STREAMLINE 2018

As far back as I can remember at the beginning of each year, I have looked toward the future and given myself a task to complete, locked myself into a yearly resolution and tried my best. Sadly almost every time I’d fail about a month in, leading me to try different methods of ‘motivation’ with each passing year. Eventually after some time this “new year, new me” feeling crystallised into the idea of a “yearly theme” rather than a yearly resolution.

For about six years now I have consistently chosen a theme to help guide me in a new direction. I’ve found that themes are better than a resolution, where a  defined goal like “lose 20kg” can easily lead you amiss the moment you have a piece of cake. A theme “the year of health” can be all encompassing, with small goals throughout the whole year. Perhaps starting with small diet changes, maybe midyear finally getting that pain in your shoulder checked. I’ve found that small changes, and “back of mind” theme thinking really works at changing my internal attitude and actions.

Previous years themes have been focused on things like, “Knowledge”, “Independence”, “Change” or “Representation” each leading me to improve my life in a variety of ways. This year’s theme was a little different with a strong focus on ‘how’ I do the things I do rather than ‘what’ I do. Streamline 2018 is very much aimed at automating and improving the processes of my life. It might seem boring and possibly like a silly theme to choose but for me at the start of this year it was perfect. In Dec 2017 I had just become engaged, had for the first time become a home owner, and was bombarded with a messy mix of half organised dysphoria. I wanted this year, to really to get my life to a place that runs itself. Now before you get all “you can’t automate your life”…”Life is about going with the flow”…”not everything can go to plan”. Let me just stop you right there and say that a more “go with the flow” kind of life, is what I’m aiming for. Less thinking about when, who, how, why and a bigger focus on enjoying the ride.

As a Jedi in Star Wars put it – “try to focus on the moment. Feel, don’t think”. Sadly the part missing from that quote is the explanation that it takes a massive amount of thinking and automation to get your life to a place where you don’t have to ‘think’.

A few years back during what I call ‘The Year of Knowledge’ I started listening to more podcasts and reading more educational books to widen my thinking. One lesson from all this was the idea of getting things ‘off your mind’ letting your mind be free and not letting your thoughts be constantly burdened by the “things I mustn’t forget” or “things I have to do”. The most basic example of this is leaving that paper-work you just have to take to work tomorrow by the door the night before, so that the dopy half-awake zombie that rolls out of bed in the morning has no chance of missing it.

This concept, however basic, started me down a path of a streamlined life, because we’ve all done that. We have all left the important thing by the door and when you do you feel secure and safe in the knowledge that things are prepared, tomorrow is ready and I don’t have to worry about it now – my mind is free.

So starting simple, I strengthened my organisational skills, and dove deeper into the ‘GTD’ system from the book Getting Things Done by David Allen. This also kicked off a strict but simple weekly loop of plan, review, do, capture. It’s amazing how empty your head can become when every crazy thought gets written down for thinking about later during review time. Not to mention that the rest of the week becomes a breeze consisting of looking at a check list that says “Call Brian about…”. All of a sudden that brain monkey can be free to run around not thinking – just doing.

Obviously I’m not a robot and often that list goes un-checked, but just knowing that there is a list with everything on it, is all I need to hold on to that feeling of ‘free’. So how do I stay on track when work must be done? When the house must be cleaned, The shopping must be bought. Stage two of Streamline 2018 is what I call ‘trick the monkey’. If you give in to the idea that your brain really isn’t that smart and at the end of the day all you are is an animal with a stylish wardrobe you can forgive your impulse nature and stop torturing yourself for the silly things we all do. “I should not have eaten’ that piece of cake..… I’m so stupid”, you’re not! Because of course you did! You are a monkey and just like training your dog, you can train yourself and this was my goal.

So, the big question. What did I actually do?

1. My smart phone is with me always and I wear a smart watch. I use these to

write everything down. If I think it’s important it goes in my “inbox”. Anything from book recommendations, things to buy, or reminders for 10 years away.

2. Reminders – Reminders reminders! Using apps like “Due” and “Todoist” I have set time and day reminders for things I mustn’t forget, like “take medication each day” and also location reminders “arrive at office – fill water bottle, and put phone on charge”. This way I don’t have to rely on my memory for anything, no matter how simple.

3. Checklists – After reading a book called “The Checklist Manifesto” by Atul Gawande. It became obvious how useful checklists are, why remember the steps to something when you can have a checklist do it for you? Setting up a project for work? – follow the checklist and your good to go. Servicing my bike? I have a checklist. Cleaning the house – Checklist. Packing… you get the idea.

4. ‘Planning day’ – As I mentioned above I have a weekly loop that includes a ‘review.’ This is a scheduled time where I lock myself away and go over my ‘inbox,’ set my reminders, update my projects and plan any other little things that need doing.

5. Sleep – Essential to a constant energy output and to not feel sluggish in the middle of the day. Unfortunately I haven’t yet become a master of sleep, with research showing that the best possible sleep pattern is a consistent one. Sleep and wake at the same time every day, never sleep in, and don’t stay up. To achieve this goal I have a bedtime routine and reminders of when I need to go to bed.

6. Automate – Probably the most important of all, I used apps and services like IFTTT, Zapier and Siri Shortcuts to automate the things I have to do. For example, a bill comes into my email box, it automatically gets copied and forwarded to a drop box for achieving then another copy gets pushed to my “todoist” with a reminder and due date. All I have to do is hit a single button that says ‘pay’.

All of these things combined with a bunch of other streamline changes gave me a mental space I’ve never experienced before. I found I had the mental capacity to be more creative, I took up meditation, I had more energy for exercise, I became in general a more relaxed and open person.

I thought this was where this year would come to an end, with this review being a good conclusion of the work I have put in. But surprisingly this streamlined year has sparked a new ‘theme’ for 2019. Having cleared the decks of space in my mind I started to see myself, really think about my actions. What was I saying? What am I doing? Why am I treating this person this way? I feel I have gained an ability to be more self-aware than ever before and I believe I can do better.

With the new year approaching I welcome my theme for 2019 in The Year of Good.