๐ 1289 โ Sunday, 29 December 2024 18:30
London
Woke up at 8:20, having crashed at a friendโs place in Shadwell after a fried chicken dinner. The plan was to pick up a small mattress this mate to my new flat. The morning was cold, grey, and foggy, with no sun in sight. I slept well overall, though I woke up a few times.
Sleep well, they say, it keeps your hair healthy.
We took my matesโ dog, and the mattress, and headed to Shadwell DLR, the trains towards the east going from Bank were closed. We rerouted: Shadwell Overground to Whitechapel, Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street, then Central line to Chancery Lane. The station walk in Liverpool Street from Elizabeth line to Central line was about 3 minutes, got out at Chancery Lane station the weather had turned mild, about 5 min walk..
At the flat, we dropped off the mattress and chatted with one of my new flatmates. She seemed nice, and I invited her to join us for New Yearโs Eve. Then we set out to find breakfast.
My brother started texting while we walked. He was cracking jokes about our old school principal. I replied with a joke of my own and told him I was out. It was his first day of the work week in the Middle East and for him feels like the first day of school when growing up.
The breakfast spot we wanted was closed, so we wandered to Covent Garden and found Cafรฉ Verona near the Travelodge. Dogs were allowed, so we sat downstairs and had an excellent English breakfast. It was a cute little spot with friendly staff, and we left happy and full.
I walked my friend and the dog to Charing Cross Station and said goodbye. On the way back, I noticed St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church was openโa first in 15 years of passing it. I walked in, and it was stunning. I sat on a bench for a few minutes, soaking it all in, and reflecting on the day so far.
By the time I got home, it was 1:30. I checked in on my parents through their living room camera and saw my sister, her husband, and their kids visiting. It was great to see everyone together. I texted my brother to check, and he responded, โMashaAllah.โ Family moments like these mean so much to our parents.
Now Iโm at my desk, ready to block a few hours for focused work. The glowing blue London Eye outside my window is a quiet inspiration to stay productive. The day has been full, but thereโs still time to make progress.
I sit down to write, the blue glow of the London Eye blinking before me, steady and calm, pushing me forward with quiet resolve.
Our shared goal today is to set aside a 3-hour block for focused work at our desks, free from distractions. From a process perspective, letโs first visualize what we aim to accomplish. Over time, if we dedicate even 4 focused hours per week, that adds up to an impressive 208 hours per yearโa collective effort that leads to significant achievements.
Rather than getting lost in endless to-do lists, letโs focus on the most impactful tasks. Instead of keeping a mental stack of uncategorized things, letโs transform those tasks into actionable calendar items. The list we imagineโwhether itโs writing an article, doing the laundry, taking out the trash, reading a book chapter, preparing questions for a solicitor about finances or a property purchase, calling loved ones, or attending a gym classโbecomes our roadmap for the day.
Together, we can categorize these tasks by their long-term value. Letโs prioritize those that boost productivity, nurture relationships, or offer personal fulfillment. For instance, connecting with family provides soul-deep satisfaction and shouldnโt be skipped, though some tasks can allow for flexibility to continue tomorrow.
Most importantly, when we visualize or plan to accomplish something today, letโs commit to doing it. We donโt need reminders from others or anyoneโs approval to take action. Starting now, we grant ourselves the authority to take charge of what truly matters in our 24 hours each day. This is our shared permission to own our time and make it count!
And if there are bigger tasks that need more time and commitment to finish such as planning a wedding, or a family vacation for a month abroad, first try and eliminate all the short tasks, and ad-hoc tasks clutter, like clearing the inbox, paying the bills, getting the bike repaired.
Check how long it will take to finish each talk, and how long it will take to respond to all those emails, one good thing to do is to make a list on the phone in notes whenever you realise you have a task to complete, that subconsciously makes your brain to figure out a time, space and priority of importance for that work to be done.
Around the world today โ
Germany Prepares for Potential Global Conflict: Germany has developed a comprehensive 1,000-page document titled โOperation Deutschland,โ outlining plans to mobilize 800,000 NATO troops and 200,000 vehicles across its territory in preparation for a potential global conflict. (The Sun)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia will abandon its unilateral moratorium on deploying intermediate and shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles, citing U.S. deployments of such weapons worldwide as the catalyst for this decision. (Reuters)
3 things I felt grateful for today
Grateful for the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful morning I had today.
Grateful for my mate and his sweet and quiet dog, we hung out most of the day.
Grateful for the invention of the electric.
What would it take for me and for you to wake up extra motivated and focused towards goals and getting some solid work done tomorrow? And negative patterns please get erased.
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Goodnight, Goodluck!
Ash Khaleem
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