I don’t have my usual high-arching newsletter bullshit today so let’s just look back at some routines I changed over the past few months.
Book notes at end of day
I often write out notes for a book a few days after I finish reading. My ‘to-do’ stack has piled up of late – I’m looking at it now, I see seven finished books plus four others ‘in progress’. I used to address the backlog in the early morning but I’ve been waking up later since taking a new job.
My current solution is to write out some notes at night. The problem is sleep hygiene, the computer possibly causing me to stay up later than if I’d just read in bed. I stopped using computers within two hours of bedtime a few years ago and I’ve slept well ever since… coincidence?
Ironically, if I stay awake because I write notes instead of reading, I deal with it by… reading in bed! I think it’s clear that once I exhaust temporary remedies, I’ll get around to the only real solution: waking up earlier.
Silent mode
At the start of my new job, I experimented with keeping my phone completely silent. I liked the results, so I’ve stuck with it during work hours and just check it during breaks. The distractions of incoming messages are gone and I don’t miss them at all.
Spending big
I always replace items by trying the cheapest option (including not replacing it at all) before upgrading as necessary. My most memorable example is when I ‘replaced’ my iPod with walking around and hearing stuff – I’m still music free, at least in public. The more common pattern is that I get by, precariously, limping through life with inferior replacements before my growing discomfort breaks my will and forces me into a higher sales tax bracket.
Let’s talk about contact lens solution. I recently tried a twin pack of the CVS store brand, a move that saved me around three bucks every few months. Stupid idea, after dealing with the knock-off for a couple of months, I’m officially shelling out the extra cash for the more ‘Hollywood’ Opti-Free PureMoist. This product has all the glittering marketing bullshit envisioned by The Founding Fathers of Capitalism – with HydraGlyde! Moisture Matrix!! #1 Doctor Recommended!!! My eyes would normally roll at stuff like this, but you know what happens when you use store brand lens solution? Your eyes dry out, and stop rolling.
