Sunday Email: Structured Flexibility... Deeper / Pre-Mortems

Read time: ~ 6.30 minutes

Happy Sunday!

Every Sunday I offer strategies for the week ahead and a thought to fuel your action.

Sigmund Freud's morning routine was unconventional, to say the least, beginning with a dose of cocaine dissolved in water. His work with clients spanned from 8 am to 1 pm, after which he would take a break to rest, dine, and spend time with his family before resuming his practice from 5 pm to 7 pm. 

Rene Descartes, the renowned French philosopher and scientist, would ease into his day by working from bed in the morning hours. 

Maya Angelou found her creative sanctuary in a hotel room, writing from 6:30 am until 2 pm before returning home to refine her work. 

Bill Gates, known for his innovative thinking, would isolate himself for "Think Weeks" in a cabin to indulge in deep thought and extensive reading.

These anecdotes reveal that despite the diversity in their approaches, each of these influential figures had one thing in common: a steadfast routine. 

In our era, establishing such routines has become increasingly difficult. The constant connectivity and the expectation for immediate responses have intensified, yet the ability to carve out time for deep, thoughtful work remains a crucial differentiator.

Shane Parrish articulates this concept eloquently in his book "Clear Thinking:" 

“What may look like discipline often involves a carefully created environment to encourage certain behaviors. And what may look like poor choices is often just someone trying their best to use willpower and bumping up against their defaults. The people with the best defaults are typically the ones with the best environment."

The implication is clear: to foster discipline, one must first cultivate an environment that naturally encourages productive behavior.

Cal Newport's "Deep Work" introduces four distinct philosophies to help integrate such meaningful work into our lives. 

• The Monastic Philosophy: For those who can dedicate themselves almost exclusively to deep work, minimizing distractions. 

• The Bimodal Philosophy: Suited for those who alternate between deep and shallow work, dedicating certain days or parts of the year to each. 

• The Rhythmic Philosophy: Establishing a daily routine for deep work, creating a habitual rhythm that facilitates focus. 

• The Journalistic Philosophy: For those with unpredictable schedules, fitting in deep work whenever possible, which demands a high level of mental agility.

Recognizing which of these philosophies aligns with your personal and professional life is the first step toward developing a routine that will enable you to be as productive and creative as possible. What works for one person may not work for another, but we all need to carve out time for deep work to avoid the proverbial hamster wheel.

This realization led me to embrace what I call "structured flexibility," a concept that balances a rigid schedule with the freedom to explore. It's about creating a schedule that allows for freedom within a structured framework, focusing on both deep and shallow work. 

The cornerstone of this approach is to establish routines for both pre-work preparation and post-work wind-down, setting the stage for a productive day.

Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, in their book "Make Time," emphasize the importance of taking care of your mind and body to maintain the energy needed to focus on what truly matters. They advocate to focus on four key areas of mind and body:  

• Sleep: A pre-sleep routine is crucial to improve sleep quality, which for me, involves reading a physical book to minimize blue light exposure and calm the mind. I've also found that waking up at the same time every day, regardless of it being a weekday or weekend, establishes a consistent rhythm that enhances my creativity and focus.

• Nutrition: Another critical aspect, though it's an area I'm still working to optimize. However, I've established fixed times for meals, which adds a layer of predictability to my day. 

• Exercise: Or as the authors put it, "energizing," is also integral to my routine, with morning workouts invigorating my mind for peak performance times. Mainly this section is about doing any type of physical activity to make you feel more alert and alive. 

• Mindfulness: This along with exercise has been the most instrumental evolutions of my routines that has had the greatest impact. For me it started with just five minutes of meditation and gradually grew to incorporate journaling and inspirational readings, all of which have significantly cleared my mind, allowing for clarity as I enter my day.

Building a structure for success is not about strict adherence to a rigid plan; it's about aligning that structure with your deep work philosophy and understanding when you do your best work—be it morning, mid-day, or night. 

However, there's a law of diminishing returns to consider; too much structure can lead to a plateau in productivity and creativity. Finding that balance is key.

To illustrate, my day begins at 5:00 am, followed by a workout, meditation, daily readings, and journaling before I dive into my work and family duties. My day concludes with email clearance, planning for the next day, family time, and reading. The specifics of this routine are less important than the consistency and the clear demarcation it provides between the start and end of my day.

In essence, productivity and creativity are not just about self-discipline; they're about crafting a supportive framework. The more structure, on the front end and back end, you can build into your day, the clearer and more productive you can be, provided that the structure is tailored to your work style and personal preferences.

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A Thought To Ponder This Week

My daughter just celebrated her second birthday.

And with a four-year-old in the mix as well, life is certainly lively.

This past week I came across a newsletter emphasizing the value of presence. It cited common regrets of those on their deathbed: not cherishing the fleeting moments with young children, excessive travel over family time, overlooking the daily joys with kids and loved ones.

The message? Conduct a personal pre-mortem. In business, this means anticipating potential project pitfalls in advance, allowing for strategic pivots to avert failure.

So, I gave it a go. And I found that predicting future regrets is challenging, it is bound by the scope of our experiences. Questions arose: Am I investing enough time with my children? Am I falling into the trap of prioritizing work over family moments? Am I rushing through these hectic early years towards a perceived calmer 'next stage'?

While the answers remain unclear, the significance of these questions doesn't. They prompt a mindful approach to 'more'—more attention, more presence, particularly when family tops the priority list.

Let's parallel this to our business. We often fall into a pattern of reaction—clients leave, we scramble to correct perceived faults, and then pivot with each client's departure.

What if we inverted this approach? Imagine conducting client pre-mortems, anticipating challenges to craft a proactive client experience. By being proactive rather than reactive, how might we redefine our client relationships for the better?

The best is ahead!

-Matt