Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

An everyday system, TM, is a simple, commonsense solution to an everyday problem, grounded by a pun or metaphor. Propose/discuss new systems here.
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Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by reinhard » Wed Mar 30, 2022 6:41 pm

The formatting of the transcript is a little inconsistent (working on that) but hopefully good enough for now:

https://everydaysystems.com/podcast/episode/64/

Hope you enjoy it. Very curious if any of the titles for potential future episodes resonated.

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Re: Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by NoSDoc » Thu Mar 31, 2022 6:23 pm

Dear Reinhard,

thanks you so much for another podcast. Amazing how methodic you are in developing your systems. I always add something to my "punch cards" and then stop writing something at a certain corner without too much thought. Maybe the Librarian has found a playground here :wink: ;-)

I got two questions. The Shadow Boxing, Stretching, PushUps and PullUps are all part of your 14 Minute Shovelglove routine? Or do you extend the 14 Minutes to get some extra health stuff (stretches / Golfer's Elbow treatment) in?

The 2nd question somehow relates to the first and is maybe a bit more of an idea / request for a podcast segment: how do you manage to fit all your Time Boxes in your day? Sure, they are short, but they add up (7 Minutes plus 7 Minutes + 7' plus Urban Ranger plus plus plus...). Do you consider getting up early a separate system? Some people in the self help scene put a lot of emphasis on getting up early. If this does not get too personal the podcast could describe a typical day in the life of Reinhard Engels... :-) I mean somehow you fit all this in next to a job and a busy family life. The moment I have an evening appointment all "my systems" get in real trouble. Would be interesting to hear how you manage to do all that.

Yours, all the best and thank you again!

Stefan

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Re: Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by reinhard » Fri Apr 01, 2022 3:59 pm

Hi Stefan,

Good questions, all around!

Middle age has been challenging on the exercise front. I always imagined my physical powers would gradually decline, but no, it's been sudden shocks, some recoverable, to a degree, some possibly not, and others still in the recovery process (I hope!).

First it started when I could no longer run during early covid when I was so excited at all the running possibilities presented by this eerie, shut down world. I promptly got runners knee and after two years of PT exercises and laying off, I still can't really run anymore...

Shovelglove, my inspiration for schedulaistically significant time, I no longer measure in terms of time, but in terms of reps per movement. Those had to go down with my "golfers" elbow injury in October, so freeing up some additional time for all the stretches, etc. I now have to do on top of it. The pushups and pullups (mostly on hiatus now as well until golfers elbow is 100%) take a very few minutes -- they are very intense. It's really all the stretching that is time consuming and I can't wait to be able to reduce it. The hole business currently takes closer to half an hour than 14 minutes, but again, my hope is when the stretching goes down the total time will as well. I have to start waking up my middle daughter in the middle of it (6:30) and my wife needs the TV for her exercise routine at 6:45 so there are some hard external constraints.

So in terms of how I make time for all this, not being able to run anymore helps in that regard. :-) I loved it, and miss it, but it ate "timeboxes" for breakfast.

And of course, early rising also helps. My week-daily alarm is set for 4:44 am, on weekdays I let myself sleep in to 5:55. I've experimented with earlier and later, and this seems to be the right balance for me between exhaustion and keeping a grip on chaos. Plus the rep-digits aka angel numbers are irrationally motivating. :-) I sometimes worry this doesn't add up to quite enough sleep, but I'm very regular, and my quality of sleep is good. I'm usually out like a light well before 10, and my fitbit gives me good sleep "quality" scores for what it's worth.

It's during that 2 hour early morning period before everyone else is in my business that I stuff most of my routines. That way I prioritize them by doing them first, and at a time when other competing pressures can't often interrupt them. If I have piles of work or other todos (taxes, say, or a big presentation to prepare for) that do manage to intrude on this time, I flex my routines by still doing them (usually) but with shorter timeboxes. Sometimes ridiculously, almost uselessly short, just to preserve the habit. 14 will become 10 or 7. 7 will become 5 or 3.

I'll try to give a fuller picture if I get around to doing that "Aristotelean Self-Portrait" episode I mentioned, which is basically an exercise in habit/routine mapping against a calendar.

My inspiration for early rising is Anthony Trollope. I love his novels, of which he wrote 47 (plus short stories and non-fiction), and he attributed the secret of his success to "early rising." By which he meant being at his desk by 5. Then 3 hours of methodical writing to a word count quota with his Victorian stopwatch equivalent, then down to the ministry for his day successful job running some important government post, then to the theater or the club or the races or dinner with his family -- he had a full life!

Hope this is illuminating? Thanks again for your continued feedback and encouragement!

Reinhadr

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Re: Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by NoSDoc » Sun Apr 03, 2022 6:55 pm

Dear Reinhard,

thanks for your detailed answer. I really hope those questions don't annoy you!

What really clicked with me was staying on a habit even with tiny amounts of time. I had so much trouble following my 45 Minute Study Habit, even only once a week. Just like a long workout: good, if it happens, but difficult to stick with. So I decided to go for that "Time Box Version" of a daily Study habit. Will let you know how it works. At least it "feels" right and doable now!

Also with the voice recorder Audiodidact output is getting stronger.

Yours, all the best from Germany

Stefan

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Re: Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by reinhard » Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:28 pm

Not at all! I am very grateful for your interest!

Glad audiodidact output is resonating and good luck with your timeboxing tweaks!

Reinhard

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Re: Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by etomaria » Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:33 am

Nothing profound, just wanted to say I have come back here to your site yet again (have read and re-read your basic original posts many times since first finding them gotta be about twelve or more years ago?) and am just as impressed with the insight and wisdom housed herein! And now podcasts too! Yay! Anyway, just a note of encouragement and gratitude. Thanks!

Maria
-Maria

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Re: Podcast #64: State of the Systems Part 3 (Meta)

Post by reinhard » Tue Apr 26, 2022 5:03 pm

You're very welcome, Maria! And thank you for your kinds words. Good to see you here again.

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