When it comes to my pursuit of more blissful mornings and getting more sleep, I’ve certainly had my slew of FAIL moments (like thinking going to bed 2 hours before my girlfriend was going to last), but I‘ve also come out the other side having learned a thing or two. I even built a texting buddy named Emile to help implement some of my wisdom.
So here are my DO’s and DON’Ts for using sleep to live a more intentional life:
I’m a night owl. In college I was one of those people who normally started work around 11 PM. But today I get up at 5 a.m. to write, and it’s one of the most important things I do to stay productive and hit my deadlines.
There’s a quality to my concentration in the early hours that is unique: because I’m a little bleary the door to my subconscious is still a little ajar, I’m not tempted to self-distract with Facebook, and I have the house to myself. In those early, focused hours, ideas come easily that would take immense effort later in the day; I write at a pace and quality that is hard (but not impossible) to achieve at other times. Read more
Meet John Kovalic. Cartoonist, illustrator, and writer.
John Kovalic’s cartoons have appeared everywhere from his hometown Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI) to The New York Times, and The Washington Post. His creations include the sell-out comic book sensation Dork Tower and “Dr. Blink: Superhero Shrink,” as well as Snapdragons, Newbies, Wild Life, Beached, and panel cartoons including Murphy’s Rules, The Unspeakable Oaf, and others – including his proposal to his wife.
A co-founder and co-owner of Out of the Box Games, and a cartoonist for Steve Jackson Games, John has illustrated over 100 games and game supplements and is at least in part responsible for best-sellers like Apples to Apples (a GAMES Magazine Hall of Fame inductee), Munchkin, Chez Geek, and Blink.
He was also the first cartoonist inducted into the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Hall of Fame.
In his spare time, John searches for spare time.
This week we asked him a few questions to find out how he manages to do it all.
At Freedom we are lucky to have many of our users write about their experience. From tweets to published articles – the Freedom community is buzzing with productivity strategy, advice, and experiments for a more focused, fulfilled life.
This week’s articles focus on deep work and doing the work that matters most. This type of work requires more mental energy than checking email or other simple tasks, but in the long run will help you achieve meaningful results for your personal goals, development, and career. Too often this type of work gets neglected due to distractions, procrastination, or simple, time-eating tasks – so here are a few articles to help you focus on the work that matters.
Let’s face it, very few of us can say that we haven’t felt the gnawing frustration and loss of productivity caused by digital distraction. Whether it’s checking email habitually, responding to notifications, bouncing around browser tabs, or using apps. Too often we get distracted and pulled away from doing deep and meaningful work – the work that matters most.
For most of us, social media and the internet has become a normal part of everyday life. We use these platforms daily to communicate, share, and connect with friends, family, colleagues and strangers. But despite being more connected than ever, are we any better off? Are we any happier?
We like to think that Freedom is best when used in combination with other things. It’s not just about blocking digital distractions, but rather what you do once those distractions are blocked. With Freedom as your internet and app blocker, apps and tools like Todoist, Pocket, Sortd, and Calendly can help you better organize, sort, plan, and prioritize so that you can make the most of your time. With focus and clarity to think, imagine what you can accomplish!
Here are some of our favorite apps to pair with the distraction-blocking power of Freedom for an enhanced and optimized working experience.
“Are you sure you want to logout?” A simple question that for many of us today can now seem daunting. Most of us do feel guilty about the amount of time we spend connected and plugged into our all-consuming digital world, yet the thought of disconnecting and logging out makes us anxious. We’re anxious that we might miss something, fall behind, or let someone down with our digital absence.
By now you’ve probably heard or read something about the idea of “digital detox.” It’s like any other juice cleanse or detox diet, but instead of ridding the body of toxins, it’s an attempt to free the mind of gnawing stress that comes with constant digital connection. The concept is simple: log off, sign out, and turn off all things digital. Although seemingly simple, most of us find it extremely difficult to disentangle ourselves from our intricately connected digital lives. This is clearly evident in many digital detox services such as retreats, classes, and workshops that have arisen over the last few years.
At Freedom we love our users – not just because they use our product but because they’re cool – cool people working on cool stuff. Academy Award-nominated screenwriters, best-selling authors, editors, designers, star TV actors & writers, academic researchers, and entrepreneurs – the Freedom community is packed with curious, creative, and efficient go-getters. We love to share their stories and advice, because how better to learn about productivity than from the productive?
This week’s Freedom spotlight goes to published author, freelance copywriter, and self-declared ‘farm girl’ Jessie Kwak. Jessie has worked as a catalog copywriter, a popcorn slinger, a carpenter, a beer monger, a tractor driver, and a house manager at a regional theater, and decided that she liked writing best. She received her BA in literature and minor in theater from Seattle Pacific University and is now fulfilling her passions of writing and travel as a freelancer.
Every day, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a never-ending todo list.
Usually, we react by adding more tasks at the bottom, just in case we finish early.
As the day progresses, you then realise you have been doing a lot, but haven’t got much done. You have worked for hours, but haven’t yet had the time to touch any real work. It can feel like a constant game of catching up.
It’s no surprise that 41% of tasks set are never done.
Some people react to this overwhelming amount of work by extending their work day into the late evening, taking time away from tomorrow and tomorrow’s performance. It’s the equivalent of using a credit card for time: you’ll have to pay it off, with interests.
But what is actually holding you back from doing great work…in less time?