5 Key Takeaways for Work-Life Harmony:

1. Experiment and Iterate: Don’t be afraid to try new approaches to wellness and productivity. Try them out and if they’re not working for you, drop them. Ask yourself, “How am I feeling while doing X?” and “Am I enjoying this?” Don’t get too caught up on what experts say, figure out what works for you.
2. Be Adaptable: Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a habit one day. Focus on how you feel while doing something rather than obsessively following routines. The goal is to improve your life, not add stress. Be mindful of the intent and what you’re trying to accomplish and continuously think about the big picture.
3. Tackle Miscommunication: $1.2 trillion dollars is lost in the United States of America every year due to miscommunications in the workplace. Use “briefbacks” (a military tactic of repeating back what was said to you, making an invisible communication visible) to confirm that your message has been understood as intended.
4. Rethink the Dream Job: Instead of chasing a dream job, practice it. Practice this by doing things you enjoy in your job on a regular basis. It’s also about changing the underlying approach at work – changing the way you work and how you communicate at work. Ultimately, small changes in how you work can lead to significant improvements in job satisfaction.
5. Prioritize Wisely: Take your to-do list and pair it with a “not-to-do list.” Take three things that you’ll do this week and put everything else on your not-to-do list. By having a not-to-do list, you’ll know you’ve done enough and you can tackle more if you want to. Another tactic is to have “Mundane Mondays” where you do all the little things that you pushed aside (mindless, easy tasks) on Monday. This builds momentum and allows you to work on bigger, more energy consuming tasks the rest of the week.

Show Notes:

[00:01:18]  Jason reflects on how his sister’s passing prompted him to reevaluate his life and work. 

[00:03:38] Discussion on how Jason reached a plateau with his wellness hacks, realizing that focusing solely on life outside of work was limiting. 

[00:04:27] The various life hacks Jason tried, including intermittent fasting and cold plunges, and how some experiments stuck while others were quickly abandoned. 

[00:10:25] How to avoid the pitfalls of over-optimization by focusing on what makes you feel good while doing it, rather than strictly adhering to routines that might increase stress.

[00:12:28] The dangers of becoming overly attached to habits and how missing a day can lead to unnecessary stress. Focus on the broader intention behind the habit rather than the habit itself.

[00:14:09] The importance of keeping the big picture in mind when experimenting with new habits or work routines. 

[00:19:17] Jason contrasts the well-known concept of post-traumatic stress with post-traumatic growth. He explains how, despite the immense grief of losing his sister, the experience led to positive personal development and a new approach to life.

[00:26:04] How miscommunications can drastically affect workplace productivity. 

[00:32:43] Practical advice for improving workplace communication, including using “briefbacks” to ensure that the message is understood correctly. 

[00:35:53] Jason describes how to implement briefbacks without sounding condescending. He stresses the importance of framing it as a way to ensure that you communicated effectively, rather than questioning the other person’s listening skills.

[00:38:40] The concept of a dream job can set unrealistic expectations. Rather than chasing an ideal job, it’s more productive to make small, meaningful changes in your current role to enhance satisfaction.

[00:46:21] Jason introduces the concept of aligning your daily actions with your broader life priorities. He discusses the importance of being intentional with your time.

[00:51:52] Jason shares his strategy of pairing a to-do list with a not-to-do list. This approach helps to clear mental clutter and ensures that you’re not overwhelmed by a never-ending list of tasks.

[00:56:27] Jason talks about his strategy of using Mondays to tackle all the small, mundane tasks that would otherwise distract him during the week. 

[00:57:41] The inefficiencies of multitasking, citing research that shows how it can significantly lower cognitive performance.