Let's complete the cycle. You in?
Oh, hi friends!
I’m much more likely to follow productivity advice if it comes in a neat little phrase.
So the last few days I’ve been saying “complete the cycle, complete the cycle.”
I read about “completing the cycle” in a Lifehacker article about squeezing more reading time into your life. The author aimed to complete the cycle every time he picked up a book—that meant finishing a chapter, or reading for a certain amount of time. He also uses it in the context of cleaning the house. Completing the cycle means washing the dishes after making dinner, and generally, “not leaving things that can be done now for later.”
But I’ve been using it in the context of work.
If I start writing an email, I don’t want to get distracted by…another email. Or Twitter. Or a text message. I want to complete the cycle, press send, and move on.
When I begin writing a story, I want to complete the cycle, whether that means finishing a dirty draft (one with lots of holes to fill in later), or fact-checking the entire thing. The same rule applies to transcribing interviews or even something simple, like filling out my calendar for next week.
Complete. The. Cycle.
I’ve noticed a few things:
Work goes faster when you don’t get distracted (obvious, I know!).
There’s a real sense of accomplishment when you complete a cycle, no matter how big or small.
The enthusiasm that comes from finishing can be transferred into your next task/cycle.
How's that sound to you?
That'll do, pig. That'll do.
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
“I’ve done something I wanted to do for 50 years.”
***
Mike Close returned to California’s Central Valley to “send himself a message” and cross an item off his bucket list. So he swam 100 continuous 25-meter laps at the local pool—just to prove to himself that, at age 73, he could. It took him three hours and 19 minutes. I love this story from my hometown paper. (h/t Aunt Gina)
On another swimming-related note, this month Jaimie Monahan is attempting to be the fastest person to complete six marathon swims (at least 6.2 miles) on six continents within 16 days. By day she works as a recruiter for Deloitte! You really can do it all!
A Good Thing for You To Read
I dunno how it happened but I pretty much exclusively read newsletters these days? And I’ve really been loving For the Interested, a weekly digest of 10 ideas worth sharing.
Pretty much everything included is Kara catnip (so might be catnip for you, too). My favorites from last week are How to Do One Thing at a Time and A Manifesto for Creative People.
I recommend you check out For the Interested and sign up here!
Psssst, if you're a new subscriber, hi! My name's Kara. I’ll be in your inbox at 7:30 a.m. EST every weekday!
We won’t discuss the news, but we will talk about work and careers, productivity, balance, Sondheim songs, stories you might interesting, writing advice, and more. I pass along jobs that sound decent and good apartments in the city and videos and songs that might make you laugh or think or cry or grow horrified by my taste in culture. I’ll rip off the Band-Aid on my own creative failures and successes as a journalist, playwright, screenwriter, and Porg owner living in Brooklyn. (More about me at my very out-of-date website.)
I’d be very glad to hear about your life! Because we’re all in this together. That's the whole point. So hit reply anytime.
Do you like these daily emails? Please share with a friend!
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Love, Kara