TSS #043 - June 9th, 2024
on content consumed whilst cleaning
Good afternoon evening and happy Sunday folks,
On Friday, I had a fun li’l mental snap…
Since reading the 4-hour work week in college, I’ve fully subscribed to a concept called “batching.”
This tactic is primarily used as a productivity tool to more efficiently and effectively complete tasks.
Ex. instead of dealing with emails individually as they come in, set yourself parameters and a timebox rule — “I will only read and respond to emails between x and y”
But you can also find “batching” handy in other aspects of life — such as getting groceries, doing laundry, etc.
However, on Friday, I realized I had taken this concept too far.
I not only batch my work — but also: my texts; sorting notes and physical mail; cleaning my room; motorcycle/car maintenance; heck, even watering my plants!
(this is where you don’t water any of your plants, until “enough need watering”)
The problem? Well… you can probably infer from that line in paranthesis.
I walked into my room, looked around, and quite literally fell to my knees.
Physically
To my left: a pile of bags (one work/study bag, one gym bag, and 3 separate smaller bags for my climbing shoes, soccer cleats, and recording equipment).
To my right: is a pile of books and mail… next to a pile of motorcycle/car parts I had yet to install.
On my desk: a shit ton of post-it notes and business cards that I had yet to digitize.
Next to my desk: a pile of new camping goods from Amazon and REI.
Under my whiteboard: a pile of empty boxes from my new camping goods.
Digitally
On my laptop: enough windows and tabs to make you and your personal computer seize.
On my phone: a bajillion red notifications and >70 texts - some dating back to months in 2022 I am too embarrassed to share in this NL.
On my knees, I came to the realization that “mass batching” can feel productive, but in reality, you can just use it as an excuse to let a shit ton of things pile up and be left unattended…
left until you have “enough to justify” the energy expenditure to get them done.
and then you can more “easily decide,” never to get to them.
to just let them accrue and take up precious (physical and mental) space.
I stayed up until 1am cleaning, bleaching, and organizing.
Every time I’d get through a batch — it felt good.
Then I’d sit on the floor, think of all the batches I still have to attend to, take a few breaths, then kept going.
Repeat.
That momentum carried into the next day.
I went to the coffee shop and instead of writing, I responded to ancient texts (or deliberately decided to open/delete/let go) and reached out to folks that I’ve “been meaning to reach out to” for days/months/years.
I went through 3 out of my 5 emails and inbox 0’d them.
I finally changed the oil and installed wipers, air filter, and spark plugs I needed to. (h/t Brennan for helping me here)
I went through as many batches as I could.
Then I started writing this Newsletter.
Then, I wrote out a list of reasons why I hadn’t been completing each of the batches…but at the end of the day, these are all excuses, so I nixed them from this intro.
I could spend a whole day justifying, but then I wouldn’t be doing the thing.
All that to say, I DO feel a lot better now. And I didn’t realize how much that shit was weighing on me; how much literal and metaphorical dust had piled.
Anyway, due to the above — I didn’t do too much reading or writing this weekend.
And I am getting this to you later than I would have liked.
In lieu, I will be sharing the things I consumed during my deep clean.
I hope you enjoy.
funny, insightful YouTube news
The YT algorithm introduced me to Dan Toomy this weekend — video journalism on topics that seem “obvious” but aren’t necessarily talked about or changing. I laughed, I learned, here are a couple of my favs:
Lastly, this reminds me of some of Andrew Callaghan’s video journalism… here is one I enjoyed on the infamous Kia Boyz.
music to help you clean
idk what to say here. this just got me going.
Ant’s Recs:
Honorable Mentions:
Adrianne (in preparation for her concert tonight :))
PLUS: A PREDICTION PROVED CORRECT?!?
In a past newsletter, I noticed a trend… (dated 8/27/2023)
and recently, the Spotify algorithm presented me with this:
interesting, interesting indeed 🤔
a couple of questions I am asking myself
what does your ideal day look like?
what does your ideal week look like?
quote I’m pondering
I write to understand, to process, to feel, to communicate. It’s my way of navigating the world and my place in it.
— Adrianne Lenker
(yes, I am publishing this NL near midnight again because I just got back from the concert. yes, it was amazing.)
As always, if you’ve made it this far, thank you.
If you have any questions, comments, or ways I can improve this newsletter, please comment/reply!
Lastly, if you enjoyed or I made you think today — please consider letting me know by leaving a like. (This helps others find this newsletter…and it makes me smile :)
ML,
Mr. Clean
(p.s. — for my below-the-fold club, a piece that I read this morning on tradeoffs and pursuing meaning>money.
this line is a dagger.
You don’t have to do things others do, or have things they have, at the expense of the deeper things you want. You really don’t. Almost everything is an option. You have full permission to ask yourself what really matters to you—whatever that is—and then optimize for that in all hard tradeoffs of life. You’re going to have to make some sacrifices anyway. Might as well not sacrifice the wrong thing.
It’s a short read — worth your time.
Thank you to
for writing this piece and h/t for sharing it.
Solid morning read. I think I could use some batching in my routine but today I'm inspired to just 'do', however able. Also, the below-the-fold club is quickly becoming my favorite segment.