Imaginary letters – productivity
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I wrote here about the idea of using letter writing as a method to tap into inner wisdom. It’s an approach that involves writing to someone who can help you and then drafting the response to yourself. This is what I wrote:
Dear Stuart
Good to hear from you. You know that I obsess about the morning rituals that get the day started. I know you have an iPad subscription for the newspaper – but I don’t think that should be the first thing that you do each morning. It is taking your time, giving you the wrong focus, and taking you away from meditation. Be more disciplined – make sure that you get on to the meditation cushion as soon as you can in the morning. Read something inspirational – could be dharma – as soon as possible too. The newspaper can come later, maybe on the train.
Look at the tasks you have each day – you could print them out if that helps – but make sure that you are identifying the 3 Golden Tasks that will really move you forwards that day. Get to them first! Seriously limit the time you spend on email. It’s so easy to spend the whole day dipping in and out of email convincing yourself that that’s work. It isn’t!
Once a week – perhaps on a Friday – look at the projects list you have – Dream Big. Do some TdJ (Topic du Jour – see here) writing, really expand the thinking, multiply the goals for the project by 10 and then think about what you would need to do to get there. Think sideways too – what is just out beyond this project that would beautifully complement it that you are not doing at the moment. Make sure you do this for your creative projects – if you are thinking of sharing an output with 50 people – look at sharing it with 500 – what added value could you create by thinking sideways (postcards, small cards, stickers, photos, etc) Really go to town with this.
Put more time into creative conversations and energising conversations. When you have to speak to people who drain you, find time and space afterwards to meditate, to calm yourself down and rebuild. Protect yourself from people who are energy drains, people who sap you, people who don’t understand what you are trying to do.
Spend some time looking outwards at where else you can build the finances to do the things that you want to do. It’s about financial freedom (work and creative projects) to do the things you want to do. Not about transactions and commercial competitiveness.
Go ahead with all of this – and enjoy yourself. It’s all there to laugh along to and have fun.