Follow-Up
No real follow-up this week. The digital detox is still on (just finished week 3) and I have some thoughts that’ll be captured in a soon-to-be-written article. Otherwise, let’s keep it rolling!
Unfiltered email is bad for your health
A few days ago I remembered you can set up Gmail filters that automatically detect certain types of email and take action on them on your behalf. I’ve been having a lot of fun noticing which emails hit my inbox that could actually be filtered in a useful way. For example, I subscribe to a handful of newsletters but I never actually want to read them in my email program. I want to send them to Instapaper which is where everything I want to read is stored for later. Now, any time a newsletter is sent to me it is auto-archived and immediately forwarded to Instapaper. Similarly, my apartment building emails me when I have a package waiting at the front desk. Now, whenever they send me that email it gets auto-archived and automatically sent to my Things inbox (which is where I keep my reminders about stuff I need to do).
This means fewer emails in my inbox, which is always a good thing. It also eliminates the manual step I usually need to take to get the information where it needs to go.
If you aren’t regularly looking at what’s hitting your inbox with a skeptical eye and unsubscribing liberally, or making filters, then your inbox is probably much worse than it needs to be. If that doesn’t stress you out, good for you. For everyone else, see what you can prevent from ever hitting your inbox in the first place.
Check out Google’s support doc about creating filters if you’ve never made one before.
Links
I remembered I wrote an article for 99U a long time ago that summarizes why I’m so interested in attention. LINK
I read more than most people and I agree with all the advice Austin lays out here about how to read more. LINK
I’m a big fan of Basecamp and Jason Fried. As you might imagine, the man who wrote a book about working calmly has some good things to say about how he works. LINK
Speaking of Jason Fried, he was just on Shane Parrish’s The Knowledge Project podcast. I enjoyed it. LINK
Startup CEOs (and everyone else) need to do less. LINK
This was me in elementary school. Bologna sandwich, baby! LINK
Are we optimizing ourselves to death? LINK
I’ve obviously gotten over the awkwardness about sharing mundane stuff about my life, but if you need the nudge then this might help. LINK
Closing Round
Working: We re-branded The Ready’s newsletter a few weeks ago. I still write it, though. You should check it out if you don’t already subscribe.
Eating: I dug the crock-pot out this week and used it for the first time in over a year. I kind of forgot how great it is. Throw in some ingredients in the morning, go about your day, and then you have dinner.
Listening: Lots of Post Malone. I heard a song I liked during the new Spider-Man movie and that sent me down a deep Post Malone rabbit hole. This playlist is a good starting point if you’re like me and way behind the times.
Drinking: Yes Plz coffee every morning. Tap water every day. Living large!
Reading: Almost finished with 1Q84. This is my second Murakami book (other than What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, which I also love). He’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
Your very exciting friend (email, crock pots, and tap water in the same email?!),
Sam