procrastination Archives - Lifestyle Architecture Lab

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 202 // Week 27 // 2021

July 10, 2021 No Comments

Hello!

Another issue of Saturday Pentacle is here!

This week I wanted to record the next part of Decluttering Digital Life series but it’s still in progress (blame it on other works). But hopefully, it will see the (YouTube) light on Sunday (tomorrow)

This week it was a bit easier to turn my online rendezvous into this nifty little newsletter, as I’m trying to find my process back again. I think the hard part is – when you are in the moment of consumption of a piece of content, which you find captivating, to write it down and save it so that documenting or reflecting on that piece of content is easier. So I’m trying to find my groove back again.

Notion definitely helps me keep my content bank full as my weekly resonance calendar.

This past week was more intense for me at work, but I’m realizing more and more that if you are putting your full intensity and draining yourself out in the projects where others have not made the plans well and are not competitive enough while working along, it makes everything difficult. There is an invisible line which you shouldn’t let anyone cross in that perspective. If they do, you know it’s time to let go.

Running was it was a less than average week, I did just a couple of runs. Jun month has been the greatest from the running point of view this year. I hope July is better. But Mumbai rains, they make it difficult. Even though I like running in the rain but not daily. Sometimes you don’t want to feel all drenched up. Maybe the last week was one of those times.

Anyway, time for you to read on the good stuff I found the past week. Enjoy!

Issue 202 // Week 27 // 2021

Book I’m reading —

Don Quixote – I got the weird reference of this book from a sci-fi series The Expanse somewhere in the last season (5) start when James Holden (the protagonist) visits earth to meet her mother.

Now coming to the book, here is the praise for this classic as quoted from the audible page –

The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself “Don Quixote” and, with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests. Many of these adventures, including tilting at windmills, are established in European literary consciousness. Originally published in two volumes a decade apart (in 1605 and 1615).

I’ve just started listening to the audiobook last week and I can say it takes you away from the current world and I’m excited to listen to it daily.

An interesting (or fearsome) fact I learned —

What’s the scariest thing? – We all have fear of something, but what is something that we all fear from? In this amazing video of VSauce, we discover that.

I just can’t imagine how he makes videos like this (just see the production value, damn!)

A Tweet thread about procrastination i liked (click the Twitter embed and read the entire thread) —

Want to beat procrastination?

The answer is in 'The War of Art' by @SPressfield – a thread👇
— Ali Abdaal (@AliAbdaal) July 8, 2021

Music or Artist I’ve been listening to —

Sam Smith – Even though I’ve been listening in rounds to songs like Dancing with a stranger (ft. Normani) and How do you sleep etc. earlier. But after seeing an Apple Documentary this past week on Sam Smith – “On The Record: Sam Smith—The Thrill Of It All” (It came out when the album with the same name came out a few years back) on Apple Music (Not able to share the full docu link because it’s exclusively on Apple Music). I discovered Sam’s whole music-making process, his band and support group and I discovered songs like – No peace, Pray, Burning and with the mix of Gospel music fusing with other genres. It felt like I opened up to a complete line of music genres. Just mind-blowing.

Here is the song Burning –

Quote which I found meaningful –

My definition of being properly educated is being right when the professor is wrong.
— Charlie Munger

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for supporting and reading.

Himanshu

About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 202 // Week 27 // 2021

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Saturday-Pentacle

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 185 // Week 21 // 2020

May 23, 2020 No Comments

Hello!

After a previous couple of hectic weeks, this past week was a little better (except for Monday, Tuesday where the residue work of the previous weeks was being cleared up). I meditated on 4 days last week and stretched as well to calm my mind and body. The previous week, I was almost about to freak out with stress.

I was able to write more this week and finished up a few pending copywriting pieces for my blog and also finished an introduction and editing of the guest post of this past week. You can read it here.

I’m working more to improve my writing and specifically writing online. Because I’ve slowly understood that writing for different platforms is completely different. For example –

For twitter, dense ideas with clear thoughts in fewer lines.
For How to blogs – medium form simple writing with clear bullet forms which are easily consumable.
For an essay or article on a specific subject – Spend your time properly on researching on the idea, it should reflect clarity of thoughts but also the deepest knowledge about the subject.
For a book – fast and imperfect writing in your first draft, and then 2-3 edit iterations.

The most important aspect of improving your writing is sitting daily and churning out words on the screen or paper. Daily! there is no other way. I’m continuing to schedule writing every day.

Coming to the book reading/listening progress, I moved forward on below books –

Highly Productive Remote Work by Darius Foroux – 80% done (Kindle)
Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World – 60% done (an amazing book recommended by David Perell) (Kindle)
“The Sign of the Four” of the Sherlock Holmes series – 70% done (Audible)

No progress on below ones this week –

Becoming a Category of One by Joe Calloway – 20% done only (Audible)
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – 20% done only (Kindle).

That’s it for the personal updates.

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.

Issue 185 // Week 21 // 2020

An article I found useful —

How to rewire your brain to beat procrastination – This is a great article which shares the idea that as humans we are now prone to procrastination more than ever. In the world of information overload when we have to focus on a task, we have 100s of distractions ready at your palm (in the mobile phones).

Procrastination wasn’t there in ancient times. as humans evolved and reached the information age, our mind evolved and the procrastination came to light. But the way it came to be, the same way it can be overcome. Our mind can train itself to overcome procrastination, through the process called Neuroplasticity.

This article shares the definition of Neuroplasticity and how to rewire your brain to beat procrastination with different techniques like S.M.A.R.T. goals and much more.

Great useful read which anyone can start implementing in their lives.

A show I loved —

Upload – This Amazon Studios’s original show – Upload is really good. It shows that in the near future a person’s consciousness can be uploaded into a digital space and they can have a digital afterlife which is dependant on the data plan you take from a service provider. So eventually in your afterlife also your monetary value will define the quality of the place you live in. (that sounds sad and capitalistic).

But the human element in this show and all the CGI wizardry is just astounding.

I totally recommend the season 1 (season 2 is yet to come).

Here is the trailer –

A video I loved —

The Toxic World of Self Help – I resonated well with this video. James Jani (The video creator) didn’t say that everything is bad, the way it looks from the title of the video. But he put out quite a good points which one should be aware of.

Here is the summary of the wisdom from this video –

Be aware of fake gurus, which are a million in this digitally social world.
Keep yourself aware of social media and self-help rabbit-hole.
Don’t allow yourself to consume more than you take action on.
Don’t just keep on following the self-help advice like a robot, it’s ok to be human and take time for recovery and healing as well.
Focus on what your task/business needs right now. Ignore the fluff. (Action Faking – that’s a new term I learned from this video)

To learn more on this, check out the video –

Music I’m loving —

Know Your Worth by Khalid – This amazing upbeat song by Khalid kept me going this past week.

Beautiful lyrics and great music. Must listen (on repeat).

Quote which I found meaningful –

Believe in yourself. Under-confidence leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy that you are not good enough for your work.
— Dr Roopleen

Before saying “see you next week”

Here is the second story of my Lifestyle Design in Action – Story Series which I published this past week –

Craving – The state of mind

Also posted this photo on Instagram. You can check it out here or go to my Instagram for the whole story and more –

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Himanshu Sachdeva (@sachdevahimanshu) on May 4, 2020 at 12:30am PDT

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

About Author

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 185 // Week 21 // 2020

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Just enter your email address below and click “Subscribe!”

Saturday-Pentacle

Saturday-Pentacle – Week 28 – 2019

July 13, 2019 No Comments

A service I’m excited about –

Google Fi – Formerly known as Project Fi, Google Fi aims to provide a multifaceted solution to Mobile Network Coverage and Plans.

To make it more understandable – On Joining Google Fi service your device (Fi compatible – most Nexus or Pixel devices) will have access to not only one but three networks and it will automatically connect to the fastest one available. Plus whenever a faster Fi secured WiFi network is available, it will use that to connect you to the network. Plus you can go to other countries as well and easily use Google Fi to connect to the fastest network available there.

The second feature of this is the layer of security you get to prevent you from social engineering attacks.

The article I shared below (3rd point today) on digital security, talks about this service in details, so read that as well.

As of now, in India, the Google Fi is quite expensive (around $70 a month for a user). But hopefully, they’ll bring it down to a reasonable level ($10-20 a month) as Indian markets are already flooded with cheap networks.

Nonetheless, a smart service from Google to look forward to.

My most popular Instagram post recently —

Turning back from the hills!
.
…Click the photo below to read the entire story.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Himanshu Sachdeva (@sachdevahimanshu) on Jul 31, 2017 at 1:41pm PDT

An article I found fascinating —

Great Article on Security with Security keys (advance digital security) – If you have a mobile phone, you already have a vast digital life which is knitted in dangerous situations more than we know and think. This article goes to lengths to talk about the dangers and how to prevent them or deal with them if we are exposed to them.

For example – Using a physical security key on your device or using a password manager religiously.

There is a lot to learn from this article and apply immediately to our digital lives.

A video guide I found immediately useful —

A quick guide to CLEAN YOUR CAMERA SENSOR – No non-sense guide to clean your camera’s sensor (a very sensitive and super important piece on your camera). Found it really useful while cleaning my Nikon camera.

Quote I’m pondering on lately –

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday and avoiding today.
Wayne Dyer

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

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Saturday-Pentacle – Week 28 – 2019