The One-Minute Skim:

My Process for Organizing Work + Life in Notion

How do I keep track of it all? I’ve laid out my entire process just for you! Discover how Tiago Forte’s PARA Method keeps me organized so that my mind is free to think about important things…
like who’s going to win season 2 of The Traitors.

Fellow achiever!

Ya feelin’ confident about being way ahead of the comfort zone crowd?

Then I wrote this love note for you, boo.

Let's face it. The whole "comfort zone" spiel has been done to death. You've heard it from every motivational speaker, self-help guru, and LinkedIn influencer ad nauseam.

It’s 101 stuff. The proof is in the pudding!

You get your hustle on.

You’re smashing goals left and right.

Comfort zone? Ha! Not in your vocabulary!

So, when the subject comes up again, you move along to the next because you’re (obviously!) light-years away from the dreaded comfort zone.

But here's the thing—your mind is a crafty little devil. It has this way of convincing you that your new level of cruise control is equivalent to epic peak performance.

That’s when… BAM! You're stuck in a rut you never saw coming.

Even high achievers, armed with an arsenal of impressive skills, can find themselves trapped in a plateau of mediocrity.

…not to freak you out or anything. 😬

Want the good news?

Life doesn’t have to be a grind. Far from it, actually. Don’t assume that because we’re scrutinizing your new level of comfort, it means you must inevitably do more.

Because that ain’t it. Please don’t do more.

It’s time to assess where you are and figure out how to get the heck out of this dark-scary-hole-of-a-disappointing plateau.

(Yes, I know plateaus aren’t holes… but they sure feel like it sometimes!)

If you suspect you’re one of these high achievers in denial of being in a new comfort zone, chill out. Here’s the plan:

Step 1: Track your Time Like You Track Your Skincare Regimen

You never forget your moisturizer. That simply would not happen. So, let’s be as diligent about time and where we spend it. Grab a spreadsheet or your trusty index cards and, for a week, keep track of the tasks you do and how long you do them. No changes yet—simply observe where your time goes.

Step 2: Categorize (Don’t Judge!) Your Actions

Ever heard of Cal Newport? Dude knows his stuff. In his bestselling book So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Newport talks about the importance of building rare and valuable skills. After all, if you want a rare and valuable career, you should bring something extraordinary to the table, right? Assess and categorize how much of your time is dedicated to honing those rare and valuable skills versus, well, just getting stuff done. If you want to know how you can get more time back in your day, this is the step that will show you exactly where to find it. Be ruthless about cutting out what doesn’t matter to you!

Step 3. Activate The Stretch Zone

Sure, you might be crushing it right now. But are you pushing yourself to new heights? Time to shake things up. What skills can you develop that nudge you just beyond the world you know right now? How much time can you spend building more rare and valuable skills? When can you plan to stretch yourself?

As you pencil in next week’s agenda, make room for something weird. A little discomfort never hurt anyone! Just ask Wim Hof. Allocate time to level up those skills and begin prepping for takeoff on your first-class trip to new levels far outside of that cozy little comfort zone.

Because just like the gurus say, that is where the magic happens! 🪄