Every Tech Tool I'm Currently Using
Monday Musing Volume 1, Issue 4
Welcome to this week's edition of Monday Musings, where we dive deep into the realms of curiosity and discovery. "Muse," traditionally, refers to a source of inspiration, often in the form of a person who sparks creativity or a deep pondering of ideas. In the spirit of musing, this week's newsletter brings you a deep dive into the world of productivity and rethinking, with insights from two groundbreaking books that have captivated my attention: Cal Newport's "Slow Productivity" and Adam Grant's "Think Again." These authors challenge us to shift our perspectives on work, productivity, and the power of changing our minds. Join me as I explore the core concepts of these transformative works, share personal updates, and unveil the tech stack that keeps me inspired and efficient.
This Week's Musings
What I'm Reading:
What I'm Reading:
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
As I mentioned in my Personal Development Junkies broadcast channel on IG, Cal Newport’s new book, "Slow Productivity," dropped this week. I’ve been anticipating this book for several months now, as he has been sharing concepts on his podcast. I have to say that I prefer Cal’s show over his books. His style of writing and content, in general, is very technical (he is a computer science professor), and while this is the exact reason I love his material, the books read pretty slowly and can seem boring. So, if you don’t totally geek out on productivity and personal development stuff like me, I can imagine it being a snooze fest. I definitely don’t recommend listening while driving; the pace of his book is, ironically, SLOW.
With that being said, I love the actual material in the book and the historical concepts he introduces, including the "Slow Food" movement and "Slow Cities," which I was completely unaware of. I will definitely do a full podcast episode reviewing the book because the concepts need to go mainstream.
Gemini’s Summary of Slow Productivity
Cal Newport's book "Slow Productivity" challenges the conventional hustle culture and proposes a new approach to work. Here's a breakdown of the key ideas:
Redefining Productivity: The book argues that feeling overwhelmed and constantly busy isn't a sign of productivity. Instead, Newport focuses on achieving meaningful accomplishments without burning out.
Three Pillars of Slow Productivity: Newport proposes three core principles:
Do Fewer Things: Focus on a select few important tasks and avoid the trap of constant busyness.
Work at a Natural Pace: Recognize your individual energy levels and work in a rhythm that suits you, not a forced pace.
Obsess Over Quality: Prioritize the quality of your work over just getting things done quickly.
Beyond "Deep Work": While Newport's previous book "Deep Work" emphasized focused work sessions, "Slow Productivity" offers a broader perspective. It delves into workload management, embracing seasonal variations in work intensity, and achieving long-term value through your work.
Historical Examples: The book draws inspiration from successful historical figures like scientists and writers who weren't bound by the "always on" mentality. Their work habits demonstrate the effectiveness of a slower, more deliberate approach.
Overall, "Slow Productivity" offers a practical framework for knowledge workers (those dealing with ideas rather than physical objects) to escape the cycle of overload and find a more sustainable way to achieve meaningful work.
Think Again by Adam Grant: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
Can you believe this is the first time I’ve read an Adam Grant book? I know! I re-share pretty much everything he posts on Instagram, so hard to believe. I became an Adam fan via Brené Brown’s podcast and have followed him and his work ever since. Adam is someone who I would say I have “career envy”; next life, I’m coming back and taking his job LOL. I’m enjoying this book and personally feel it’s a 2024 must-read as we enter into this lovely American election season. I would even encourage managers to suggest their team read it, as a recent article suggested “conflict resolution” will be the skill all leaders will need this year.
Gemini’s Summary of Think Again
Adam Grant's book, Think Again, argues that the ability to rethink and change your mind is crucial for success and personal growth in a constantly evolving world. Here's a breakdown of the key ideas:
The Power of Rethinking:
The book challenges the idea of clinging to beliefs rigidly. It emphasizes the importance of intellectual humility and being open to new information that might contradict your current views.
Biases and Blind Spots:
Grant explores how cognitive biases and mental shortcuts can distort our thinking and prevent us from considering alternative perspectives. He provides strategies for recognizing these biases and overcoming them.
The Three Levels of Rethinking:
The book outlines three levels at which rethinking can occur:
Individual: Developing a "learning mindset" that embraces curiosity and the ability to change your mind.
Interpersonal: Learning to have constructive conversations and using questions to encourage others to rethink their positions.
Collective: Building cultures within organizations and communities that value open dialogue and continuous learning.
Strategies for Rethinking:
Grant provides practical tools for becoming a better re-thinker. These include:
Reframing your identity: Seeing yourself as a learner, not someone who needs to be always right.
Practicing mental hygiene: Actively seeking out information and perspectives that challenge your existing beliefs.
Using effective questioning techniques: Learning to ask questions that spark curiosity and open-mindedness in yourself and others.
Examples and Case Studies:
The book is filled with real-life stories and historical examples that illustrate the power of rethinking. This helps readers understand how these concepts can be applied in various situations.
The Overall Impact:
Think Again aims to equip readers with the tools and mindset to become more flexible thinkers, better decision-makers, and more effective communicators. It promotes a culture of lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity as essential for success in a complex and ever-changing world.
What I'm Working On:
- I'm currently editing my podcast interview with Chanel Tyler which will drop this week. Beyond excited for you all to dive into this conversation all about motherhood, evolution as women, and of course, content creation!
- I just signed a proposal to give my brand a facelift! I haven’t had an overhaul of assets since I was pregnant with Creed, and he is five; it’s time. I’m excited because I love all things marketing and branding, especially when I work with expert teams to bring my vision to life.
Ideally, I would love to give my website and brand a facelift annually, but I intentionally held off because I’ve been in an incubation period, personally and professionally, for five years.
And now, on the other side, I believe that giving yourself and your ideas time to cook and work and re-work, is absolutely necessary in the creation process. This is why I re-worked my Lifecrafting program from 1:1 coaching to deciding to make it a digital course to make it more accessible, to ultimately deciding it will eventually become a full incubator program later this year. When you incubate you have time to learn, strategize, work the plan, reflect on the outcomes, and start over again as many times as necessary to get it to a place where you can confidently say, THIS feels aligned.
- Speaking and Writing Opportunities. I will be presenting a live session at the American Audiology Association’s annual conference in April on Energy Management and Mindful Productivity. In addition, I wrote two web articles and will be hosting a webinar for their members. This has been such an awesome opportunity because it’s allowed me the space to think about how a niche group of professionals can put these best practices to work to achieve the greatest outcomes.
My Current Tech Stack:
I’m not going to assume you all use the term “tech stack”, because before 2018 I was confused when I would hear people say “adding to my tech stack”. The formal definition of a tech stack, short for technology stack, refers to the collection of technologies used to build and run a software application or website. It's like a layered cake, with each layer playing a specific role. This is more informally used to refer to the technology that you use to run your business, or in my case my business and personal life.
As I mentioned last week, I’m a gadget girl, which doesn’t stop at hardware, but shiny object syndrome for software can consume hours of my life. So while I have invested way too much in software over the years, in my “less is more era”, this is the tech that keeps me going daily and while it looks like a lot, this stack allows me to exude less energy each day. Referral links are included below.
Calendar/Scheduling
Apple iCal
Google Cal
Sunsama - The best tool to mindfully plan your day! https://try.sunsama.com/s090frg56alv
Email/Newsletter
Gmail
Flodesk - Get 50% off https://flodesk.com/c/ALENA50
Personal and Business Hub
Notion - Sign Up with my link - https://affiliate.notion.so/q24vbm1y4p3v (My Top 3)
Note Taking
Kid To-Dos
Personal To-Dos
Budget
Journaling
Planning and Strategy Outlines
Client Portals
Proposals
Landing Pages
Brainstorming
Book List Management
Podcast Management
Business
Podcast
Descript - My Top 3 (I edit my podcast and create all my reels)
Content
Payment Processor
Coaching
AI Tools
Reading
Quotes of the Week from Adam Grant’s Think Again
"If knowledge is power, knowing what we don’t know is wisdom."
"Arguing like you’re right but listening like you’re wrong is a hallmark of intellectual humility and a path to wisdom."
"Confidence is a feeling, which reflects the coherence of the story you tell yourself, not the accuracy of your knowledge."
"Changing your mind doesn’t make you a flip-flopper or a hypocrite. It means you were open-minded enough to make a better decision."
I hope your week is amazing!
Alena
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