Open Diary – Page 2

I’ve always had difficulties handling many productive applications. The volume of loose information leaves me without my feet on the ground. In the pre-Notion era, when I used Todoist + Evernote, I felt that there was no connection between reference files, tasks, and the management of projects. In 2019, I met Notion and since then we have been in a long-term relationship that, at times, was even abusive on my part. Notion was originally not born to be a task and project management app, just a personal Wikipedia, but today for me (and many) it has become the center of almost everything I manage. It is literally a practical and emotional dependence. Notion is currently my second brain, I depend on it for everything, from tasks to recipes and lake house ideas that I have no expectations. In addition to Notion, I also use google calendar, of course.

Below, I explain how my Notion is currently in October 2022. It is certain that in two months my setup will probably be a little different. I adjust something almost weekly. I remove what doesn’t work to make it cleaner, or add some new visualization to help with a specific new project. I remember that when I was doing my master’s, I created lists to manage the contents that I should study and work on, and even today this content management is useful. Notion for me is a living system. It took me about 2 years to get to my setup that I now consider ideal.

Some important observations:

If you do not have experience in working with Notion and Databases, perhaps this content may seem a little confusing. Let’s say this content is intermediate or advanced in Notion.
The evolution of your personal system takes time. Firstly, you need to know understand the platform and know how to operate it. Secondly, to understand the need for your routine and its execution. Notion can be a bottomless pit if you don’t understand your current reality and the need for your current work. You can easily waste more time and energy organizing your system than executing what you really need. Many fall into this trap hole as the tool offers infinite possibilities.
Notion, and any other productivity software, is there to serve us, not the other way around. That’s why I strongly recommend that you don’t coldly copy my system, it may take you longer to understand it than create a new one from zero according to your needs and life situation.

This is my current setup:

Today I work with three databases: Projects, objectives and another general one that today is called “Worktable”. The projects and objectives databases only include an overview of each one, their management can be found in my main database “Work Table”. That’s where I concentrate all the information that comes in. When adding a new page (any kind of content or information) I have this template:

Believe me, you probably don’t need all these properties.

The “Type” list separates my big lists:

1. Inbox

Everything new that has not yet been processed (organized) comes to this list.

Using the extension Web Clipper, in addition to saving links, I also manage the tasks in my email: I save the link and generate a task. So that no task is “loose” in my email box.

2. Worktable

On day-to-day I focus on my “Worktable”, where I can visualize the week’s tasks as a menu, just like GTD prescribes, divided by contexts:

This view also supports any file that I have given a date assigned, so these items appear for me in my “Work Table” on a specific day.

My class notes are saved as “Notes” (which would be the “Reference” in the GTD method) – I assign a date for reviewing;
Information about a meeting that is saved as “Notes” – I assign a date when this information will be important for me to have on hand (e.g. for a meeting or an upcoming event);
For items marked as “Waiting” – I assign the agreed deadline;
“Incubated” items that I eventually assign date;
Content I want to consume on a specific date.

How do I do it?

3. Projects

I use it occasionally daily or in the weekly review to get an overview of the projects. I can see many lists related to projects: notes, contents, tasks, incubate, waiting… etc. Here, I have also a database called “Project Structure” where I have general information about the projects.

4. Areas

Thinking about GTD’s Horizons of focus, here I divided everything by area to facilitate the search, especially for projects and content. At work, I like to perform by the context of the week, for example, Monday: Talent Acquisition, Tuesday: Compensation and Benefits, Wednesday: Culture and Leadership, etc. This vision is very helpful for managing different times.

I have areas that I am not officially responsible for, but I still consume content, take notes and prepare myself for future challenges. If I talk about the subject, or it is within my current area of expertise, I consider it a responsibility, even if that responsibility is just to keep me informed about it.

I divide it into two big blocks: personal and professional areas. This is my professional area:

5. Objectives

Long-term goals and objectives with more than +3 years (GTD horizon 3). Here I also have a different database, just to have an overview of my objectives. I review these lists in the quarterly reviews (when the season changes).

6. Contents

Everything I’ve seen and found interesting to consume later. I associate to what it has to do with: projects, areas of life, goals etc. They can be links, PDFs, images, videos, recipes, series books etc.

Not all images can be saved to Pinterest, not all books are on Amazon. I prefer to keep them here.

7. Incubated

Future plans, dreams, and expectations without any action at the moment. It’s my repository of good ideas.

8. Notes

In these lists, I also save files that are references, the difference from the list of contents is that these references have already been seen/consumed. It is an already made reference, for review only, while the content is “to do” references. Here, I also save notes in general that are not extracted from any content, such as texts written by me.

9. Waiting

This list has no mystery, it’s everything I’m waiting for someone or some task that I can only do on a specific date. If there is something recurring, I don’t put it here, I put it on the calendar. Ex: bills; weekly/monthly review; planning; housework, etc.)

10. Who

At a certain point, I had the need to have a view per person. This solved many problems, as I can gather all kinds of information associated with a person. Example: meeting notes (e.g. one-on-one), some content I want to consume related to someone, pending tasks, projects involving people, etc. It is very useful when we meet with someone, and we have everything related to that person.

11. Archive.

Finally, where everything is , absolutely everything. Those marked as “checked” I delete every 2 years, so as not to overwhelm Notion. Until today, I’ve never needed a file so old that I have already given it as “checked” after 2 years. However, I may rethink this and save it for longer, but the need has not yet arisen.

“What? 5:50 am?
I’m not in the barracks”.

That was a friend’s response when I mentioned that I wake up a little before 6 am. Amongst the astonishment and criticism of this habit, I curiously noticed what it means to many people, including my past self. Unconsciously, waking up before the necessary time to get ready for work is associated with sleep deprivation and a loss of freedom. Since my friend didn’t ask me about my morning activities or my bedtime, the focus was solely on the time itself.

I wonder if our current understanding as adults stems from a lifetime of waking up and immediately diving into something that “has to be done.” The early hours of the day were usually unpleasant obligations, not by choice, not for fun or pleasure, but because we had to. We used to wake up and go straight to school, and now we wake up and go straight to work. However, nobody complains about getting up early to take a trip, pick up someone they love at the airport, or on their wedding day. It’s not about the time; it’s about what we do.

If you, as the reader, share this experience of being human, you likely function best in the first hours after waking up, whether it’s 5 or 10 am. Intuitively, this makes sense, doesn’t it? Throughout the day, our energy levels deplete. However, immediately after recharging and resting, our energy level is higher (assuming we sleep the recommended 7-8 hours). Depriving yourself of sleep to join the 5 AM club is certainly a bad idea.

There are treatments to balance and restore our natural rhythm, such as reducing stimulation, improving melatonin production, and establishing routine schedules that support our circadian cycle. My evening ritual determines my morning routine; it helps my future self do what I want. But that’s a subject for the next post.

If you believe you perform better at night, experiencing the best version of yourself in the morning might be surprising. You might realise that you’re not utilizing your best self yet.

It's important to note that these observations apply to the majority of people in general, not necessarily to everyone or in exceptional circumstances. Perhaps you have a young child and can't regulate your sleep as you would like, or you have a health issue that goes beyond simple habits. Adapt your reality; no one else lives your life or knows what's best for you.

The first few hours of the day hold precious time when our body, mind, and creativity are at their best. Have you noticed how, in the morning, the problems of the previous day seem smaller? How irritability decreases? How we gain clarity on our doubts, fears, or regrets? It’s like a new blank page, with less pollution and noise.

Since the early hours are characterized by clarity, well-being, tranquillity, and energy, how can you make the most of them? How can you wake up early, like a child on Christmas morning, ready to open presents? I have been waking up before 6 am for over 10 years, and I have tested and adapted various widely discussed methods.

What I have realised and learned throughout this process is:

1 – I could understand that I come first.

My best hours belong to me.

Work is a part of my life, such as taking care of finances, my home, and my relationships. All areas are important. But there is one that always stays and supports all of them: my well-being, my mental health and my relationship with myself. Waking up and not going straight to work makes me prioritize myself. It means putting myself first, before letting the world in

I believe that what and how I perform for companies and customers is just the result of whom I have become. I am the product, I carry it up wherever I go. The ID badges are provisional and borrowed, but I remain. Consequently, those who depend on my work will get the most out of me more focused, energized, optimistic and creative.

2 – I need to know what works for me and think about consistency, in the long term

For some, waking up at 5 is wonderful. But in my life, is it okay to go to bed at 9 pm? Maybe on a weekday, but on the weekend it would go over some hours. No, not for me, thank you. Our body works better with more consistency at bedtime. Most of the day a variation of one hour doesn’t change much, and on weekends even two hours is considered ok. More than that can get in the way of consistency, and the lack of consistency makes the process of waking up at the desired time more difficult, and above all, makes us tired throughout the day. For me, what has been working is a routine where I wake up at 6 am and go to bed at around 10 pm.

3 – I must protect this moment from:

What all rituals have in common is the protection of YOUR moment from the outside world. No mobile, no communication, and as little noise as possible.

External Villain: the telephone and its hypnotic distractions

Solution 1 – Don’t depend on the phone to wake up

Does this mean I did affirmations to program my subconscious to wake up at 5:50 am? No, I just bought an old-fashioned alarm clock. This one in particular has gradual lighting, which helps a lot in my mood when I’m waking up. It’s especially useful when you live in a country where half the year you wake up in the darkness.

Solution 2 – Automatic app blocking

There are many apps for this. On iPhones, this function exists natively. Of course, you can unlock it, my friend. It will only generate more friction that makes you think better if you really want to start your morning with a photo of Kim Kardashian or do what makes you feel better. I leave some apps unblocked, like the meditation ones.

Solution 3 – Allow calls

I usually block messages and notifications, but I allow calls. This way, I don’t expect any urgent matters to be communicated through messages, and I can enjoy uninterrupted personal time. People still tend to call in case of emergencies, right?

Solution 4 – Don’t depend on the phone to know that your time is over

I created an appointment in the calendar when the event ends, so I don’t have to check the time.

Internal Villain: Millions of ideas popping up on how to conquer the world.

A notepad for writing ideas solves this problem. I capture everything that comes to mind, and at the end of the day, I process that list using a classic GTD step. So at that moment I don’t process or execute them, I just write them down, so I don’t forget and feel freer.

Now, this activity is one of my best practices. I love the sensation of freedom which comes when I don’t have to do anything. It’s like having the discipline to be there every day to serve my freedom to be what I want to be. Dreaming, imagining, creating, and feeling. Always on my terms.

What to do?

This question is completely personal. Following someone else’s script doesn’t say I’m choosing my timing. I’ve already tried doing several things and I’m always adjusting. I’m constantly adding and removing activities. It depends on how my energy is on the day, what my body asks for, the season, the weather, or the moon. Experimentation is the only answer.

I make a list of what I like to do on paper, some days I do a little of each, and other days one or two.

Staying with my cat.
Contemplating nature – behind my house there is a small forest, depending on the season I just walk outside or simply admire it through the window. Here the seasons are well-defined, so it’s quite charming to look at the snow or autumn leaves on the ground 🍂.
I am inspired by Ayurveda in some habits: scraping my tongue and drinking water with a little lemon as the first tasks in the morning.
Yoga: asanas (physical exercise), pranayama (breathing exercise) and meditation. Here I stay for around 1 hour.
Some affirmations and reminders for the month related to my habits and what I want to improve about myself.
Reading – About 30 min.

Additionally, this type of activity disconnects us from the external world and allows us to connect with our body, our breathing and especially with what we feel. In the medium and long term, it made me listen to myself better, get to know myself better and, consequently, be more authentic.

What energizes you? (not necessarily what brings pleasure). I suggest you make a list of offline activities you’ve done and enjoyed. Here are a few ideas of what you can do:

Reading
Doing stretches
Writing – thanks, ideas, a book, diary
Drawing or painting
Listening to any music, podcast, book
Walking
Praying
Or it can be just: stop and listen – pay attention to how you are in the rhythm of breathing. What is the content of your thoughts? Writing it down on paper will give you clarity, self-awareness, and comfort (it’s real!).

How to make life easier for the ritual to happen:

Create causes for the ritual to happen:

Where will I stay? Need to tidy up the environment?
Should I separate something in advance? Clothes, books, notes, etc.
What do I deserve in my, and only my, atmosphere? Do I deserve a cosy blanket? A scented candle? An inspiration playlist?

What does your inner muse need? Pampering your inner muse will make her stronger, more self-assured, and comfortable in her own skin.

How to be consistent

I must say that rigidity in the first few days of the habit is key. After a few weeks, this moment should become so fundamental and essential, that it will be easy to say no to other things. Here, done is better than perfect, and you’ll probably find yourself on the way. At first, it may not be ideal as you may feel very sleepy. But gradually, your body understands your new schedule. But in the first few days, focusing on the structure is critical for building habit muscles. Again: consistency is more important than excellence.

I write on paper what I want and like to do. On one side the morning ritual, and on the other the evening ritual. I don’t follow strictly, it’s just inspiration. I see what my body and my state ask for at the moment. Sometimes, just reading the affirmations I want for my life is enough. Sometimes reading about my big goals cheers me up more. Another day, just brushing my cat and letting him lay on top of me is enough. Sometimes stretching my back and meditating. I do what energises me, and that thought “do it without feeling like it” doesn’t work here.

At this moment, in the conditions I have today, what’s best for me?

Improve and adjust

The ritual is not fixed, you will develop it.

I review my list each month and see if the current season call for different things. Sometimes I must read more, or I’m too agitated and need to meditate longer. I write it down in my reminders to check in periodically on what I need most.

In conclusion, having a set date to think about what we do in the early hours of the day helps us to be aware of what we want and seek.

REFERENCES:

1 – Time to decide: Diurnal variations on the speed and quality of human decisions – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010027716302414