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Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Compare a morning when you slept through your alarm, rushed out of bed, and barely made it to your desk in time to one when you had time for a brisk walk, a healthy breakfast, and some leisurely coffee-sipping. You’ll quickly realize your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day. Think an effective morning routine is out of your reach? We have good news: It’s a learnable science, no matter how much chaos you’re met with when you open your eyes. After analyzing the advice and morning routines of numerous well-known business leaders and productivity experts, we’ve pinpointed common practices of successful people for your most productive morning. 1. Wake up at YOUR right time Related Article Night owl or early bird? Discover your circadian personality By Tracy Middleton In Productivity “Morning people” are supposed to be the high achievers. The early bird catches the worm, right? But a successful morning routine isn’t necessarily synonymous with an early morning routine. Sure, some people who wake up early are more productive, and some studies do associate waking up just one hour earlier with lower depression rates. But if you personally dread early-morning wake-up calls, any potential benefits you get from peeling yourself out from under the covers at an unreasonable time will likely be overpowered by your misery. Oprah Winfrey never sets an alarm and Google CEO Sundar Pichai describes himself as “not a morning person.” Take a cue from them and pay attention to your own ultradian rhythms – your body’s natural cycles that repeat throughout the day and cause those peaks and dips in your energy levels. Doing so helps you find the times of day when you’re most focused and productive (known as your biological prime time). If you determine that you’re at your best in the afternoon or evening, there’s no reason for you to join the 5 a.m. club. As Mike Vardy, productivity author, speaker, and podcaster, wrote, “Look, I’m a night owl — and proud of it. Why? Because despite having many say that my sleeping habits make me less likely to achieve, I prove them wrong.” So forget the pressure to pop out of bed at the crack of dawn; stay focused on what works best for you. 2. Prepare the night before Many successful people spend their evenings preparing for the next day. Their reasoning: It leaves mornings free for an earlier start on important work (and breakfast). Giving “future you” the favor of adequate preparation doesn’t just free up your time – it frees up some brain space. We have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability. Too many decisions in the morning slow you down and can drain your brain for the rest of the day (it’s known as decision fatigue). Whether you pack your lunch, lay out your outfit, or create the next day’s to-do list, even five minutes of evening prep work can help you start your morning off on the right foot. Former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault likes to end his evenings by simply writing three things he wants to accomplish the next day. For many, a successful morning routine actually starts in the evening. 3. Focus on what matters Related Article How to embrace the human side of leadership By Atlassian In Leadership Erik Fisher is the voice behind the Beyond the To-Do List Podcast. He points out that if you analyze productivity experts’ morning routines, you’ll find a few things in common. Most focus on big-picture goals, gratitude, and planning for the day. Here are a few examples: Canva CEO Melanie Perkins starts her day by reading tweets from the Canva community (which motivate her) and writing in a gratitude journal. Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, intentionally drags out her morning commute to give herself quiet time to think and plan before the chaos of her day sets in. John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of Patrón tequila and Paul Mitchell hair products, spends five minutes each morning quietly reflecting on what he’s grateful for. Of course, plenty of morning routines include journaling and mindfulness. But don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time (or quiet space) for a lengthy meditation routine. Even a short walk can help you focus your thoughts and identify your desired outcomes for the day. 4. Move around and hydrate Many successful people start their mornings in motion, and you can follow their lead for a morning routine that’s equal parts healthy and helpful: Kevin Kruse, author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, does a daily 20-minute HIIT session on the treadmill. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Block, Inc., walks to work every morning. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi power walks before work. Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary gets on his elliptical or exercise bike. Multi-board member Frits Dirk van Paasschen runs 10 miles every morning. Keep in mind that you don’t need to run a marathon to start your day well. According to one study, even some moderate exercise in the morning (like a brisk walk) can boost your brainpower for the rest of the day. While you’re moving, remember that what you put in your mug matters. There’s nothing wrong with a morning cup of coffee, but you should also drink plenty of water in the morning to stay hydrated and give you lasting energy. Research shows that adequate hydration improves your cognitive performance. Jeff Sanders, author of The 5 AM Miracle and host of the podcast with the same name, says his favorite morning habit is to drink one liter of water within the first 45 minutes of bouncing out of bed. “Hydration is incredibly important, especially after waking up. I always find that this larger quantity of water provides incredible energy and prepares my body for the day ahead.” 5. Eat the frog first thing in the morning Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, bases his morning philosophy on a quote from Mark Twain. “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” The “frog” is that one important task you’re dreading the most because it’s large and looming over you. Doing your biggest task first can help you start your day with a sense of accomplishment. Can’t quite manage to jump into the day (pun intended) with the big frog on your list? Even tackling some smaller tadpoles can help. Whether you manage a big or a small win in the morning, that gratification can propel you into the rest of the day with greater motivation. That’s the progress principle in action. Mornings matter: Create a better morning routine for a more productive day Your morning sets the tone for the entire day. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are still plenty of factors (like kids, pets, last-minute emergencies…the list goes on) that can influence exactly how your morning shapes up. The good news is that you’re not going for perfection here – and you don’t need to overhaul your entire routine. Even trying out one or two of the above tips can help you approach your mornings with a little more intention. As the old saying goes, if you win the morning, you win the day. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post 5 tips to find your best morning routine appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Last week we talked about how to set goals for December. With 2025 looming ever closer, we’re looking even further ahead. It’s time to start engaging in our year-end reflections and setting goals for the upcoming year. Goal-setting doesn’t just involve thinking ahead, though. It also requires you to look back. Reflecting on the past The post Year-End Reflections: Setting the Stage for Success appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe It feels great to make real progress with your team. But too often, work gets bogged down in a frustrating cycle: you’re waiting for input from collaborators stuck in back-to-back meetings, while urgent requests for your input keep piling up. Deadlines slip, blockers multiply, and high-priority work slows to a crawl. Atlassian’s State of Teams research reveals that teams spend 50% more time in unnecessary meetings than making progress on high-priority work. The problem? These meetings are spent talking about work – sharing updates and information – instead of rolling up their sleeves and doing work together. I lead Atlassian’s Teamwork Lab, a group of behavioral scientists that designs best practices for modern teams. Our research reveals a powerful antidote to unproductive meeting culture: eliminate information-dump meetings and use that synchronous time for real collaboration. Think: building decks, writing documents, solving problems, sharing feedback, and revising work together. What makes this shift so powerful? When meeting time is deliberately structured for collaboration, it unleashes the power of “bursty” communication. bursty communication A distinct rhythm shared by high-performing teams, characterized by intense “bursts” of rapid communication between team members alternating with periods of deep individual work. Research shows that this bursty communication pattern makes it easy for teams to advance important work by quickly flowing between ideation and execution – driving faster problem-solving and more innovative outcomes. To tap into this “bursty” rhythm, modern teams must deliberately shift how they work and make room for bursty communication to happen. First, move routine updates and information-sharing to asynchronous channels like Slack, email, and Loom videos, keeping everyone in the loop without disrupting their flow. This frees up sync time for what we like to call “Get Sh!t Done (GSD) Sessions”: dedicated one- to two-hour blocks designed for this type of high-impact collaborative work. The term “GSD Sessions” works for us , but feel free to call it whatever resonates with your team. Think of these sessions as a virtual “tap on the shoulder” moment, during which teams can demo early work, get immediate feedback, and solve problems on the spot. There’s no waiting for responses or hesitation to “interrupt” – exactly the kind of environment that facilitates the communication and collaboration that drives team success. As one Atlassian whose team tried GSD Sessions said, “It’s like magic.” Here’s how to bring that magic to your team: 5 steps to run an effective GSD session 1. Schedule a block of time for collaboration.– Choose collaborators based on session needs: Include a small group of people who are critical to completing the work, regardless of function or reporting lines. – Start small: Block off a one- to two-hour chunk of time for your team once or twice a week. As your team gets comfortable, you can build up to 10-20% of your week (roughly 4-8 hours). – Replace meetings: Look for existing meetings that are primarily spent talking about work. These are prime candidates to convert into GSD Sessions.2. Prepare to roll up your sleeves together on high-priority work.– Remember: this session is set aside for in-progress work. The point isn’t to present something polished, it’s to get work done together. – Keep it flexible: No fixed agenda needed – just be ready to tackle your most critical task(s) with key people as needs arise. – The day before (or day of) the session, spend 5-10 minutes identifying high-priority tasks that would benefit from real-time collaboration.3. Set up your tools for seamless interaction.Keep the video call running throughout the GSD Session. Alternate between: – Camera/mic ON: for planning, questions, or feedback – Camera/mic OFF: for focused work to action the things you’ve discussed – If you have questions during focus time, use chat messages or briefly turn your camera/mic back on. – The rhythm will feel natural once your team gets the hang of it.4. Use bursty communication.– Alternate between group work and individual focus. One successful approach: meet for 10 minutes to align, work independently for 30, then regroup to share progress and solve blockers. – Create a “tap on the shoulder” atmosphere: make it safe for teammates to ask for help, troubleshoot, and share spontaneous ideas – that’s how great solutions emerge.5. Aim for progress, not perfection.– Remember: GSD Sessions are about making tangible progress. – Whether you’re developing new ideas or refining existing work, the goal is to work in a way that feels responsive and momentum-building. Get buy-in from your team with this message: “Hey Team! I’d like us to try out GSD Sessions. These are dedicated time blocks that we’ll use to collaborate on high-priority tasks together, in real time. They’re flexible – we can decide which projects to tackle and which key collaborators to include as the session approaches. We can accomplish things like: Writing a page together Working through a complex problem live Reviewing and providing feedback on each other’s work Next steps: You’ll see some GSD Session holds on your calendar soon! Go deeper: GSD Sessions facilitate bursty communication, which research shows fuels innovation and productivity. Check out this blog on GSD Sessions from Atlassian for more details.” The power of GSD Sessions We tested GSD Sessions with 103 Atlassians over 2.5 weeks. From the 40 participants who provided feedback, the results were striking, demonstrating the impact of creating real-time space for getting high-priority work done together. Boost progress on key priorities After 2.5 weeks of GSD Sessions, teams’ ability to resolve blockers increased by 39 percentage points. Meanwhile, we found that bursty communication was in fact the secret sauce for moving work forward: when teams reported alternating between bursts of rapid communication and deep individual work during their GSD Sessions, they made 24% more progress on top priorities. We can debate immediately when a question or problem occurs and not need to wait until we find time for a meeting. Chris Spanner, Advisory Services Increase innovation Teams’ ability to explore new ideas increased by 26 percentage points during the weeks they participated in GSD Sessions. Real-time collaboration sparked creativity – people could immediately build on each other’s suggestions, leading to more cohesive and innovative solutions than they’d find working separately. We could not only discuss but quickly get feedback after trialing the ideas discussed. This meant we could move and pivot faster. Annaliese McGavin, Senior People Researcher Strengthen team connection and energize collaboration Team connection increased by 27 percentage points, with 85% of participants feeling connected post-sessions. Participants’ energy levels increased by 21 percentage points, showing the motivating power of effective collaboration. Most notably, anxiety around collaboration disappeared completely: before GSD Sessions, 52% worried about inconveniencing teammates when asking for feedback. After just one week, not a single participant reported feeling anxious. The results speak for themselves: 69% of participants recommend GSD Sessions to their colleagues, and 65% plan to make them a permanent part of their workflow. Ready to transform how your team creates together? Schedule your first GSD Session this week and start turning meeting time into momentum. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post Stop talking about work – do work together instead appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Between this newsletter, my podcast, my books, and my New Yorker journalism, I offer a lot of advice and propose a lot of ideas about how the modern digital environment impacts our lives, both professionally and personally, and how we should respond. This techno-pontification covers everything from the nitty gritty details of producing good work in an office saturated with emails and Zoom, to heady decisions about shaping a meaningful life amid the nihilistic abstraction of an increasingly networked existence. With the end of year rapidly approaching, and people finding themselves with some spare thinking time as work winds down for the holidays, I thought it might be fun to try to summarize essentially every major idea I discuss in one short primer. So that’s what I’m attempting below! I’m sure I’m missing some key points, but this should nevertheless provide a useful road map to my esoteric mental wanderings. Knowledge Work Treat cognitive context shifts as “productivity poison.” The more you switch your attention from one target (say, a report you’re writing) to another (say, an inbox check), the more exhausted and dumber you become. The biggest source of context shifts is digital communication. Move as much collaboration as possible out of chains of ad hoc, back and forth messaging and into something more structured. The second biggest source of context shifts is caused by working on too many tasks at the same time. Do fewer things at once. You’ll finish each task faster (and better) and therefore accomplish more over time. Focus is like a super power in most knowledge work jobs. Train this ability. Protect deep work on your calendar. Support these sessions through special rituals and spaces. You need specific systems to track all of your commitments. You need specific system to manage your time and attention. The pace and volume of modern knowledge work is too intense for you to casually handle it all in your head. Remote work requires more structure surrounding workload management and communication than regular office work. It’s not enough to simply give remote workers a Zoom account and a Slack handle and hope their efforts unfold as before. Sources: Deep Work, A World Without Email, Slow Productivity, “Why Remote Work is So Hard–And How it Can Be Fixed”, “Why Do We Work Too Much?”, “Was Email a Mistake?”, “How to Have a More Productive Year” Personal Technology Use Your phone should be used as a tool, not a constant companion. To accomplish this: (1) keep your phone plugged into the same spot when at home (instead of having it with you); and (2) remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it. Most people don’t need to use social media. If you really need to use it — e.g., for professional purposes — use it on a web browser on your laptop, and spend at most an hour a week logged in, as that’s enough for 99% of legitimate uses. There are better ways to be entertained, find news, and connect with people. Digital communication can be great, but be wary of communicating with people you’ve never actually met in person before. (That is, texting a friend is good. Arguing with a random Twitter user about presidential politics is not.) Fixing your relationship with digital tools requires that you fix your analog life first. It’s not enough to stop using problematic apps and devices, you must also aggressively pursue alternative activities to fill the voids this digital abstention will create: read books, join communities, develop hard hobbies, get in shape, hatch plans to transform your career for the better. Without deeper purpose, the shallow siren song of your phone will become impossible to ignore. Kids under the age of 16 shouldn’t have unrestricted access to the internet. Their brains aren’t ready for it. Sources: Digital Minimalism, “Quit Social Media”, “Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This”, “Cal Newport on Kids and Smartphones” The Deep Life In building a meaningful and fulfilling life, it’s usually better to work backwards from a broad vision of your ideal lifestyle than it is to work forward toward a singular grand goal (e.g., a “dream job” or radical location change) that you hope will make everything better. The best way to improve your professional life is to get good at something the market unambiguously values, and then use this “career capital” as leverage to shape your work in ways that resonate. No one owes you a great a job. You have to get great first before you demand it. Succeeding with big changes in your life requires that you first get your act together. Get comfortable with discipline (doing things that are hard in the moment but important in the long term), get organized, and reclaim your brain from constant digital distraction. Only then should initiate your ambitious plans. Sources: So Good They Can’t Ignore You, “The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard”, “The Deep Life: Some Notes”, “Deep Life Stack 2.0” The Internet and Future Technology When it comes to the internet, small is usually better than big. Niche online communities are more meaningful and less harmful (in terms of both content and addictive properties) than massive social platforms. Independent content formats, like podcasts and newsletters, are much better for creatives (in terms of stability, income, and autonomy) than attempting to become an influencer on a major platform. And so on. The age of massive social network monopolies is already coming to an end. We just don’t realize it yet. Generative AI won’t really change our daily lives in a massive way until it leaves the chatbot format and becomes more integrated into specific tools. The biggest technology story everyone is ignoring is the end of screens. Within the next decade, AR glasses will replace essentially every screen currently in our lives — phones, laptops, tablets, computer monitors, and televisions. The ramifications on the worldwide technology sector will be absolutely massive. It will also be the end of a fully differentiated analog reality as we know it. Sources: “The Rise of the Internet’s Creative Middle Class”, “TikTok and the Fall of the Social Media Giants”, “Can an AI Make Plans”, “The End of Screens?” ##### Speaking of books, my latest, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout, was named a best book of 2024 by The Economist, NPR, and Amazon. It’s also currently heavily discounted for Cyber Monday. Consider it as a great gift for yourself or someone else you know who could benefit from slowing down! (The photo used for this article was taken by Greg Kahn for a recent profile of me published in El Pais.) The post The Tao of Cal appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Your colleague has been experimenting with a new automation tool and insists your team should use it to speed up some of your workflows. Everybody has reservations – this person has only used this tool a few times and there are complexities in these workflows that are difficult to automate – but your team member isn’t willing to listen to the naysayers. Confident, eager, and excited, your overly optimistic coworker charges ahead with rolling out the tool. It isn’t long before your workflows are a tangled knot and your team member is grappling with how things went so wrong when they swore they were an expert. Been there? It’s tempting to write off your colleague as misguided, stubborn, and even arrogant. But in reality, they defaulted to a common cognitive bias: the Dunning-Kruger effect. The Dunning-Kruger effect: What it is and why it happens Related Article The Johari window: a fresh take on self-reflection By Kat Boogaard In Teamwork The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias that occurs when someone overestimates their knowledge and abilities. It was first coined by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, both psychologists at Cornell University, in their 1999 paper. The psychologists conducted four different studies that each tested participants on humor, grammar, and logic. Participants weren’t just evaluated – they were also asked to predict their own performance. The participants who scored in the bottom quartile of the tests had grossly overestimated their own abilities. Their actual performance, on average, put them in the 12th percentile, despite the fact they self-estimated they’d be closer to the 62nd percentile. That disconnect lives at the heart of the Dunning-Kruger effect. The typical “sitcom dad” is one trope where you’ll see this particular bias pop up. He refuses to ask for directions on a road trip and gets his family hopelessly lost. He insists he can complete a basic home repair only for chaos (and property damage) to ensue. He’s confident he can cook a family meal, then the frying pan starts on fire. But that tired comedy device implies that the Dunning-Kruger effect relates to basic intelligence and only happens to the most bumbling and inept among us. In reality, the Dunning-Kruger effect can happen to all of us – including you. What is a cognitive bias? The Dunning-Kruger effect is one of many cognitive biases our brains can fall victim to. A cognitive bias is when you allow your personal preferences and beliefs to influence your decisions – even if other information threatens or disproves those preconceived notions. Think of it as a brain shortcut that helps you process the overload of information you take in daily. It’s not a perfect system, but one our brains seem intent on sticking with, because it’s our system (that’s called modal bias, by the way). Why does the Dunning-Kruger effect happen? But why do some of us tend to be so optimistic about our abilities, especially in areas where we should readily recognize that we have limited knowledge and skills? In their paper, Dunning and Kruger described it as a “dual burden.” We charge ahead while overestimating our talents, but we also lack the awareness (something Dunning and Kruger called “metacognitive abilities”) to recognize that we’re falling short in the first place. Basically, you don’t know what you don’t know. Because you’re inexperienced in a particular area, you don’t have the basic information you need to distinguish between a good performance and a bad performance. Think of it like this: If you’re not into wine, you probably can’t tell the difference between a $10 bottle and a $100 bottle. Another reason we tend to aggrandize our own skills and talents is that it can feel shameful to admit that we don’t know something – hence why “fake it ‘til you make it” is such a popular slogan. What are the four stages of the Dunning-Kruger effect? The four stages of competence model is often talked about in conjunction with the Dunning-Kruger effect. This model shows how learning progresses through four distinct phases. These stages are: Unconscious incompetence: You are completely unaware of a gap in your skills or knowledge Conscious incompetence: You are aware of the skill or knowledge you lack and are eager to acquire it Conscious competence: You are able to perform the new skill, but with a lot of focus and effort Unconscious competence: You are able to perform the skill so naturally and easily, you can do it without much conscious thought It’s in the first stage – or the transition between the first two stages – when the Dunning-Kruger effect most commonly comes into play. What’s the harm in the Dunning-Kruger effect? We all over-inflate our abilities occasionally. But even so, most of us still have a somewhat realistic grasp on what we’re capable of – you probably aren’t volunteering when somebody on a plane asks for a doctor simply because you’ve watched a few medical dramas. So is this cognitive bias really all that bad? What’s the harm? Dunning-Kruger does have some potential for fallout, including: Poor decision-making: Whether it’s pursuing a career that ultimately isn’t a match for your abilities or volunteering for a project you can’t realistically pull off, that dual burden can trigger some poor decisions. Mistrust among team members: If your overconfidence becomes a pattern, your co-workers could start to doubt your ability to perform at a high level in any area. A tendency to overpromise and underdeliver erodes teammates’ trust. Potential danger: Overestimating your skills could pose a danger to yourself and others, particularly in hazardous and high-risk careers. The Dunning-Kruger effect isn’t all bad, though. A little extra optimism and self-assuredness could be what’s needed for people to achieve stretch goals that might’ve seemed completely unreasonable to others. Dunning-Kruger vs. imposter syndrome The Dunning-Kruger effect seems to be in direct conflict with one of its better-known relatives: imposter syndrome, which occurs when we underestimate our own talents and worry (without reason) that we’ll be exposed as frauds. The two are indeed opposites, but it’s possible to experience both types of blind spots. Dunning-Kruger tends to show up in areas where we lack expertise but assume we’re proficient. In contrast, imposter syndrome happens when we really are experts but distrust our own intelligence anyway. Is the Dunning-Kruger effect even real? Like any other theory or finding, the Dunning-Kruger effect has been the focus of criticism – with some skeptics pointing toward regression to the mean or even random occurrence to explain the original study’s findings, rather than a real defect in our self-insight. But beyond the scholarly hole-poking, perhaps the biggest problem with the way we talk about this bias lies in the undercurrent of shame. Academic explanations are riddled with words like “incompetent,” “ignorant,” and “poor performer,” terms that can understandably trigger some self-consciousness and humiliation. As a result, identifying the Dunning-Kruger effect as the cause of someone’s bias can feel like a personal attack, even though it’s a universal experience – something that can (and will) happen to all of us. How to overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect While it’s bound to still creep in from time to time, awareness is the best antidote to the Dunning-Kruger effect. Here are a few strategies you can use to fuel reflection and recognition, for yourself and your team. Overcoming the Dunning-Kruger effect yourself Most of us like to think of ourselves as self-aware, but one study found that only 10-15% of people fit the criteria. Here’s how you can get a more realistic grasp on yourself and your capabilities: Solicit feedback from various sources: 360-degree feedback offers a well-rounded perspective of your performance, capabilities, and what you’re like to work with. While some companies make this a formalized process, you can solicit feedback from the people you work with on a steady basis (such as during 1-on-1 meetings, at the end of big projects, or during performance review cycles) to keep your self-perception in check. Reflect on your past experiences: History is a great teacher, especially when it comes to boosting your self-awareness. Look back on previous projects or challenges. When have you struggled? When have tasks felt effortless? What are you consistently praised for? What work fulfills you? What drains you? This can clue you in on where your capabilities are best utilized. Overcoming the Dunning-Kruger effect on your team Related Article What does psychological safety mean, anyway? By Katie Taylor In Teamwork If you’re leading a team, there are a few other steps you can take together to minimize this bias and root everybody in reality: Prioritize psychological safety: A high degree of psychological safety means people feel more comfortable admitting they don’t have the necessary know-how to do something, rather than feeling like they need to put on a front. Value and celebrate diverse skills: As a manager, it’s tempting to zone in on patching up weaknesses on your team. But classic research from Gallup found that a strengths-based culture, as opposed to one that fixates only on growth areas, increases employee engagement. Plus, people will feel valued for their unique attributes rather than pushing beyond their capabilities to get your recognition and approval. Complete a self-reflection exercise: The Johari window is a personality assessment that improves your understanding of yourself. You’ll select five or six terms that best describe you and your colleagues will also select descriptors they think fit you best. You’ll plot the qualities on a matrix to see how your self-perception compares to the way your colleagues view you. Fuel a growth mindset: A team that has embraced a growth mindset is hungry to learn and improve and views failures and mistakes as learning opportunities. You can feed this mindset by providing plenty of resources – like mentorship, seminars, books, courses, and other professional development opportunities – for team members to explore and refine their skills. Give thoughtful and honest feedback: Constructive criticism is hard to hear and sometimes even harder to deliver. But if you keep your lips zipped and let your low performers continue to assume they’re knocking it out of the park, they’ll stay on that same path, blissfully unaware that they’re falling short. Aim for awareness, not apprehension It’s off-putting to know your brain is basically hardwired to trick you into an inflated self-assessment. But the goal here isn’t to inspire doubt or hesitation. Rather, understanding the Dunning-Kruger effect and how it might show up in your work and your life will help you build your self-awareness. When you have a more pragmatic sense of your actual strengths and weaknesses, you’re able to seek out roles, projects, and situations where you (and the other people on your team) can shine – not struggle. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post The Dunning-Kruger effect: why and how we overestimate our own abilities appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Setting Goals for December: Reflect, Plan, and Achieve December is here—the month of twinkling lights, ambitious to-do lists, and the quiet reminder that another year is wrapping up. It’s easy to get swept up in the hustle, but pausing to reflect and plan is one of the best gifts you can give yourself this season. If The post Yes, Virginia, you can be productive in December appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

A kind remark from your colleague. Dazzling fall colors everywhere you look outside. Starting your day with a caffeine boost. When you start looking for them, you can find good things in your life almost anywhere. The approach of Thanksgiving is often a catalyst for grateful reflections. And while there’s never a bad time to The post Gratitude at work: Can a positive mindset improve your productivity? appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Stop “using” AI. Start collaborating with it. Our latest research from Atlassian’s Teamwork Lab shows that when it comes to getting the most out of working with AI, mindset matters far more than adoption – and is key to maturity. Advancing past adoption Much existing research focuses on AI adoption rates, or how often someone uses AI. We take a different approach to instead look at how people work with AI. Our data clearly shows that employee mindset is the key to AI maturity. In other words, adoption matters far less than attitude when it comes to optimizing AI capabilities and improving work quality within an organization. Our data reveals two primary groups of people who engage with AI at work: one group sees it as a tool, while the other treats it like a team of expert advisors. People in the second group don’t just use AI to automate repetitive tasks, they experiment with AI to bring their ideas to life. Unsurprisingly, we see that the quality of their work is much higher than that of simple AI users. Some people think of AI as a way to do the work they don’t want to do. Top performers think of it as a way to do the work they’ve always wanted to do. In our survey of roughly 5,000 knowledge workers from Australia, US, India, Germany, and France, we see that people who most effectively collaborate with AI start with a question. These individuals define a specific task or challenge, set a clear goal, and then partner with AI to brainstorm solutions, explore ideas, and deliver better work. The results are clear: the future of work is human-AI collaboration. Our data proves that the most strategic AI collaborators: Leverage AI to get 2x the ROI on their efforts Save 105 minutes daily – equal to an extra workday each week Are 1.5x more likely to reinvest time saved into learning new skills Are 1.8x more likely to be viewed as innovative teammates So, what’s preventing your team and company from reaping the benefits of human-AI collaboration? See the key findings from our inaugural AI Collaboration Report and learn how to move your people from AI users to AI collaborators. The AI Collaboration Index: from simple user to strategic collaborator For our AI Collaboration Report survey, we asked participants to report how they think about and work with AI. We then grouped participants into two main categories: Simple AI users (those in Stages 1 and 2) think of AI as an automated tool. They use AI only to get tasks they could likely do themselves done faster and more easily. Think: personal assistant. Simple usage examples (Stage 1 and 2): You wrote an email, and you use AI to make it more concise and effective. You use AI to search for information within your company. Strategic AI collaborators (those in Stages 3 and 4) approach AI as a creative partner or an entire team with a range of specialized skills. Strategic collaboration examples (Stage 3 and 4): Anu Bharadwaj, President of Atlassian, collaborates with the Customer 360 agent to quickly pull customer data into a page and then spars with the agent to surface insights. AI agents like Customer 360 act as specialized teammates by informing strategy: Annie Dean, Global Head of Team Anywhere, Atlassian, leverages AI to speed up and improve real-time idea generation: If you’re stuck on an idea and your favorite sparring partner is tied up in a meeting, you can open a conversation with AI to bounce ideas back and forth, get feedback in real time, and treat the exchange like a true conversation. For the first time, technology speaks our language – and that’s a huge unlock. Annie Dean, Global Head of Team Anywhere, Atlassian Note: Respondents who identified AI as “useless in the workplace” (Stage 0) were not included in these analyses, as they did not actively use AI in their workflow. The most strategic AI collaborators see 2x the ROI of simple users From the PlaybookBuild your team’s confidence in AI with the AI Innovation Day Play, a focused day of learning and doing with AI. Run the Play We asked people to estimate the amount of time that AI saves them on a daily basis. Simple AI users (specifically, those in Stage 1) save 53 minutes per day thanks to AI, while the most strategic AI collaborators (those in Stage 4) save a whopping 105 minutes per day. That’s equal to over 20% of the average workday, or an entire extra workday each week. Translating our results to dollars: enterprise organizations that partner with AI for enhanced decision-making can achieve an ROI of $129.4 million annually, compared to just $65.1 million when AI is used for task-specific purposes. That’s an opportunity cost of $64.3M. Nearly all of Stage 4 AI collaborators (94%) agree that the time they spend learning to work with AI pays off, compared to just 59% of Stage 1 AI users. By moving employees beyond basic AI usage to strategic collaboration, companies can capitalize on AI’s full potential and drive significant ROI. But shifting your AI mindset is not just about time savings – it’s much bigger than that. AI collaboration can give companies an additional competitive edge by promoting continuous improvement, elevating work quality, and fueling meaningful innovation. Strategic AI collaborators reinvest time saved to level up – simple AI users don’t There are not only big differences in how much time simple AI users and strategic AI collaborators save, but in what they do with that time. Simple AI users save 53 minutes per day thanks to AI, and tend to spend that extra time on administrative tasks. In contrast, strategic collaborators take the 105 minutes per day that they save to dive more deeply into their work: they are most likely to keep learning new skills and generating new ideas. Our data shows that those in Stage 4 are most likely to report that AI has increased their motivation and excitement about work. These collaborators are energized by the innovation and possibilities of AI, and continue to discover new ways it can help them become more creative and productive. If simple AI users adopt a collaborative approach, they may become more motivated and keep uncovering new ways to leverage AI. As an added benefit, feeling energized at work is linked to higher job satisfaction and lower levels of burnout. Human-AI collaboration seems to be a self-perpetuating cycle: strategic ways of working with AI lead to higher payoffs, which encourage further exploration and experimentation and have a snowball effect on organization-wide innovation. Strategic AI collaborators get higher-quality results We see the greatest unlock when workers start to view AI as part of the team. This is when the quality of their work jumps up. Simple AI users get things done fast, but their work quality doesn’t seem to change. As someone becomes a more strategic AI collaborator (Stages 3 and 4), not only do they get work done faster, but the quality of their work also improves drastically. Roughly half of Stage 1 simple AI users (54%) agreed that “The quality of my work has improved over the past month.” In contrast, a large majority (85%) of strategic AI collaborators (Stage 3 and 4) agreed that “The quality of my work has improved over the last month.” But how exactly does strategic collaboration improve work quality? When simple users have AI compile data from various sources, they stop there. They fail to ask AI to help with analysis or takeaways. In contrast, a Stage 3 collaborator will continue to work with AI to build hypotheses, ask questions, analyze findings, and pull insights. A Stage 4 collaborator takes it one step further. They ask AI to outline the pros and cons of different decisions, surface case studies from similar contexts, and list potential unintended consequences. Teams that tap into AI’s deep knowledge base can produce higher quality and more impactful work, driving strategic outcomes that solve a larger business problem. Our research shows Strategic AI collaborators are 1.8x more likely than simple AI users to be seen as innovative teammates. Their AI experimentation not only enhances their own work but inspires team-wide creativity and problem-solving. Teams that collaborate with AI can see exponential gains in both performance and output, setting their organizations apart from the competition. Leaders should highlight instances where a strategic collaborator partnered with AI to improve the quality of their work, and have that employee share exactly how they integrated AI into their workflow with the larger team. This provides actionable insights and best practices for others to replicate, and raises the standard across the organization. Strategic AI adoption varies across functions Different functions leverage AI in different ways, with some clear missed opportunities. Less than half of even the most strategic AI collaborators in IT currently turn to AI for higher-level work, like developing long-term plans, optimizing resource allocation, and building and testing new solutions. And of all marketers, only 31% say AI helps them create insights from complex data. As marketing is becoming increasingly quantitative, this stands out as an overlooked area for collaboration. Another example: the most strategic AI collaborators in management and strategy roles are, unsurprisingly, also the most likely to turn to AI for help creating insights from complex information or data. Among these employees, 67% report leveraging AI for this task. In contrast, less than a third of Stage 4 employees in education and training do the same. By encouraging cross-functional knowledge sharing, leaders have an opportunity to improve AI collaboration within specific functions. While the details of how teams work with AI may be craft-specific, simply hearing that another function is leveraging AI in a certain area (e.g., translating data into insights) can unlock new forms of experimentation and set the stage for a crowd-sourced culture of AI collaboration ideas. Leadership attitude towards AI matters – a lot Whether they know it or not, leaders set the tone for AI collaboration at work. In an environment of fear and anxiety around AI, workers will use it minimally and may hesitate to spend the time to learn more innovative methods of collaboration. Think, ”If I use it, I’m cheating … so I’ll keep it basic” or “If I take time away to figure out how to use AI, I’ll get behind on my work. So I’ll just keep working like I always have.” If leadership embraces experimentation and motivates employees to try and learn AI without fear of failure – or productivity loss – workers develop their strategic AI collaborator muscle more readily. Those who agree with the statement “Leadership encourages me to experiment with AI” save 55% more time a day than those who don’t (84 minutes vs. 55 minutes). We also see that those with leadership support are 2.5x more likely to be strategic AI collaborators. But support alone isn’t enough. Leaders must make their own AI collaboration journey visible. If you’re a leader, a powerful way to move your people beyond AI “usage” is to give them examples of how AI helps you augment your work. Start team meetings off by sharing what agent you or your team recently leveraged and offer best practices for prompting it. Consider creating a platform (this could be a Slack channel or company-wide newsletter) with other leaders to do the same. Taking these steps will not only offer employees insight into how to better work with AI, but will also set a norm of human-AI collaboration. When leaders foster a culture of experimentation and learning, employees are more likely to become strategic AI collaborators, resulting in greater time savings and higher-quality outcomes. Without leadership support, workers may stay stuck in outdated workflows (and in Stage 0-2), missing out on AI’s ability to drive efficiency and innovation. Embracing AI at the leadership level is key to unlocking its transformative benefits across the organization. How teams can become strategic AI collaborators Having leadership support is just half the equation; developing a culture of AI collaboration is a team effort. Here are a couple of practical steps to get you started: Foster AI experimentation by encouraging everyone to embed AI into their daily work. Don’t just attend an hour-long training session. Instead, encourage your team members to take a more hands-on approach to learning by setting weekly challenges for the group like, “Try two new AI agents this week. Here are some agents we’ve been working with…” or “Ask AI four questions this week.” Host cross-functional learning sessions focused on AI collaboration. Consider adding a segment to team-wide meetings in which different people highlight how they’re leveraging AI to improve their work. Make this a rotating role. If each person knows in advance they’ll be asked to share their AI collaboration best practices, they’ll be more likely to establish and adopt better ways of working with AI. Looking ahead Based on the findings detailed above, we predict: Burnout will decrease by 25%, driven by a 50% burnout drop among Stage 4 AI collaborators. AI leads to time savings across the board, but people in Stage 4 also report that AI increases their motivation and excitement about work. These trends should reduce work-related overwhelm, leading to noticeable improvements in employee wellbeing. The AI ROI gap will double. Strategic AI collaborators see 2x the ROI of simple users, but as they continue to experiment and develop new ways to collaborate with AI, we expect they’ll see 4x the ROI by 2026. In 2025, individuals with strong people management skills will get 75% more value from AI agents – even if they aren’t in leadership roles. The skills that make great people leaders – providing context about the problem, assembling the right team of experts, and delegating work – are the same skills needed to successfully use AI as a creative partner and team of expert advisors. Our findings show that strategic AI collaborators see higher ROI, work quality, and motivation. The implications are clear: the most successful teams will be those who advance beyond simple AI usage. It’s time for us to reset how we work with AI – from treating it as a basic tool to partnering with it as a collaborative teammate. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Dismiss Subscribe to Inside Atlassian Email Address Sign up Thank you for subscribing. The post AI Collaboration Report: “Using” AI is not enough – here’s what your organization is missing appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

I have a confession: I hate productivity. I don’t want to grind, and I’m not here to squeeze more out of every single minute. But wandering aimlessly between work, my constantly buzzing phone, and a house full of half-finished art projects wasn’t doing me any favors either. But this post isn’t about my dislike for The post The Pomodoro Method (Or how I learned to stop winging it and love productivity) appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Election Day has come and gone, and I think it’s safe to say we’re all in need of regaining our balance. This period, marked by following the campaigns and debates and advocating for change, often leaves us feeling like we’re being pulled in a thousand directions. As we step back from this whirlwind, it’s essential The post Reflecting on Civic Duty: Regaining Balance After Election Day appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

I’m writing this post about eighteen hours before the first polls open on Election Day, and it feels tense out there. The New York Times, for example, just posted an article headlined: “How Americans Feel About the Election: Anxious and Scared.” Based on extensive interviews conducted over this past weekend, the Times concludes: “Americans across the political spectrum reported heading to the polls in battleground states with a sense that their nation was coming undone. While some expressed relief that the long election season was finally nearing an end, it was hard to escape the undercurrent of uneasiness about Election Day.” These results probably come as no surprise. The question then becomes what to do with this anxiety. The first step, of course, is to vote — and not just vote, but to approach your decision honestly and dispassionately. By the time you read this, you’ve likely already completed this step. But then what? Here I have a suggestion that I think could be healing for all points of the political spectrum: use the stress of this election to be the final push needed to step away from the exhausting digital chatter that’s been dominating your brain. Take a break from social media. Stop listening to news podcasts. Unsubscribe, at least for a while, from those political newsletters clogging your inbox with their hot takes and tired in-fighting. I suggest you switch to a slower pace of media consumption. Don’t laugh at this suggestion, because I’m actually serious: consider picking up the occasional old-fashioned printed newspaper (free from algorithmic optimization and click-bait curation) at your local coffee shop or library to check in, all at once, on anything major going on in the world. I think I might setup a Sunday-only paper subscription as my main source of news this winter. Equally important is how you redirect your newly liberated attention. Consider aiming it toward real community, with real people who actually live near you, to retrain your brain to stop thinking of the world as hopelessly fractured into vicious tribes. (If right now you’re scouring this post to seek evidence as to whether I’m friend or foe, then you’re already severely suffering from this malady. ) Consider reading books again. There’s a pleasure in the conquest of deep ideas that’s been lost as we thrashed in a digital sea of churning distraction. Spend more time in nature to discover that despite the apocalyptic tenor of the online world, its analog counterpart persists, and is beautiful. The Republic will still stand without our constant digital vigilance. But it’s unclear if our mental health can survive the status quo. ##### Two announcements to share… For the past twelve years, my longtime friend Joshua Fields Millburn, of The Minimalists fame, has been teaching a fantastic online course called How to Write Better. It’s open this week for a new session, so if you’re interested in improving your writing ability (which you should be), please check it out! If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to read my new book, Slow Productivity, check out this insightful new review from Real Clear Books that was published last week. The post After You Vote: Unplug appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

With the U.S. elections just a handful of days away, it’s too easy to get caught up in all things political. You might opt for a quick check on your favorite news site and then realize you spent an hour looking through the most recent poll results or watching town hall meetings. For some people, The post Balancing Work and Civic Duty: How to Stay Productive During Voting Season appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

World Mental Health Day was last week, and this year’s theme probably resonates with most of us. It is time to prioritize mental health in the workplace. According to the World Health Organization, almost 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition each year. If you feel like your mental health has taken a The post Honoring World Mental Health Day: 6 Ways Time Management Supports Your Mental Health appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Many predictions and concerns tumbled into the slipstream trailing ChatGPT’s dazzling, turbulent entrance onto the technology scene in late 2022. Few of these initial warnings felt more immediate than those of imminent disruptions to higher education. “Could the chatbot, which provides coherent, quirky, and conversational responses to simple language inquires, inspire more students to cheat?”, asked an NBC News article, published only a week after ChatGPT’s initial launch. Several months later, a professor in the Texas A&M system took this warning to heart and failed his entire class after convincing himself that every one of his students had used AI to write their final assignments. (It turns out that his method of detection—asking ChatGPT itself whether it produced the submissions—was unreliable. He later changed the grades.) “AI seems almost built for cheating,” explains Ethan Mollick, in his recent bestseller, Co-Intelligence. He predicted, in particular, that paper writing as a pedagogical tool might be on the way out, forcing institutions to adapt to other methods to teach composition: “In-school assignments on non-internet-enabled computers, combined with written exams, will ensure students learn basic writing skills.” It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost two years since we first started hearing these concerns about ChatGPT providing students the perfect cheating machine. As a professor and writer myself, these issues interest me, especially when it comes to academic compositions. So in my most recent article for The New Yorker, published earlier this month, and titled “What Kind of Writer is ChatGPT?,” I set out to understand how these tools are currently being put to work by students tackling writing assignments. My approach was to move beyond speculation and watch actual students use AI on actual assignments, with a particular focus on a graduate student I called Chris, who was using ChatGPT to write a significant anthropology paper. As I explain in the article, what I observed Chris doing was more complicated than you might have guessed: “He was not outsourcing his exam to ChatGPT; he rarely made use of the new text or revisions that the chatbot provided. He also didn’t seem to be streamlining or speeding up his writing process. If I had been Chris’s professor, I would have wanted him to disclose his use of the tool, but I don’t think I would have considered it cheating. So what was it?” I recommend that you read the full article to learn the full answer. But to preview what I discovered: students aren’t simply outsourcing their writing to tools like ChatGPT, but they’re also not using them in clearly harmless ways either. The reality is something different and new; less a method to speed up the task of writing and more an approach to reducing its cognitive burden. The bigger point to be made here, however, is about how we think about this new age of artificial intelligence in which we’ve been enveloped since late 2022. These tools are undeniably powerful. Accordingly, they will undeniably end up changing some things about our lives in major ways. But predicting these changes has proven exceedingly difficult. If you’re interested in these trends, spend less time listening to people explaining how the next version of some model is going to change everything all at once, and instead directly observe what people are doing with the versions of the technology they have access to right now. The stories are less flashy, but as you look deeper you’ll find interesting things going on. ##### In the latest episode of my podcast, Deep Questions, released earlier today, I take an unconventional look at the idea of discipline and how to improve it (listen | watch) Have you read my new book, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout? If not, here’s yet another reason to consider doing so: Goodreads just listed Slow Productivity as #1 on their recently released list of the “Most Popular Self Help Books of 2024.” The post The Perfect Cheating Machine? appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

You’re probably definitely not surprised to hear that we, as humans, are incredibly distractible. The average American picks up their phone 144 times each day. If you take away eight hours for sleeping, that’s approximately one pickup every seven minutes. Email, too, is out to distract us. We can’t forget the average 120 emails that The post 10 tips to maximize your time blocking efforts appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

“The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore, to use it, not to misuse it.” —Plutarch “I could never become a minimalist.” This is a phrase I have heard countless times since starting this blog. Every time, two thoughts come to mind. First, I wonder what misconception they have about minimalism that would make it seem so difficult. But second, more importantly, I think to myself, “But you already are a minimalist—you just don’t know it yet.“ The truth is, we’re all minimizing something in our lives, whether we realize it or not. And once we understand that fact, everything about us begins to change. Every day, we make choices about where we spend our time, money, energy, and attention. By definition, these resources are limited. Even if we were the richest man or woman on earth, there is still only a finite amount of money and time available to us. It is impossible to do or have everything. All of life is a trade. Every minute of every day, we trade for something. And if we’re not minimizing our possessions, we’re minimizing something else. When I first embraced minimalism, I thought I was just motivated to declutter our home so I could spend more time with my kids. But I quickly realized minimalism was about more than that. Minimalism was about finding more intentionality with my resources. It wasn’t just about removing things from my home. It was about making better choices with my life. When we began to own less, we found more time for the things we love. More energy for pursuits that matter. More focus for what brings real meaning. More money for service and generosity. We even found more opportunity to focus on self-growth and personal development. When we began minimizing possessions, we began maximizing more important things. That is always the case! We are all trading something every day. We are spending money on something, we are spending time somewhere, we are focusing our energy and affections in a specific direction. And if we’re busy chasing and accumulating physical possessions we don’t need, we’re minimizing resources that could be spent elsewhere. But most of the time, we don’t even realize it. There is a direct correlation between the increase in our physical possessions and the decrease in our resources to be spent elsewhere. Make no mistake, everybody is living a version of minimalism. The question is, are we minimizing the right things? The post A Life-Changing Truth: We’re All Minimizing Something appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

My desire with each Weekend Reads is to provide you with articles and posts that encourage simplicity and minimalist living. Below, you will find links to blog posts and news stories that I hand-picked over the last couple weeks. I hope you find inspiration and practical help inside them. That is my goal on Becoming Minimalist: to intentionally promote simplicity in a world that needs to hear it. An Ode To Simple Living: A Summer Spent With My Grandparents | Strike Magazine by Hannah King. I know what you’re thinking: You lived with your grandparents as a 21-year-old college student for 3 months?! Yes. And I can confidently say it was one of my best decisions this summer. 14 Qualities That Define a Minimalist Person | The Minimalist Vegan by Michael Ofei. Minimalists are frequently viewed as emotionless, privileged, dull, clinical and extreme. Yet some of the most exciting and dynamic individuals in history practised minimalism. The Weight of Less: Redefining Minimalism Beyond Things | Manu Sharma. To truly understand minimalism, we must shift the focus from material things to a much deeper inquiry: why do we keep accumulating in the first place? Stop Trying to Keep Up with the Joneses—They’re Broke | Simple Money by Richard James. Trying to match the lifestyle of others can quickly become a financial disaster. Becoming Minimalist’s Joshua Becker: 3 Benefits of Minimalist Budgeting for Your Wardrobe | Yahoo by Ellie Diamond. What would it be like to slow down? To find stillness in your day, moments of rest and quietude? 10 Things You Should Stop Buying Today for a Simpler Life | No Sidebar by No Sidebar. By letting go of some specific buying habits, we can create more space—both physically and mentally—and focus on what truly matters. Recently Released Inspiring Videos 20 Simple Ways to Find a Moment of Peace | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Even when life is chaotic, we always have small opportunities to make peace and quiet a part of our lives. Here are some easy ways to find peace daily and slow life down. The Zeigarnik Effect: The Hidden Reason Your Mind Feels Cluttered | YouTube by Joshua Becker. We all feel scatterbrained from time to time, but if you’re feeling it lately more than usual, you may be overlooking this common culprit. The post Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads. appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

In 1973, an author named Alan Lakein published a book titled How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life. It wasn’t the first book about professional time management — my library contains a first edition of James McCay’s 1959 classic, The Management of Time — but it’s arguably the first book to talk about the topic in a recognizably modern way, with a focus on personalized tools like daily to-do lists. It went on to reportedly sell more than three million copies, and was even shouted out by Bill Clinton, who cites its influence on his early career in his autobiography. Revisiting Lakein’s advice today provides a glimpse into office life fifty years ago. And the encounter is shocking. One of Lakein’s more famous suggestions is to write down everything you need to do on a single task list. He then says to label each task with one of three priorities: “A” for things that are important and urgent, such as those with impending deadlines; “B” is for tasks that are important but not urgent, and can therefore be postponed if necessary; “C” is for things that are small, easy, and don’t require attention at the moment. You start by completing the A tasks, crossing them off your list as you go. Then you move on to the B category. If you finish the B tasks, you can tackle some of the C. Lakein notes that these task priorities might evolve. An important obligation with a distant deadline, for example, might start at B, but then, as the deadline approaches, upgrade to A. Lakein’s intention is to help you make sure that you make progress on the things that most require your attention. Part of what’s shocking about this system is its finitude. In 2024, can you imagine fitting everything you need to do on a single list? Your email inbox alone could likely contribute several hundred items at any given moment. Also notable is Lakein’s assumption of task stability; that your list would more or less stay the same as you carefully worked your way through it during a full workday. Modern work is instead defined by constant new demands — chats, questions, meeting invitations, requests to “jump on a call” — that require timely answers. Here’s the question that began to fester as I revisited these older ideas: is what we’re doing today any better? The fact that our modern workflows would swamp Lakein’s quaint system of simple lists and priorities is perhaps more an indictment of us than him. To have more work, arriving with much more urgency, than we can possibly get our arms around is not a good recipe for getting useful effort out of human brains. It is, however, a good recipe for burnout. A point I often make on my podcast, as well as in my new book, Slow Productivity, is that in my own work on these topics, I describe more complicated time management strategies with reluctance. My bigger wish is to help reform office work to the point that they’re no longer needed, and something like Lakein’s basic ABC system is more than enough. We’re not there yet, but in the meantime, it helps to realize where we are now isn’t working. ##### If you want to learn more about what’s (regrettably) required to manage your time in our current moment, check out the latest episode of my podcast, Deep Questions, where I tackle three advanced time techniques (listen | watch). If you haven’t yet read my latest book, Slow Productivity, you should! Some more encouragement: (1) it was recently named an official selection of The Next Big Idea Club [meaning it was chosen by a panel consisting of Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Dan Pink, and Susan Cain as one of the two best idea books of the season]; and (2) it was selected for the shortlist for SABEW’s Best Business Book of 2024 award. The post When Time Management Was Easy appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

One of the most life-changing benefits of owning fewer possessions is the gift of more time. No doubt many of you have already experienced that. When we own less, we spend less time cleaning, organizing, maintaining, repairing, replacing… even shopping for new things in the first place. Life becomes more manageable and less overwhelming at home (and in the world). In fact, the sheer amount of time saved by owning less surprises almost everybody who becomes minimalist. It’s impossible to realize how much of a burden our possessions have become until we begin to remove them. But, when you’re just starting out on the journey to become minimalist, it can feel like the opposite is true. It feels like you’re adding more things to do to an already busy schedule. When you’re working a full-time job, raising kids, managing a home, attending family commitments, AND partaking in a few hobbies, the thought of finding extra time to declutter feels impossible for many. Despite the obstacles, it is so worth the effort. It might take you a little bit longer to minimize than someone who has more free time, but here are 15 practical, decluttering tips to help you get started: 1. Start Small and Visual Your first step in the right direction doesn’t need to be a big one. So pick a starting area that has a noticeable impact but won’t take much time. A medicine chest, your nightstand, shelving in your living room, maybe a kitchen countertop are all great starting points. These are spaces we see frequently, and clearing them can create a quick visual win, fueling motivation to keep going. 2. Use “In-Between” Moments Decluttering doesn’t always require long stretches of time. Use spare moments—like while waiting for dinner to cook or during commercial breaks—to tidy a small drawer, a shelf, or your desk. Done consistently, these quick actions will add up. 3. Schedule Decluttering Time For larger projects, carve out specific time in your week, like a Saturday morning or an hour in the evening after the kids go to bed. If you live a busy life, you probably live by the calendar anyway. There are some projects that just require a period of time—so schedule them in and use your time efficiently when you do. This will be the hardest at first. But like I mentioned, you’ll be surprised how much time decluttering grants you back when it’s completed. After scheduling just a few of these sessions at the beginning, you’ll find it easier and easier. 4. Declutter As You Go Think of looking for items to declutter as an intentional part of your daily routine. For example, if you try on clothes and decide not to wear them because you don’t like the fit or color anymore, don’t toss them back into the closet—place them in a donation pile immediately. Same with toiletries or self-care products that you just can’t find the motivation to use. 5. Set Aside 10 Minutes Each Evening As part of your bedtime routine, plan on a 10-minute decluttering session somewhere on your way to bed. For example, start by spending 10 minutes in the living room where you watch TV. Or ten minutes in the bathroom where you get ready for bed. Or ten minutes decluttering an area in your bedroom. Ten minutes per day, consistently, will make a huge impact in just a week. 6. Focus on Frequently Used Areas In the earliest stages, focus on decluttering spaces that you interact with daily—like your kitchen or bedroom or closet. Decluttering these areas will make your day run more efficiently right at the beginning. 7. The “One-In-One-Out” Rule For every new item you bring into your home, remove one that’s no longer needed. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, use the “One-In-Two-Out” variation. This commonly-used trick will force you to make progress even when you don’t feel like it. 8. Adopt a “No-New-Purchases” Rule If you like the idea of “One-In-One-Out” Rule, go for it! But another decluttering tip for busy people is to temporarily commit not to buy anything until your current decluttering project is complete. There are many people who have changed their lives through a No-Spend Month or a No-Spend Year (this doesn’t usually apply to consumables like food). I’m not saying you need to do this as part of your decluttering. But deciding specifically not to buy anything new until your decluttering is done will make your decluttering both easier (less stuff coming in) and faster (because of the incentive to finish). 9. Declutter A Little Before You Sit Down I learned a life-changing concept several years: A do-it-before-you-sit-down approach to getting stuff done at home. You can read more of the practice here. But the principle is simply this: As soon you get home in the evening, before you sit down to relax, do at least a little bit of decluttering somewhere in your home. 10. Learn Helpful Questions to Ask When decluttering on a schedule, it’s important to focus on efficiency. So find those questions that help you make quick progress removing things from your home. You might want to try: Do I need this? Does this item help my home function better? Is this just a duplicate of something else? Why do I have it? What would I use if I didn’t own this? The question that works best for you might be different than the question that works for someone else. So try out a few. And zero in on the one that helps you make the best progress. 11. Donate on Your Commute Keep a donation box in your car. As you declutter, place unwanted items directly in the box. The next time you drive by a donation center—whether on your way to work or running errands—drop it off. This 1) saves you time; 2) keeps clutter from building up in your home; 3) and helps with the most important step of the decluttering process: actually removing the things from our possession. 12. Hire Help If you’re feeling overwhelmed, there’s no shame in hiring some help. Most people who hire decluttering help do so because 1) They don’t know how to do this on their own; or 2) They don’t have the time to do it themselves. I have personally trained over 50 professionals and individuals in my strategy and approach to own less. I recommend any one of them: Becker Method Certified Declutterers. Even having a friend or family member help can make the task feel lighter and faster. 13. Keep the Right Mindset Remind yourself that every minute spent decluttering pays off in the long run. For every minute you spend minimizing, you’re likely saving yourself an hour of future cleaning, organizing, or searching for misplaced items. Think of your decluttering time as an investment—and find motivation in that mindset. 14. Temporarily Cancel a Recurring Appointment Here’s the good news: There is a finish line to your decluttering journey. You may need to make an intentional change in your regular weekly or monthly schedule for now, but that change won’t last forever. Once you declutter your home, you’ll be able to add that appointment back in your life plus more if you want. 15. Involve the Whole Family Decluttering doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Involve your family members, especially if they contributed to the clutter. Set a timer for 20 minutes and see who can declutter the most in that time. Making it a family project can lighten the load and speed up the process. Of course, I’m not expecting you to use all 15 of these tips—you’ve got enough on your plate already! But finding just 2 or 3 that fit naturally into your busy lifestyle will help you make the progress you’re looking for. With each small step, you’ll notice the difference in your home and, more importantly, in your life. The post 15 Super Helpful Decluttering Tips for Busy People appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

So you want to declutter your home? Awesome! I highly recommend it. When you declutter your stuff, you find that your home improves because the environment feels more calm, visual noise is removed, things are easier to find, and you might even sleep better at night. And those are all really good things. I wish you all the best in your decluttering journey because it will change your life for the better! In fact, if you are looking for some practical ideas to get started, try these articles: The Simple Guide to a Clutter-Free Home Go Ahead. Start Decluttering with the Easiest Step. A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home Decluttering is wonderful! But there’s something I want you to know: Decluttering is great. But reassessing the role of possessions in your life is even better. Let me explain what I mean. When we decide to declutter our homes, we’re usually focused on the immediate benefits: a cleaner room, less stuff around us, a home that’s easier to manage, greater efficiency in our day-to-day lives. But there are even greater benefits to be found! Because the process can change everything about us! When we reevaulate the entire role that possessions play in our lives and affections, we open ourselves to deeper and richer life-change. And that is where the greatest opportunity resides—not just in decluttering items from our home, but reevaluating our stuff entirely. When we first decided to become minimalist, I was drawn to the simple idea of “spending less time cleaning.” After a long Saturday cleaning out my garage, at the expense of spending time with my then 5-year-old son, I could see how fewer things in my garage would have made the chore easier. But the more stuff we got rid of, the more I began to question its origins. Why, for example, did I have a garage full of stuff in the first place? Why were our closets crammed full? Why were the kitchen cabinets overstocked? Why was the basement full of boxes and boxes of stuff? How come I could take three mini-van loads of clutter to our local donation center and still feel like I was only scratching the surface? Why did we buy SO MUCH stuff that we didn’t need? And, at the same time, be living paycheck-to-paycheck? If we were so stressed about money, why did we accumulate so much stuff we didn’t need? What was driving my thinking? What was motivating my decisions? And what was dictating my worldview to such an extent that we felt trapped but couldn’t find the escape? Yes, decluttering our stuff felt great. We eventually removed 60-70% of our things. But the real transformation came when we started to rethink the role that possessions played in our life. Suddenly, this process became about more than just owning fewer things; it was about re-evaluating how much importance I placed on those things in the first place. As you know, we live in a culture that constantly tells us we need more: bigger homes, fancier cars, trendier fashion, better toys, the latest technology. Marketers scream at us from every available screen and surface. And over time, their messaging changes us. They convince us—as much as we want to argue they don’t—that our lives will improve if we spend our money, time, and energy buying the products they produce. And without thoughtfulness and intentionality, they determine the lives that we live. They shape the society around us—and then they shape us as individuals. We can see this effect on our small purchases: clothes, gadgets, trinkets, toys, and decorations (just to name a few). But we can also see this effect in larger purchases: bigger homes, newer cars, and the latest technology. But every single purchase we make requires more of our life. And often, rather than improving our life, they distract us from the things that matter most. If we declutter our homes, but don’t wrestle with the beliefs and worldview that led to all that clutter in the first place, we’ll just fill our homes back up again. And in the process, waste more of our money, time, and energy. But when we reevaluate our possessions and shift our mindset, we discover the freedom that comes with wanting less. No longer do we feel the need to compete with others or keep up with societal expectations. Instead, we can focus our time and resources on what truly matters—whether it’s building relationships, pursuing meaningful work, focusing on spirituality, or reaching our life’s fullest potential. And that is where the real benefits are found! Decluttering is great, no doubt about it. But reassessing the role possessions play in your life is even better. The post Decluttering is Great. Reassessing Your Life is Even Better. appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

It’s really easy to fall into the thinking that organizing will solve the clutter in our homes. As a result, we buy storage bins, shelves, and labels, believing that if everything has a place, our space will feel more orderly and peaceful. But organizing is always, only a temporary solution. We can organize everything perfectly today—only to have to organize it again tomorrow. That is because organizing only treats the symptom, not the problem. No matter how well-organized our home might get, too many possessions still create stress, demand our attention, and consume our time. Physical possessions take up physical space in our home and mental space in our minds. Minimizing, on the other hand, is a permanent solution. Once an item has been removed from our home, the space is cleared forever. Instead of focusing on how to store everything, focus on owning less. After all, the fewer things we own, the less time we spend organizing, cleaning, and maintaining them. To give you an idea of what I mean, here are 10 common things you may feel tempted to organize—but would benefit more from minimizing instead. 1. Bathroom Toiletries Often, we accumulate lotions, shampoos, and beauty products faster than we use them. Sometimes we buy for ourselves, sometimes they are gifted us, sometimes we take them from the hotel room. Either way, organizing these items into bins or trays might seem like the solution, but owning fewer toiletries is even better. Use up what you have, and then be intentional about only buying what you need. A simplified bathroom routine will save you time, reduce clutter, and help you focus on the essentials. 2. Tupperware Most of us have far too many plastic containers crowding our cabinets. We stack them, try to keep the lids in one place, and still end up with mismatched pieces. Instead of trying to organize the chaos, minimize the number of containers you own. Keep only a few versatile sizes and discard the rest. Fewer containers not only free up space but also reduce the frustration of searching for a lid that fits. 3. Towels and Linens It’s easy to accumulate more towels, sheets, and blankets than we need. Organizing them in closets or baskets might keep them out of sight, but reducing your collection will make your home feel more spacious and manageable. Keep just a few high-quality sets, and you’ll save time and effort when it comes to laundry and storage. 4. Kitchen Gadgets Drawer organizers and dividers may help keep kitchen gadgets in order, but they don’t reduce the overwhelming number of tools we often accumulate. Consider which gadgets you actually use and minimize the rest. Owning fewer, multi-functional tools makes cooking more enjoyable and your kitchen easier to maintain. 5. Clothing Closet organizers and systems might create the illusion of order, but a cluttered wardrobe still leads to decision fatigue and frustration. Minimize your clothing by keeping only what you wear regularly and what makes you feel good. A simpler wardrobe will reduce the time you spend choosing outfits and give you more mental clarity each morning. 6. Shoes We often think a shoe rack or closet organizer will bring order to our growing shoe collection. But owning more shoes than we need creates clutter, even if it’s well-organized. Consider the pairs you actually wear regularly and donate the rest. A smaller, intentional shoe collection makes it easier to find what you need—and simplifies your decision-making every day. 7. Jewelry A jewelry box filled with tangled necklaces and unworn bracelets can feel like a mess waiting to be organized. But instead of spending time sorting and storing, minimize your collection. Keep only the pieces that you wear regularly and truly love. With fewer items, your jewelry will stay organized naturally, and you’ll find joy in wearing what you own. 8. Board Games Board games can provide hours of fun, but they also take up valuable space, especially when we keep ones we rarely play. Instead of organizing a shelf full of games, minimize your collection to just the ones you truly enjoy. You’ll make room for other meaningful activities and be more likely to play the games you love when they’re not buried under ones you don’t. 9. Books Many of us dream of organizing our bookshelves to display a well-curated collection. But books we don’t read or plan to read just take up space and collect dust. Minimize your bookshelf by keeping only the books that inspire or bring value to your life. Donate or sell the rest, and you’ll discover more freedom and clarity in your reading life. 10. Photos Many of us have boxes or hard drives full of old photos, thinking we’ll someday organize them into albums or neatly labeled folders. But instead of holding onto every single picture, minimize your collection by keeping only the ones that bring you joy or represent meaningful memories. Digitize what you can, and let go of duplicates or blurry shots. Fewer photos make it easier to appreciate and share your most cherished moments. In each of these areas, the key is recognizing that organizing, while helpful, is not the ultimate solution. Minimizing—owning fewer items that truly add value to our lives—will bring lasting peace and freedom. When we have less to manage, we can focus more on the things that matter most. The post 10 Things You Think You Need to Organize, But Should Minimize Instead appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

There is something powerful about the concept of “home” for us as humans. It is celebrated in movies (There’s no place like home) immortalized in music (Take Me Home, Country Roads), written about in literature, celebrated in magazines, and enviable in advertisements. Everywhere we turn, we’re reminded that home represents more than a physical space. It is the heart of where we are from and hopefully, the place where we feel safe, connected, and loved. But not only is home a place of emotion and nostalgia, psychologists tells us the impact goes beyond the physical space. It is a place where we feel rooted and connected. Research shows that our connection to home even impacts our well-being. People with a strong attachment to their home feel more secure, less stressed, and more content throughout their lives. The importance of home (and family) is one of the motivating factors behind Kim and I launching The Hope Effect now nearly ten years ago. Home provides stability and serves as the foundation upon which we build our identities and relationships—starting at a very young age. So helping move the world toward care for orphaned children that includes family is deeply important work and we’re proud to be part of it. But even apart from nonprofit work, as parents, this truth about the importance of home serves as both an opportunity and responsibility. The homes we create for our children are more than just physical shelter—it is the space within which, our children’s memories are made and identity is formed. And it is interesting to note, that very few of our most beloved memories from home are focused on the things that we owned. At least, that is the case for me. When I think of my childhood, I have fond memories. But very few relate to the physical possessions in our closets or garage. Instead, I remember being in the backyard, with my dad, working in the garden. And for some reason, he’s never wearing a shirt when I recall the memory. I think back fondly and can picture our family tradition of eating cereal for dinner on Sunday night. I remember playing with my friends in the backyard. And I remember playing games with my siblings around our kitchen table. These memories are both precious and priceless, and they had nothing to do with material possessions. In fact, I remember very few physical possessions from my childhood: my bike, a baseball glove, some G.I. Joe’s, and a baseball card collection show up vividly. But that’s about it. I don’t remember our couches, curtains, rugs, cookware, or the clothes from my closet. I don’t recall the items in our pantry, the pillows on our couch, or even the decorations that hung on the walls. They were there, in our home, certainly. But they do not form the foundation for my memories. I grew up in a lower Middle Class family in the middle of small town America. Maybe kids who had incredibly wealthy parents would tell a different story about remembering all the stuff around them. But something tells me—even in that environment—a child’s most cherished memories have little to do with physical possessions. The physical objects from our home growing up fade into the background. But the love, the laughter, relationships, and sense of belonging come to the forefront. These were the moments that shaped me and I recall them with fondness and joy. Our homes are where memories are made. And I know not everyone got to enjoy that type of home and family growing up, but it is something we can all strive to create for our own. As parents, the environment we create in our homes will become the backdrop for our children’s memories. The culture we create, the time we spend, the love we show, and the conversations we share. These are the moments that will shape their view of home and family for the rest of their lives. Too often, we fall into the trap of believing that a home needs to be filled with things to be complete. We think we need the latest gadgets, the trendiest furniture, the largest television, the upgraded countertops, or endless toys for our children. But when we reflect on our own childhoods, we realize that the most meaningful memories had nothing to do with material possessions. Even worse, sometimes we chase those things at the expense of what our kids needs most from us. The very physical possessions that fade into the back of our kids’ memories take up space in our homes and in our minds, requiring maintenance, organization, money, and time—time that could be spent building memories with our families. On the other hand, when we live intentionally, we make room for more connection, more love, more experiences, and richer memories that our kids can take with them forever. Our homes are the canvas upon which our children will paint their memories. Let’s fill them with all the right things. The post Home is Where Memories Are Made appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

Note: This is a guest post from Angela G. Horn of Mostly Mindful. What started as a design aesthetic has snowballed over the years into a lifestyle movement embraced by people worldwide. It’s easy to see why (or maybe I’m biased?) since minimalism offers a clear path to a more intentional, fulfilling, and sustainable way of life. The allure of “living with less” has permeated popular culture, from decluttered living spaces to capsule wardrobes. But, like any widespread trend, minimalism has evolved over time. In this article, I want to examine the different paths of minimalism—from the extreme to a more balanced, rational approach. I also believe it is important to explore how the lifestyle can positively impact our environment and, finally, how to implement minimalism in a way that works best for you. Three Types of Minimalism Nowadays, minimalism falls into three main categories: traditional minimalism, extreme minimalism, and rational minimalism. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, by understanding the nuances between the different styles, you can choose or craft one that best aligns with your values, needs, and environmental priorities. 1. Traditional Minimalism Traditional minimalism is the most well-known and widely adopted approach to living with less. It’s where Becoming Minimalist and many other blogs started and, in many cases, still reside. The focus here is on decluttering physical spaces, emphasizing essentials, reducing unnecessary consumption, and seeking quality over quantity. That’s a mouthful, but the benefits speak for themselves: Increased mental bandwidth Reduced stress from clutter More time and energy for loved ones Space for side hustles and other meaningful pursuits Improved finances (hello, debt-free living) On the downside, you might find letting go of certain things challenging. You may encounter pushback from friends and family members or struggle to balance owning less and still being comfortable. However, it’s all surmountable but worth noting nonetheless. 2. Extreme Minimalism Extreme minimalism takes it to the next level, pushing the boundaries of how little one can live with. Proponents of this approach typically pare down to the bare essentials (often fewer than 100 possessions). If they have a home base, it’ll most likely be devoid of furniture. For my partner and me, the move from traditional to extreme minimalism aligned with our desire to age well. At almost sixty, going furniture-free seemed like a natural and easy way to achieve that. And that’s just one advantage. This way of living also comes with several other benefits: Complete freedom from material possessions Moving home is a breeze (if you even have a fixed address) A much lower impact on the environment* *Assuming you’re not flying to a new destination every other month. The not-so-great side is that it can lead to social isolation (no furniture will do that!) or becoming obsessive about owning less stuff. A short nose around the internet and you’ll quickly see a competitive pattern emerge among extreme minimalists. 3. Rational Minimalism Rational minimalism is the Goldilocks of the three, striking a balance between the desire for simplicity and the practicalities of modern life. It emphasizes thoughtful curation of possessions, focusing on functionality and personal values. It’s a more flexible, you-do-you kind of lifestyle while still maintaining a “less is more” outlook. Unlike its extreme cousins, rational minimalism allows for some sentimental items and, gasp, some “just in case” possessions. It emphasizes mindful consumption rather than extreme reduction. As a result, it’s a more attainable lifestyle to adopt and maintain long-term, balancing minimalist principles with practical needs. Some of the benefits include: Reduces stress without sacrificing comfort Encourages mindful decision-making Promotes sustainability without extreme deprivation Allows for personal expression within a minimalist framework Ultimately, your approach to minimalism will depend on your circumstances, goals, and preferences. The key is to explore the different types, consider their pros and cons, and choose the one that aligns with your vision for a more intentional, fulfilling, and sustainable lifestyle. The Environmental Impact of Minimalism As we shift our focus to the broader implications of minimalism, it’s crucial to consider its impact on the planet. With environmental challenges on the rise, minimalism is more than a lifestyle choice. It’s also a powerful tool for reducing our ecological footprint. Embracing this way of living allows us to do our bit for Mother Earth. Resource Consumption and Minimalism The culture of overconsumption has led to the rapid depletion of natural resources. It’s time to break this cycle and embrace a more sustainable way of living. Minimizing our material possessions reduces the demand for new products, lowering the environmental strain. It doesn’t stop there. Minimalism also encourages us to be more mindful consumers, choosing quality over quantity and prioritizing experiences over things. This simple shift in mindset can do wonders for our planet’s well-being. Opting for a capsule wardrobe, for example, simplifies daily choices and significantly reduces the resources required for clothing production, including water, energy, and textiles. Waste Reduction Through Mindful Consumption One of minimalism’s most significant environmental benefits is its impact on waste reduction. This lifestyle’s mindful consumption naturally leads to less waste in several ways. First, minimalists purchase fewer items, which generates less packaging waste, a major contributor to landfills and ocean pollution. Secondly, focusing on quality and durability means that items last longer, reducing the frequency of replacements and the associated waste. Finally, minimalists are often more inclined to repair items than replace them. This extends product lifecycles and aligns with circular economy principles. Long-term Environmental Benefits of Adopting Minimalist Practices If more people embrace minimalism, it will yield decent environmental benefits in the long run. Minimalists often make more sustainable choices on a personal level, such as living in smaller, energy-efficient homes. On a larger scale, widespread minimalism has the potential to reduce carbon emissions significantly. Moving away from fast fashion, disposable goods, and unnecessary consumption could shift us towards a more sustainable economic model that values preserving resources. Aligning our habits with minimalist principles allows us to reduce our individual and collective environmental impact dramatically. Living with less affords us more time, freedom, and money, and it also offers a healthier planet for the future. Choosing Your Minimalist Path Consider now how you can embark on your minimalist journey. Remember, this is personal, and finding the right approach requires introspection and experimentation. Here’s how you can start: Reflecting on Personal Values and Lifestyle Needs Take time to consider what truly matters to you. What brings you joy? What are your long-term goals? Understanding your values will help determine which possessions and activities align with your vision of a fulfilling life. Assessing Current Habits and Areas for Improvement Evaluate your daily routines and living spaces. Identify areas where physical and mental clutter hinder your well-being or productivity. This will show you where a more minimalist approach could have the most significant impact. Tips for Gradually Incorporating Minimalist Practices 1. Start small: Declutter one area at a time, such as a drawer or a closet. This approach prevents overwhelming feelings and provides quick wins to motivate further progress. 2. Mindful consumption: Consider whether the item aligns with your values and is necessary. Prioritize quality over quantity to reduce long-term consumption. 3. Regular reassessment: Schedule periodic reviews of your possessions and habits. As your life evolves, so should your approach to minimalism. 4. Finding balance: Minimalism is about curating a life that works for you. Be flexible and adjust your practices as needed to maintain a sustainable lifestyle. Your Turn to Act Now that you’re familiar with the different minimalism styles, you can choose one that works for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Every small step towards minimalism is a step towards a more intentional, fulfilling, and sustainable lifestyle. With our mounting environmental challenges, living with less is one of the most impactful ways to reduce our ecological footprint and do our part for the planet. Let’s embrace less and create more—more freedom, more purpose, and a healthier planet for all. *** Angela lives in Cape Town. She enjoys spending her time drinking coffee and writing about her urban hippie adventures on Mostly Mindful. The post Choosing Your Minimalist Path appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. It requires a conscious decision because it is a countercultural lifestyle that stands against the culture of overconsumption that surrounds us. The world we live in is not friendly to the pursuit of minimalism. Its tendencies and relentless advertising campaigns call us to acquire more, better, faster, and newer. The journey of finding simplicity requires consistent inspiration. For that reason, I hope you will make an effort this weekend to find a quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy some of these hand-picked articles to encourage more simplicity in your life. My Teenaged Son Still Doesn’t Have a Smartphone. Here’s Why | The Globe and Mail by Katherine Martinko. This is the first in a series of columns on Digital Minimalism from Katherine Martinko. I recommend all of them. 10 Things Minimalists Say You Don’t Need to Be Happy | No Sidebar. In a world that constantly tells us more is better, it’s easy to believe that happiness is just one more purchase away. But minimalists offer a different perspective. The Junkification of American Life | The New York Times by David Brooks. We have access to wonderful things. But they require effort, so we settle for the junky things that provide the quick dopamine hits. *Due to NYT policies, this article may not be available in every geographic region. A Lesson in Letting Go | Rich in What Matters by Julia Ubbenga. Are you holding onto items from loved ones out of fear or guilt? My hope is that, if you answered yes, then this lesson in letting go can help you too. Minimalism and Social Media | Balance Through Simplicity by Antonia Colins. It’s an amazing source of information and inspiration but can also be a tough space to hang out in and can take up our time and energy. Recently Released Inspiring Videos 10 Unnecessary Possessions to Ditch for a Simpler Happier Life | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Most of the stuff we are told to buy and own doesn’t bring us meaning or happiness—it only distracts us from it. Whether you’re already interested in simple living, or just looking for a more peaceful life, here are ten things you can live without and still live a happy life How to Improve your Self Esteem | YouTube by Joshua Becker. When our self-esteem is healthy, it affects everything about us. Equally so, when our self-esteem is unhealthy, it affects everything about us. If you’ve ever struggled with low self esteem, I want you to know that you aren’t alone. Here are 6 tips to help. — Uncluttered. If you’re looking for help trying to minimize your possessions, my 12-week course will help you own less, live more, and discover the life you want. But this is the last weekend to sign-up. Registrations ends Sunday, September 15. The experience begins on Tuesday. The post Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads. appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

Those of you reading this blog, those interested in the pursuit of productivity and work-life balance, and all those nice things, probably have a lot of dreams. It’s something that binds us. We want to be better in more than one area of our lives. There’s our health, our social lives, our personal work—and the The post Mastering prioritization could change your life appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article