffee and my To-Do list, I’m starting it with coffee and a sticky note. I’ve set a pad of sticky notes and a Sharpie marker on my bedside table. Before laying down for bed, I take 60 seconds and pick an intention for tomorrow’s High Energy time, and I stick it to the headboard. It’s the first thing I will see when I get up, and I know what to work on without having to see my To-Do List. Plus, I’m more likely to stick to the plan if it is stuck to something. That last part is just me wanting a good excuse to play with Sticky Notes. ​ “Set a simple plan for the day. If you don’t end up liking it, you can always change tomorrow’s.” ​ — Brandon Boswell ​ I need your help. I’m designing a to-do list that actively helps you focus and protect your high energy time. If that sounds interesting, reply to this email, I would love to chat with you.​ Until next time, ​ ​ |
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Brandon Boswell
Subscribe to 🔎 Finding Focus, an email newsletter, where I share with you my reflections from the past week to give you one thought, tip and tool to improve your focus and creativity.
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