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• Quick Tip: The #1 Sleep metric You’re Not Tracking (But Should be)

• 6 Steps to Boost Your Flow State and Make You Super Focused and Productive

• The Illusion of Writer’s Block (or “The Illusion of Idea Block” for non-writers)

• A Psychologist Shares 5 Benefits Of Making The ‘Minimalist Switch’

• 10 Kindle Paperwhite tips and tricks to help you master your e-reader

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🔥Quote/Prompt

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)

Did someone forward this to you?

📈 Performance

6 Steps to Boost Your Flow State and Make You Super Focused and Productive

Flow state is something that’s often talked about in a way that makes it feel elusive and almost like it has a mind of its own. When it comes to visit you, you try to hang on to it, clinging for dear life, not wanting to let it go since you’ve no idea when it will visit again. What we love about this super fast read is it explains a bit more about why obsessing over time management isn’t always the solution and offers the below steps for capitalizing on flow in a healthy, sustainable way (not in a cling until you burn out way). 🙂 

1. Make sure the direction in which you're headed is crystal clear, and there's no ambiguity.

2. Be 100% committed to your objective, with both your head and heart in the game.

3. Aligh your future goal to what you're contributing in the here and now. Think "present gain, future gain" instead of the false analogy of "no pain, no gain."

4. Make sure the difficulty of a task is not considerably higher than your skill level for that task; otherwise, you'll experience the ultimate anti-flow: anxiety.

5. Make sure your skill level for the task is not considerably higher than its difficulty; otherwise, you'll experience a catatonic state of boredom.

6. Make sure the difficulty of the task and your skill level match up.

⚙️ Optimization

The Illusion of Writer’s Block (or “The Illusion of Idea Block”)

If you’re not a professional writer/copywriter, you might skip this article, but that would be a mistake because in this day and age, nearly everyone writes. You might write exclusively for social media, emails, or PowerPoint Decks for presentations, but it’s unlikely you don’t write. Plus, the article is less about writing itself, and more about continuing on the topic above of “flow”. We could just as easily retitle this article “The Illusion of Idea Block”. Enjoy our favorite part below but the article is a step-by-step on working through this, so we recommend reading the full article.

Diagnosing your condition

So let’s get specific. If you think you have writer’s block, think again. Literally. Don’t let that negative thought prevail. It’s like saying “I can’t even walk a mile” and then doing everything possible to stay off your feet. Instead, say “I can walk a mile, just not yet,” and then take a short jaunt around the block as a first step.

Once you reframe the challenge positively, you can get to work, like a good doctor, peeling back the onion of your life to see what’s really going on.

First off, take a deep breath. Take three of them. Close your eyes. Clear your head (try my 3-minute mini-meditation, if you’re game). 

OK, with a fresh perspective, ask yourself: What underlying condition or circumstance is creating the wall I’m banging my head against right now? 

Writer’s block is not the underlying condition. It’s a symptom of something else that’s created a temporary impediment to your creativity and productivity. So what is it? A lack of viable story ideas? A crappy story idea? A story that’s just too complex? Is it lack of time, energy or motivation? Are you distracted by something really stressful but unrelated to writing (or an anxiety-producing “something” that you can’t put your finger on)? Are you physically sick? Are you not sleeping well? Do you drink too much?

If you can identify the underlying condition, then you can address it. If you can’t, then you’re not thinking hard enough about what’s really going on. Something is in your way, and it’s not writer’s block. 

Say it with me: Writer’s block is not a condition, it’s a symptom. 

We writers all get distracted by life. We get sick of routines. We get exhausted. The creative urge wanes. If it’s any of those things, walk away. Take a break. Don’t open your computer or your phone for however long it takes to recharge—an hour, a day, a week. 

The art of writing is well served by the science of doing nothing. 

If the problem has become chronic, split for the weekend or take a week off from writing to paint your house or park catatonically in front of the TV. Better yet, start exercising (here’s a guide), cut back on the booze (here’s the truth), aim to sleep better (here’s why and how). In a nutshell, figure out the real problem behind your so-called writer’s block and address it head-on.

⏲️ Time Management

A Psychologist Shares 5 Benefits Of Making The ‘Minimalist Switch’

While this might not be directly related to time (no time blocking in this article), having more most certainly means maintaining, organizing and therefore spending time on less. So let’s get to it.

Please check out the article for those 5 benefits but chances are, you’re at least curious as to what moving towards a more minimalist take looks like, right? So instead of including a benefit or two, here’s the section on HOW to actually do it to give you an idea of where you might already be implementing minimalist tactics and where they might be helpful for you.

How To Make The Switch To A Minimalist Lifestyle

There’s no denying that society is driven by consumerism, excessive consumption and materialism. Given this hegemony, it can seem impossible to break free of these principles. Knowing that it takes convincing and support to do so, minimalist communities have developed over time—creating spaces and bodies of knowledge that support and empower individuals hoping to make the switch.

If you’re hoping to shift towards minimalism, consider the “deliberation station,” posed by a minimalist and simplification coach. Before you make your next purchase, ask yourself the following questions about the desired item:

1. Have you thought about it for at least two weeks?

2. Does it solve a genuine problem that you have noticed?

3. Do you already own something similar?

4. Is buying it worth giving up progress towards your next financial goal?

5. Would you still use the purchase in five years from now?

6. Do you know if or where you can place it in your home?

7. Will you have to work for a long time in order to pay for it?

8. Can you be productive and happy without it?

9. Is the cost per use worth it?

10. Does buying it support your priorities?

11. Is buying it the best way for you to obtain it?

12. Is it a high-quality item with a reasonable price tag?

13. Is your mental state calm and neutral right now, or altered by internal/external forces?

14. Would the purchase be driven by intention or impulsivity?

If you lean towards negative answers more so than positive, consider it as a sign that the purchase won’t serve you or your space. Continue this habit, and you’ll be on your way to minimalist living through your efforts in curating a simplistic and intentional space.

💻 Tools & Technology

10 Kindle Paperwhite tips and tricks to help you master your e-reader

I’m obsessed with the Kindle Paperwhite (and single-use items in general) for productivity. In fact, my batter started dying and I immediately bought another one because it’s such an integral part of my routines. Many of these tips (like scheduling warmth) only apply to the newer Kindle Paperwhite version here but some, like adjusting the font, apply to older versions. We have chosen two that are specifically productivity-related to help you!

1) Schedule warm light — And customize how warm you want

We had to start with this one, purely because it was the big new feature on the latest Kindle Paperwhite when it launched. The warm adjustment is great, but for many, it's likely a feature you'd rather come on just in the evening when you're reading before bed. And there are two ways to schedule it to come on.

You can either drop the settings shade down by tapping or swiping down near the top of the page, then tapping the down arrow and then selecting 'Schedule' above the Warmth slider. Or you can tap the 'All Settings' cog, then select 'Device Options' and then 'Warmth Schedule'.

To enable the feature, toggle the switch on and either choose 'automatic' for it to switch on and off with the sunset. Or choose a manual time for it to be activated. Now adjust the Warmth grade at the bottom of the page to customize how warm you want it to be.

If you need further assistance, we have a step-by-step guide to scheduling warm light.

4) Show a clock while reading — Don't stay up too late reading

Another Kindle Paperwhite hidden feature that isn't on by default is having the clock constantly on display at the top of the page. If you're often one to get lost in your book and lose all track of time, you might find it useful to switch it on. We find it most useful for ensuring we don't stay up too late reading. Open the popup menu again by tapping that 'Aa' icon in the toolbar and select 'More'. Now toggle on the option near the top that says 'show clock while reading'.

👀 Read, Watch, Listen, Shop

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

Kindle Paperwhite (Product)

Since we talked about tips for this earlier, we had to include it as the recommendation. What we love:

• Using an iPad or phone with the kindle app just creates opportunity for distraction. This is a distraction free device.

• No blue light, but does have light: Can be used at night without the down side of disrupted sleep.

• Water resistant: Read in the pool without fear your phone or iPad could be ruined at any moment.

• Take searchable notes.

• Syncs with Audible so you can switch easily between reading and listening without losing your place.

🎉 Celebration Corner

Every week Doers Inner Circle members do a weekly review & get help when they need it — check out the progress they made this week!

• Finished the bash!

• I did more evening reading than before and finished a documentary.

• I got my 2023-24 finances in order.

• Finished the Bash.

• Posted on LI 5 times.

• Market research for about 3 hours.

• Gym 2 times.

• Managed to adjust the blocker app on my phone, found a more strict mode in there and now I'm staying away from Youtube and I even blocked Spotify for a week now (because I tend to binge-listen).

• Some progress with important admin items and managed to finish a complicated job for a client.

• I stuck to my morning routine every day.

• I finished my first new [productized service] and sent it to the person! 🎉 

• I also recorded my first two Reels.

What did you do this week? We feature non-member successes too. Just post them here!

🔒Inner Circle: Events & Announcements

• Announcement: What book do you want to read? Vote HERE! 

• Announcement: Let's do a challenge! Vote HERE!

• Monday: {EU Time} Work ON Business. Theme: 5️⃣ Finances RSVP here

• Tuesday: Work ON Business. Theme: 5️⃣ Finances RSVP here

• Monday/Friday: Goal Setting + Plan Your Week Party

• Accelerators: May 10 is your Office Hours RSVP here

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I hope you found this valuable!

Wishing you much productivity!

- Jenae :)