Given that no sane human should ever have to access LinkedIn, I figured I should finally give in.
I like newsletters that are practical and personal, so each month I’ll provide one idea to help you ‘reset’ your routine (‘The Reset’) and then some personal bits that I hope help you ‘recharge’ every month (‘The Recharge’).
If you never want to miss an update…
The Reset
One idea to help you reset your routine
The Reset
One idea to help you reset your routine
It’s time to rebuild your cognitive fitness.
There’s a lot of talk this month about Brain Rot – the decline in our mental abilities due to junk digital content. Cal Newport wrote a brilliant NYT article arguing that we need a cognitive fitness revolution, just as in the 1980s we had a physical fitness revolution.
You can read his 5 step protocol to improve cognitive fitness here (1 minute read).
But alternatively here are the
5 things that helped me rebuild me own cognitive fitness
1. Detoxifying my phone
I’m not addicted to my phone, because I took all the addictive apps off my phone. Simple!
You can do this too by taking all social media and gaming apps off your phone.
Start with TikTok.
You won’t miss it. Unlike your life, which you will miss if you don’t.
2. Curating things I really want to watch
This is not about abstaining from your phone per se, but upgrading to things you really want to watch.
Then get used to watching TV without checking your phone (by ‘landlining’ it in the kitchen).
2. Curating things I really want to watch
This is not about abstaining from your phone per se, but upgrading to things you really want to watch.
Then get used to watching TV without checking your phone (by ‘landlining’ it in the kitchen).
3. Reading books in themes
Nothing rebuilds cognitive fitness quicker than reading books.
But by reading books in themes* I find I connect the dots much more quickly, which supercharges my interest.
*Themes to date include The Beatles, Meta whistleblowers and Britain’s coast.
4. Invest in nice stationery
By having nice notebooks I find myself taking them out on planes and trains, making lists and plans and thinking hard about my priorities.
In other words, I spend my time as an active designer of my life, not a passive consumer of content.
4. Invest in nice stationery
By having nice notebooks I find myself taking them out on planes and trains, making lists and plans and thinking hard about my priorities.
In other words, I spend my time as an active designer of my life, not a passive consumer of content.
5. Struggling with a blank page
Embracing the mental struggle of structuring an argument or drafting a report is the equivalent of weight training for the brain. It’s hard but it should feel hard. That’s the bit that’s good for you.
And don’t defer to AI too early – at least write an outline and then get AI to suggest improvements to your draft.
The Recharge
A few things that have recharged me this month
The Recharge
A few things that have recharged me this month
My month:
In May I had a record number of workshops and sessions in Birmingham, London, India, Kuala Lumpur, Bristol and a few online. It was my first visit to India and I absolutely loved the energy of the place.
What I’m reading / watching / listening to:
Me and my family are currently obsessed by Les Miserables but my daughter is increasingly listening to Rock / Heavy Metal. She is 10 and loves AC/DC, Guns n’Roses and Rage against the Machine.
It seems only yesterday I was singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to her…
Something that recharged me:
Weight training. I got a running injury in March and as part of my rehab I’ve got a weightlifting programme. I am following it religiously and I’m making good progress.
However one of the best side effects is how much better I’m sleeping. (A less positive side effect is how much more I’m eating…)
