reactive, a mile deep on what mattered rather than an inch on too
many things.
Indeed, the first thing great chiefs of staff do—whether it’s for a
general or a president or the CEO of a local bank—is limit the
amount of people who have access to the boss. They become
gatekeepers: no more drop-ins, tidbits, and stray reports. So the boss
can see the big picture. So the boss has time and room to think.
Because if the boss doesn’t? Well, then nobody can.
In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius says, “Ask yourself at every
moment, ‘Is this necessary?’”
Knowing what not to think about. What to ignore and not to do.
It’s your first and most important job.
Thich Nhat Hanh:
Before we can make deep changes in our lives, we have to
look into our diet, our way of consuming. We have to live
in such a way that we stop consuming the things that
poison us and intoxicate us. Then we will have the strength
to allow the best in us to arise, and we will no longer be
victims of anger, of frustration.It’s as true of food as it is of information.
There’s a great saying: Garbage in, garbage out. If you want good
output, you have to watch over the inputs.
This will take discipline. It will not be easy.
This means fewer alerts and notifications. It means blocking
incoming texts with the Do Not Disturb function and funneling
emails to subfolders. It means questioning that “open door” policy,
or even where you live. It means pushing away selfish people who
bring needless drama into our lives. It means studying the world
more philosophically—that is, with a long-term perspective—rather
than following events second by second.
The way you feel when you awake early in the morning and your
mind is fresh and as yet unsoiled by the noise of the outside world—
that’s space worth protecting. So too is the zone you lock into when
you’re really working well. Don’t let intrusions bounce you out of it.