Embace boredom

Pic 1 (top left): first of many workouts back at my hometown gym

Pic 2 (top right): a letter from my 16-year-old self

Pic 3 (bottom left): new book that came in the mail

Pic 4 (bottom right): my go-to snack recently (greek yogurt, berries, granola & raw honey)

Hey! Welcome back to my next weekly update and reflection I have for you.

My intention with this newsletter is to essentially treat it as a second journal.

I have my physical journal in which I write in and I have this journal where I get to articulate my thoughts to you.

And I value each of them in their unique way.

However, my journal is more for reflection and insights for myself.

This journal builds off those insights as I gain clarity through my journaling to share with you each week.

I hope to be able to inspire you to perhaps start your own newsletter with your own thoughts or maybe begin journaling yourself.

Ultimately, my goal with this newsletter is for you to take action in some way shape, or form.

And it’s ironic because this past week, I got inspired by a friend’s newsletter.

I recently read my friend’s newsletter about focus and productivity and it got me thinking.

He was talking about the amount of stimuli and distractions there are these days.

And how people can barely focus on one thing for 10 minutes without getting distracted.

It got me thinking a lot about my productivity and if I’m focused enough.

And the reality is, I’m not.

Certain tasks that are taking me a week to complete, someone else out there is completing it after one morning.

And there are many factors as to why that is the case.

I believe that I’ve instilled good habits in myself and have done a relatively good job at delaying instant gratification and short-term dopamine.

But after reflecting on an average day for me, I’m not doing a good enough job.

On an average day; I do my morning routine, I check things off my GSD list (get shit done list) and then I jump right into Instagram.

I jump right into that cheap dopamine hit.

And even though that’s not the first thing I’m doing, it’s still a net negative.

I’m receiving a massive dopamine spike before getting any deep work done.

No wonder I can’t spend 30 minutes straight doing a task without getting distracted.

A tip I received from my friend’s newsletter is to embrace boredom.

Surrender to the feeling of doing nothing.

Observe the stillness.

Take a step back from everything and simply, just chill.

How often do we do that?

How often do we just stop what we’re doing for a second and take a pause?

We’re constantly pressing play and the only time we pause is when we want to go to bed.

We need to click the pause button more often.

This week, my challenge for you is to start clicking the pause button a few times in the day.

Whether it’s during something positive or negative, it doesn’t matter.

I urge you to take a step back and soak up the present moment.

It will help a lot with your ability to focus so your brain won’t feel like it’s scrambled eggs all the time.

Since I referred to my friend’s newsletter a few times now, I feel that it’s only right to link it down below.

I did not tell him that I would plug his newsletter so if you’re reading this, read my friend’s (Erick) phenomenal newsletter and DM him on IG, telling him you read his newsletter from me!

I bet it will make his day too :)

Take care this week.

Enjoy each and every day.

Much luv,

Jared