2x2: The Law of Tradeoffs

Hello friends, As I write this, my team and I are approaching the end of our first [8-week work cycle]( of 2022. We just wrapped up our retrospective meeting and in a few days we will be having our planning meeting. We made a few changes to the flow and template of our retro meeting, with the intention of: (a) celebrating and reviewing the progress and work we’ve done; and (b) setting ourselves up for the next meeting — planning — so it can be easier to make better decisions about what to focus on next. That said, welcome to this week’s 2x2 newsletter. Below, as always, you will find a couple of resources, tools, diversions, books, tools, toys, or other types of recommendations for you to check out; and then, secondly, are a couple of ideas, stories, or tips from me. Check this out 1: [Craft + Fantastical for Time Blocking Nerdery]( A look at how to use event notes in Craft along with Fantastical to create more useful time blocking. This is exactly the kind of nerdy content I’m here for. 2: [Is your phone ruining your creativity?]( This is a great, short video about the value of getting bored and making stuff. (p.s. Give “Herbert’s” phone schedule a try for a few days and let me know what you think.) Something to think about 1: The Law of Tradeoffs There are 8 Laws of Focus and one of them is the Law of Tradeoffs. As David Allen said, you can do anything but you cannot do everything. In order to give your perpetual devotion to any one thing it will require the perpetual neglect of many other things. Focus, therefore, requires tradeoffs. You can only focus on so many things at a time. And you can only focus for so many hours during the day. Instead of ignoring the limitation on your energy, embrace it and find ways to routinize and automate the non-trivial areas of your life so that even when you are not giving them your full attention and devotion, they are not being fully neglected. 2: Maximum clarity doesn’t always mean perfect clarity One definition of Focus is “Maximum Clarity”. But, in life, having maximum clarity doesn’t always mean having absolute, perfect clarity. Focus can be a graduating scale. Sometimes, having maximum clarity right now, may still seem a bit vague… maybe you are only 80% confident and clear. But that’s the best you’ve got right now so you make the best decision you can at the time with the values, motivation, and information available to you right now. Thus you must make a decision with the most amount of clarity you have right now. Knowing that, as you move forward, things will come more into view and you can make adjustments. * * * — Shawn P.S. I have had Tony Anderson’s album, Nuit, on repeat all week. [Apple Music link.]( [In-Depth App Training for Power Users]( To unsubscribe, click [here](. Blanc Media, 714 Main St., Grandview, MO 64030, United States