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The Productivity System That Actually Works—Step by Step

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• Do You Find The 21st Century Overstimulating? Try ‘Longstorming’

• How Caffeine Dose and Timing Affect Our Sleep Physiology

• The Simple But Powerful Productivity System That Actually Works

Do You Find The 21st Century Overstimulating? Try ‘Longstorming’
Dr. Vincent Ialenti

Lights, Camera, ...
Feeling overstimulated by the fast pace of 21st-century life? Try "longstorming." Unlike traditional brainstorming, which often churns out quick ideas, longstorming, inspired by philosopher Byung-Chul Han's "age of haste," invites us to slow down and recalibrate by immersing ourselves in nature’s vast, timeless spaces—places like forests or starlit skies. This practice, echoing deep time, helps us reflect on the fleeting nature of our lives and encourages awe, curiosity, and contemplation. In such moments, the immediacy of daily stresses fades, replaced by a more profound connection to the Earth's history and future. Longstorming offers not just a break, but a necessary shift in how we experience time.

Action!

1. Find a quiet, awe-inspiring location – Ideally, choose an expansive natural space, such as a forest, mountainside, beach, or starry night sky. If that's not accessible, any calm outdoor area can work.

2. Slow down and tune in – As you walk, observe the details around you—ancient trees, rock formations, flowing water, or the open sky. Let your mind wander to the vast history and processes that shaped these surroundings.

3. Expand your imagination across time – Imagine the long timelines at play. Visualize the past lives of these landscapes and ponder what they may look like far into the future. Consider the resilience of nature across centuries and your place within it.

4. Reflect on your place in this timeline – After leaving, note any new insights or perspectives. Longstorming can help you reset your pace, bringing a sense of clarity and peace that combats the hurried “age of haste.”

How Caffeine Dose and Timing Affect Our Sleep Physiology
Brady Holmer

Lights, Camera, ...
Caffeine, even if it doesn't feel like it, affects your sleep more than you might realize. While some claim they can drink coffee late at night and still sleep fine, studies show that caffeine impacts sleep quality in subtle ways, especially with larger doses. A recent study shows that doses above 100 mg too close to bedtime—especially around 4 hours before—can disrupt both your sleep architecture and subjective sleep quality, reducing deep sleep and increasing wakefulness. The closer caffeine consumption is to sleep time, the worse the effects—it's a reminder that our perception of sleep quality isn't always the full picture. So, if you want better sleep, it's wise to avoid high doses of caffeine in the 8-12 hours before bed.

Action!

• To improve sleep quality, avoid consuming more than 100 mg of caffeine in the 8-12 hours before bedtime and any caffeine within 4 hours of bedtime.

The Simple But Powerful Productivity System That Actually Works
Alex Miguel Meyer

Lights, Camera, ...
Juggling life, work, and personal goals without feeling overwhelmed is possible—if you have a system that works with your brain, not against it. After years of trial and error with productivity techniques, Alex Meyer created a streamlined approach that balances ambition with mindfulness. Imagine staying focused and calm, knowing exactly what to work on without the stress of endless to-do lists. The Personal Productivity System (PPS) blends elements from top productivity frameworks into a single, intuitive cycle to prioritize, organize, and keep you on track.

Action!

1. Collect Everything in One Inbox (The “Single Source of Truth”)

   1. Choose a tool to collect incoming information, like virtual sticky notes (e.g., Miro), a physical notebook or app.

   2. Whenever ideas, tasks, or reminders pop up (e.g., from emails, meetings, or daily thoughts), add them to it.

2. Assess What to Do with Each Item — Schedule at least one session each day to review items in your inbox and ask the following two questions:

   1. Q1: “Do I need to take action?”
      If No: Eliminate, file, or save it in an "Idea Parking Lot."
      If Yes: Move to Q2.

   2. Q2: "Will this take more than 2 minutes?"
      If Less than 2 minutes: Do it right away.
      If More than 2 minutes: Add it to the Eisenhower Matrix Kanban.

3. Prioritize with the Eisenhower Matrix Kanban — Create an Eisenhower Matrix within a Kanban board, assigning each task to one of these categories:

   1. Do First (urgent & important)

   2. Schedule (important but not urgent)

   3. Delegate (urgent but not important)

   4. Eliminate (not urgent, not important)

4. Create a Daily Plan

   1. Every morning, review your Eisenhower Matrix Kanban, choose tasks from the “Do First” quadrant, and assign a specific time for each.

   2. Set up blocks of time on your calendar based on task categories (e.g., deep work, meetings, admin).

5. Review & Refine

   1. At the end of each day, spend 30 minutes refining your Eisenhower Matrix Kanban. This is also a good time to process any quick tasks.

   2. At the end of each month, look through your “Idea Parking Lot” and revisit your overall priorities.

   3. Experiment with different tools (whiteboards, journals, apps), time thresholds (2 min to 5 min), or using just Kanban or Eisenhower Matrix to see what suits your style best.

TOOL TIP

Strava: A free app that connects you with millions of runners, cyclists, hikers, and other active people through the sports you love. Build community, find local routes and their records, follow professional athletes and their specific workouts, or just have it as your personal workout record with powerful analyses.

FUN FACT

Flashlights got their name because they could only produce flashes of light. Hubert’s first portable flashlights were hand-made from crude paper and fiber tubes, with a bulb and a rough brass reflector. Because batteries were weak and bulbs primitive, flashlights of the era produced only a brief flash of light- thus the name.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.