You're Busy, Not Productive: Wake Up!

Jul 1 (edited) in Self Improvement & Motivation

In the modern world, we've all got an endless list of stuff we could be doing. The more we get done, the more we have to do. If we want to make time for the most important stuff, the stuff that actually matters, we can't just do it by spinning our gears faster and faster. Instead, we need a more holistic approach to our daily routines, priorities, and lives.

We're talking about "Make Time" by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, subtitled "How to Focus on What Matters Every Day." These guys used to work at Google, designing products like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Hangouts. So they've got a unique insight into why these services are so compelling and how to prevent them from taking over our lives.

"Make Time" isn't your typical productivity book. It presents a four-part framework for focusing on what matters most, along with 87 different tactics. The key idea here is that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to productivity. You understand the framework, then pick and choose the tactics that work for you.

Before we dive into the framework and tactics, let's address an important question: Why is life so busy? There are two main culprits:

The Busy Bandwagon: This is the idea that being busy is somehow a badge of honor. We try to squeeze productivity into every minute of the day, often feeling guilty even when taking breaks that I'm not doing something "useful" with that time. It's like there's this constant fear that if I slow down, I'm going to fall behind.
Infinity Pools: These are apps, services, and websites that have an infinite supply of content that's always refreshing. Social media, news sites, and video platforms are prime examples. As John Zeratsky puts it, "There's always more water in the pool. You can jump back in at any time."

The authors describe these infinity pools as "distraction kryptonite." Just as kryptonite renders Superman powerless, these services make us powerless to resist their pull.

The busy bandwagon defaults to endless tasks, while the infinity pools default to endless distraction. The problem is that without a proper framework for dealing with these challenges, we tend to rely on willpower alone. However, as the authors point out, these distractions become habitual actions. We're not actively deciding to spend time on that app; we're doing it out of habit. And habits will always win against willpower.

So what we need is a system that we can build our productive habits around. That's where the four-part Make Time framework comes in.

"Make Time" is based on a simple four-step structure that you repeat every day:

Highlight
Laser
Energize
Reflect

Jake and John designed this framework to be flexible. They compare it to a cookbook – you don't start on page one and make every recipe in order. Instead, you flip through, find what looks good to you, and create your own unique recipe for success.

1. Highlight

The highlight hypothesis states: "If you set a single intention at the start of each day, we predict you'll be more satisfied, joyful, and effective."

The idea is to choose a single activity each day that you'll prioritize and protect in your calendar. This doesn't have to be work-related; it could be finishing a piece of work, doing a workout, or even just going for a walk. It's not the only thing you'll do that day, but it's the one thing you're committed to making time for.

As the authors say, "focusing on a daily highlight stops the tug of war between infinity pool distractions and the demands of the busy bandwagon. It reveals a third path: being intentional and focused about how you spend your time."

Since reading this book a few months ago, I've started setting a daily highlight every day. It's the one thing I make sure I get done, no matter what else is on my to-do list.

If you're struggling to pick a daily highlight, consider these three categories:

Urgency
Satisfaction
Joy

The book provides seven different tactics for figuring out your daily highlight and various methods for making time for it. One simple approach is to write an "H" next to your highlight when planning your day and schedule a specific time for it, like 8-9 AM.

2. Laser

The laser hypothesis states: "If you create barriers around the busy bandwagon and infinity pools, we predict that you'll focus your attention like a laser beam."

This step is all about defense. While the Highlight step is offense (what you want to make time for), Laser is about managing your attention and avoiding distractions. The authors' background in tech design is particularly useful here, as they share behind-the-scenes insights into why certain apps and services are so distracting.

Their philosophy is to understand these mechanisms so you can cut them off and break those habit loops. As they put it, "When distraction is hard to access, you don't have to worry about willpower. You can channel your energy into making time instead of wasting it."

The book offers 44 different tactics to manage various distractions and laser-focus your attention. Some noteworthy tactics include:

Skip the morning check-in
Watch out for time creators
Turn distractions into tools
Reset expectations
Explode your highlight
Go all in

3. Energize

The energize hypothesis states: "If you live a little more like a prehistoric human, we predict you'll enhance your mental and physical energy."

This step recognizes that our physical state profoundly impacts our mental capabilities. As John Zeratsky explains, "When we're reading about or thinking about how we're spending our time, what we're focused on, we tend to focus on our brains. But we'd all kind of experienced this struggle that if your body's not well, your brain doesn't work."

The Energize step is about simple ways to take care of yourself so that you have the energy for the things you really care about. This includes advice on food, sleep, exercise, and caffeine consumption.

Some interesting tactics from this section include:

Caffeine consumption timing: Instead of drinking coffee immediately upon waking, wait about an hour. This aligns with your body's natural cortisol peak and can lead to more sustained energy throughout the day.
Fake the sunset: Our bodies are designed to sleep when we see the sun setting. To counter the effects of blue light from our devices, you can use warm-toned light bulbs (like Philips Hue) and blue light blocking glasses in the evening to improve sleep quality.

4. Reflect

The final step, Reflect, might be the most crucial. It's about looking back every day and taking notes on what worked for you. This step embodies the book's do-it-yourself philosophy, allowing you to adapt and adjust your approach based on your experiences.

The authors provide a sample template for daily reflection at the end of the book. You can use this as a basis for creating your own reflection routine, perhaps incorporating it into a productivity app like Notion.

Wrapping Up

The most important message from "Make Time" is that you need to find a way to establish your own system. As John Zeratsky emphasizes, "You need to kind of get in the routine and the habit of experimenting and trying things and sort of believe that your time and your attention and your energy are yours to design and to experiment with."

You can't simply read a book or watch a video and expect your life to be perfect. Instead, you need to take ownership of your time, experiment with different techniques, and figure out what works best for you.

Remember, productivity isn't about squeezing more tasks into your day. It's about making time for what truly matters to you. By understanding the forces that make us busy (the busy bandwagon and infinity pools), and by implementing a framework like the one proposed in "Make Time," you can take control of your days and focus on what's truly important.

Start small: pick one technique from the book to try tomorrow. Reflect on how it worked for you, and gradually build your own personalized system for making time. Your future self will thank you for the effort you put in today.

Thanks for sticking with me through this deep dive into "Make Time." I hope you found it useful and that you're inspired to start making time for what really matters in your life.

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