I can’t stress this enough—protect your attention like you protect your friends, family, money, etc. It’s among the most valuable things you have.
Having fewer things to do is the best way to get things done. I’m very careful with my time and attention—it’s my most precious resource. If you don’t have that, you can’t do what you want to do. And if you can’t do what you want to do, what’s the point?
What’s your best time-saving shortcut or life hack?
Saying no. Techniques and hacks are all about managing what happens when you say yes to too many things. All the techniques and hacks in the world never add up to the power of no.
Forty hours is enough when you actually have 40 hours to use for your work, versus showing up for 40 or 50 or 60+ but only having 15 or 20 to yourself.
I have dinner with my wife, not my work. I go to sleep with my wife, not my work. First thing in the morning, I get my kid, not my work. When it’s time to work, I focus. But when it’s over, it’s gotta go. But when I do need to recharge, I hit nature—the woods, botanical gardens, anywhere I can take a walk around something green.
I never schedule anything that would require me to be up before my natural wake-up time, so I just get up naturally. Forcing yourself awake at an arbitrary time is a good way to have a shitty morning.
“If you don’t ask, you don’t get." Such a simple rule. If you want something, ask for it. If you want someone to buy something you’re selling, ask them to buy it. If you want someone’s help in spreading the word, ask them to spread the word. The worst thing isn’t that they say no—the worst thing is that they would have done something for you if you’d only asked.
“No one ever went broke taking a profit." That’s core to how we run our business. Basecamp has been in business for 17 years, and profitable all 17.
How about this... What do readers want to know? Let’s compile 100 questions and I’ll answer all 100 in a single shot for a future article.