Hey, Matt here!
Welcome to the first new list of 2024 AND to the new readers since last issue. A reminder that you can find me on the web and on Threads, which is even better now that the European users have arrived!
Thanks for joining me - now, onto the good stuff!
Monday Motivation. Get ready to hack your performance in 2024. Seven excellent strategies for upping your productivity. I am 100% NOT a fan of 'work harder', but there are some great ideas in this list - especially #1 which is about meticulously tracking your time for a while, in order to understand how you use it. I do this exercise every six months, and I find it really ensures I know where I am focusing my time. Item #6 is another one I've worked hard on over the last few months and I'm finding more success.
Streaks. The best way to get really good at anything is to do that thing on a regular basis, thoughtfully, and with the goal of doing it slightly better every time. Read/watch about the power of escalating streaks. This is what I'm getting at with my 2024 intention of consistency.
Tiny. 100 Tiny Changes to transform your life. I love these lists that pop up around the new year, there is always something new that resonates. #24 is excellent, #41 is great advice for anyone and #45 is one that I do in my house.
Detox. Even a partial digital detox is a good idea. This writer found a compromise position on using her phone quite as much on a family holiday.
Booze. Don't quit drinking. I'm never going to advocate for zero alcohol, but changing the way that you think about drinking can really help your health and wellbeing. Some excellent ideas here.
Things. Things that aren't doing the thing. Stop making excuses, and get on with the thing you need to do. Do the Thing.
Colours. 39 colours that you've probably never heard of. I'm going to be looking for a t-shirt in 'bastard-amber' for the springtime.
Photos. Extraordinary Photography in this beautiful portfolio from Zay Yar Lin.
Terrifying. A mountain lion stalks a hiker for six minutes. Not sure I'd have stayed filming for so long!
Pasta. Boom Bap Fusilli or Moody Day Linguine. Barilla has a selection of Spotify Playlists that are timed exactly so that you can cook your pasta perfectly.
Excel. The final of the 2023 World Excel Championships. Yep, Excel. The commentary on this is outstanding!
Finally. CardGames.io - this is a great site that can help you pass some time playing classic games. Includes my personal favourite, Reversi - and some I have never heard of. Pinochle anyone?
🔈 Stuff to Listen to...
🎧 This the first audio treat of the year is something really interesting.
Intiha is a collaboration between Chilean instrumentalist Nicolas Jaar, and singer/songwriter and author Ali Sethi, who grew up in Pakistan.
This album takes Urdu poetry, and vocalisations and sets them over Jaar's intricate and lightweight electronica. The word 'intiha' is from Hindi, and means 'totality' which feels appropriate as the vocals seems to complete the work that Jaar previously released on the album Telas. Sethi used loops from the 2020 album to devise the vocals for this work.
The outcome is both beguiling and beautiful. I've listened to this on repeat for the past few weeks and I find something new every time I hear it.
Highly recommended album.
Stuff someone said.
If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally.
Eckhart Tolle - The Power of Now
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