A Medium publication of personal productivity essays, including distraction-free iPhone use, information overload, and job search tactics.
HN commenters link it for ideas like the Impending Doom Engine for clearing reading backlogs and for outsourcing a job search.
> what would you do when your gf/bf/wife/husband complains about it?
When my wife complains about it, I just listen. She's also a working professional who works a ton more than I do so it's usually a red flag if she brings it up. A lot of times it's not about coming up with a resolution but just trying to understand what she is frustrated with.
> So how do you handle this balance?
When I first started working remote about 10 years ago I didn't think it was an issue. It was supposed to be the dream setup.
But then I eventually had kids and started my own company and saw the lines between work/life blur. At first I told myself this was natural since it was one of the side affects of being remote but I quickly became dissatisfied with that answer. This was especially the case when I felt like I had to start choosing between time with my family and time for work.
I eventually came to realize that life stuff (i.e. family, relationships, etc.) aren't a time suck from work but a healthy constraint.
For me, success does not come from pouring every ounce of energy I have into work but from embracing the constraints of my life. I use these constraints to focus on the most important things I have to do for work so that I can get back to my family as soon as possible.
For more of a practical standpoint the following are the things I do to manage the balance (especially since my home is where I work).
- Have doors on the office.
- Family time, is strictly family time. No emails…
About news, read this article from Aaron Swartz:
http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/hatethenews
"I think following the news is a waste of time."
Now I get all my news from weekly newsletters in an email inbox I only open on Saturdays. The rest of the week I don't read any news.
I use Nutshellmail.com for getting my twitter feed emailed to me on Saturdays.
Also:
Fighting Information Overload With The Impending Doom Engine
https://medium.com/life-hacks/fighting-information-overload-with-the-impending-doom-engine-9cbd3899b87
- ODesk
- Buying Facebook ads
- Show up in SF and hit up all the various hacker houses / meetups / etc.
- Outsource your job search: https://medium.com/life-hacks/3e990967a1f3
- Contact tech recruiters
More for read it later services like pocket, but I like https://medium.com/life-hacks/fighting-information-overload-with-the-impending-doom-engine-9cbd3899b87
Basically delete everything every week.
Link to the actual article: https://medium.com/life-hacks/80f8d525b0d8