Issue #17: Why Do We Get More Done When Busy, and Less When We Have Time?

Google Updates Its SEO Playbook for Content Generated with AI

Author

Jenae Spry
September 29, 2023

Productivity Express

Issue No. 17

The Best in Productivity & Systems for Entrepreneurs

Helping You Work Smarter and Live More

Hey there!

I hope you've had a productive week! If you are new here, welcome to our Friday Roundup.
What is the Friday Roundup?

A roundup of the best in productivity & systems for Entrepreneurs and small business owners with our take on how to take action to systematize your business and your life.

Be on the lookout for our Tuesday Swipe file & Case study! Every Tuesday a free behind-the-scenes swipe file from an entrepreneur with the systems, tools, and hires that helped them build sustainable success.

And right now we’re sharing our social media and following each other in the Doer Entrepreneurs Free Community. Click here to join the conversation.

-Jenae :)

The Rundown

  • The Two-System Formula for a Better Night's Sleep

  • It's Not Just You. LinkedIn Has Gotten Really Weird.

  • Why Do We Get More Done When Busy, and Less When We Have Time? — How to Boost Your Productivity by Harnessing Parkinson's Law

  • Google Updates Its SEO Playbook for Content Generated with AI

  • Great Book for Solopreneurs and "Must Do It All Myself-ers" (Shortform Guide Too!)

  • Add this book to your reading list (Shortform guide available)

(Sponsor)

I’ve spent the last week testing out Shortform — it’s a game changer and here’s what I loved:

  • Get the actionable content from a book without the stories and fluff in between.

  • Add your own highlights and notes

  • It has its own app. Stop doom-scrolling on social media and replace with Shortform.

  • LISTEN to the guides (yes, there was audio for all the books I tested)

  • Shortform adds context and examples really helping turn the books into actionable content (even when the book doesn’t have an action item).

🔥Quote/Prompt

❝

Strength is a matter of a made up mind.

John Beecher

Use the quote as a writing or thinking prompt to finish your week strong.

A bit from mine:

(posted in our Doer Entrepreneurs Free Community — off social media)

Many of you know that I've had a few pretty big hits in the last year between a death, my cat trying to die but fortunately failing, and a pretty significant injury affecting my ability to use a computer and lasting over a year but...the show needed to go on.

I did not have the luxury of falling apart and as a business owner, I know you know what I am talking about.

You have taken a hit, maybe many hits, and as a business owner and maybe a parent or partner or whatever other role you fulfill, you just did not have the luxury of falling apart either.

This week, please celebrate your strength. Running a business is hard, but it is worth it.

Congratulations, entrepreneur! 💪

Did someone forward this to you?

📈 Performance

Achieving restful sleep in adulthood is more challenging due to the interplay between physiological and psychological sleep systems. Addressing both systems is crucial for effective sleep.

(For more on sleep: Check out our article, New Study: “Right Sleep” Might Trump More Sleep)

Key Insights:

  • Complexity of Adult Sleep: While adults are more informed about sleep and have better control over their schedules, over 50 million U.S. adults still suffer from chronic sleep disorders.

    • Despite the availability of sleep medicines and treatments, many adults find it hard to maintain a regular sleep pattern.

  • Two Interdependent Systems: Sleep is regulated by two systems: physiological and psychological.

    • The physiological system involves biological cycles like adenosine and melatonin levels. Most sleep treatments target this system.

    • The psychological system involves one's mental state. Negative thoughts and emotions can hinder sleep even if one is physically tired.

  • Effectiveness of CBT-i: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) addresses both the physiological and psychological aspects of sleep.

    • Unlike conventional treatments, CBT-i helps individuals tackle both systems, making it effective for those with treatment-resistant insomnia.

  • Sleep vs. Landing a Plane: The process of sleeping is likened to landing an airplane, requiring both preparation and the coordination of mechanical and psychological processes.

    • Just as pilots need to adjust based on weather conditions, individuals need to manage their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional states for better sleep.

⚙️ Optimization

LinkedIn's evolving landscape has seen a blend of personal and professional content, prompting discussions on the nature of "professionalism" on the platform.

Key Insights:

  • Adapt to the Platform's Evolution: Recognize that LinkedIn is no longer just a space for resumes. Engage with the community by sharing both professional milestones and personal stories that resonate with your audience.

  • Balance Personal and Professional: While personal stories can humanize your brand, ensure they align with your professional image. Oversharing can be perceived as a lack of judgment.

  • Monitor Engagement: Posts on LinkedIn often receive more engagement than on other platforms. Use this to your advantage by sharing valuable content that can benefit from wider visibility.

  • Stay Updated on Platform Norms: What's considered "professional" varies by industry. Regularly review feedback and observe trending posts to understand what resonates with your target audience.

  • Embrace Vulnerability with Caution: Personal sharing can showcase authenticity, but be prepared for both positive and negative feedback. Ensure any personal content shared aligns with your brand's values and message.

⏲️ Time Management

Why does it feel when you are crazy busy, you’re the most productive and when you have all the time in the world, that time passes and not much gets done?

Enter Parkinson's Law, which posits that "work expands to fill the time available for its completion." Here are some ways that you can optimize your time management using this concept.

Key Insights:

  • Harness Parkinson's Law: The principle suggests that tasks tend to take as long as the time allotted for them, leading to potential inefficiencies.

    • To counteract this, set realistic deadlines based on the actual time a task should take, creating a sense of urgency and focus.

  • Implement Timeboxing: Allocate specific time slots for tasks to ensure completion within the set timeframe.

    • This method promotes urgency and can be supported with task management apps to structure daily routines.

  • Prioritize Tasks: Focus on high-importance tasks first and apply Parkinson's Law to complete them efficiently.

    • This prevents crucial tasks from being left until the last minute and ensures optimal use of time.

  • Minimize Distractions: For Parkinson's Law to be most effective, a distraction-free environment is crucial.

    • Create a conducive workspace, turn off unnecessary notifications, and maintain a setting that promotes concentrated work.

💻 Tools & Technology

Google has updated its SEO guidelines to emphasize the importance of "content created for people," reflecting a shift from solely human-written content to recognizing the role of AI in content creation. This move aligns with Google's broader strategy of integrating AI across its products.

Key Insights:

  • Google's evolving stance on AI: Google now acknowledges the increasing role of AI in content creation, emphasizing the value of content that benefits users, irrespective of whether it's created by humans or machines.

    • This change in language suggests a broader acceptance of AI tools in content creation, moving away from a strict human-centric approach.

  • Google's investments in AI: The company is actively investing in AI-powered tools, including an AI news generator and its AI chatbot, Bard.

    • This update in guidelines is consistent with Google's strategic direction, emphasizing the integration of AI in various products and services.

  • Quality over origin: While AI's role in content creation is acknowledged, the emphasis remains on the quality and originality of the content.

    • Google's John Mueller pointed out that AI-generated content often rehashes existing information from other sites, emphasizing the importance of original and valuable content.

  • Challenges in AI content detection: Detecting AI-generated content is complex, with tools often being imprecise. The ongoing challenge is the "arms race" between content generators and discriminators, as AI models continually improve.

    • Google aims to identify and reward human-written content, using specialized AI discriminators to distinguish between natural and artificial content.

👀 Read, Watch, Listen

This week’s awesome books, YouTube videos, newsletters, etc. to add to your list!

I’ve read this book and honestly think it’s not a very good title. Let me retitle it: How solopreneurs and people who don’t like to ask for help and love to roll up their sleeves and just solve the problem immediately can learn that just because they CAN do it all themselves, doesn’t mean they should.

Alright, I can see how my title isn’t very snappy. 🙂 If any of that speaks to you — check this out.

Oh, and there’s a Shortform Guide too — click here to get a free trial then 20% off.

🎉Weekly Win

I've been quite busy with paid work for the past month and a half. It's partly luck, and partly from my marketing over time. (I haven't nearly reached my goal of contacting a thousand agencies yet, but I've made a quarterly plan similar to the second quarter to keep it going.)

I feel like I'm getting a better balance, between my paid work, and trying to do plenty of marketing between projects, and then also squeezing in an hour of it on busy weeks when possible.

I was getting a little stressed out a while ago, and when I looked at it carefully I thought I must have some subconscious doubt about whether my clients are happy with my work (in spite of evidence to the contrary). So I made a point of relaxing more, and wrote an affirmation on a lot of my internal files, "My clients love my work." I feel more comfortable now.

Also, I'm pretty happy with my new, upgraded nomad office setup (as shown here).

And, last Saturday I did some monthly and quarterly analysis, and then spent some time recalculating my actual living expenses and how much I need to earn per hour and per word, both to break even and to save more money. That was really helpful, and I'm so glad to have more accurate and updated information so I know where to draw the line.

I guess that's five wins. 😸

Scott Ellsworth

Proprietor

Congratulations on your work-life balance win! Now it's time for you to share YOUR win! Big or small...Let us celebrate you!

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I hope you found this valuable!

Wishing you much productivity!

- Jenae :)

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