I like to identify high mental load tasks and prioritize getting them done. High mental load tasks are the ones that you keep you up at night. Or the ones the make you think “oh I really need to do this but I don’t want to” when you see them on your to-do list.
Often they are of high mental load because you don’t know where to get started, they are difficult or just not fun. However, I have found that continually pushing these tasks away and consuming mental energy thinking about them is worse than getting the task done. Just do it.
These types of tasks impeded by ability to focus on other task, or relax because I have this thing that needs to get done looming over me. I view it as if I am in debt and need to pay up, but don’t want to. Better just to pay the man and be done with it. Often once you begin the task you discover it really isn’t so bad after all. A strategy I use to get started is telling myself I am only going to do the first step and deal with the rest later. Usually the first step reveals the second and I just continue until the end.
This week I wrote down my list of high mental load tasks. There were two significant items on the list. Car related issues and a school project I was dreading getting started. At the start of the week I was stressing over them. But I took the first step and completed both. I was able to spend Saturday evening worry free trading cryptos (new hobby) and watching Vikings (hobby I hope ends soon).
– Mitch
Quote of the Week
On the spectrum of creative work, the difference between the mediocre and the good is vast. Mediocrity is, however, still on the spectrum; you can move from mediocre to good in increments. The real gap is between doing nothing and doing something. - Austin Kleon
Favourite Things of The Week
Show your work - Austin Kleon
A book tailored to artists. Discusses the benefits of putting yourself out there on they internet and not to not stress about quality. My inspiration for starting blog/newsletter.
Why Nations Fail - Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
The impact that political and economic institutions have on the success or failure of a country. Provides interesting analysis on previous civilizations. How is it South Korea is booming and people in North Korea are starving to death when they both started out the same?
Cal Newport on the Lex Fridman podcast
Excited to read Cal’s books Deep Work and Digital Minimalism.