Book #7 done! My most recent read for the 2024 Book Challenge was “Make Time” by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky!
For those who have been following along, or if you're just tuning in and want to join the book challenge, you can check out the ongoing list of books I've been exploring here.
I really enjoyed this one as a useful and actionable productivity book! And because there are two authors, they actually share two different views on tactics that work best for them. So this could be really helpful if you want to pick and choose those tactics!
Knapp and Zeratsky created a system for overcoming overwhelm and taking back control of your hours:
Highlight your most important task
Laser in on it with distraction-free tactics
Energize your body and mind
Reflect to fine-tune your approach.
So as always, I want to share my top 3 takeaways from this week’s book that I think could help you narrow your focus on what matters most!
🔆 Your Daily "Highlight": The Power of Focused Work
Forget multitasking. This book is all about choosing ONE meaningful musical task as your day's "Highlight". Maybe it's finally finishing that tricky composition section, practicing those scales till they're near perfect, or really digging into a new theory concept. Whatever it is, give that goal your prime-time focus, and you’ll see your progress grow exponentially. Some techniques that stuck out to me were:
🕳️ The “Groundhog Day” Technique: They encourage repetition – making the same thing your Highlight day after day. This continuous focus builds momentum in tackling tricky compositions or really mastering that difficult technique. It's the opposite of jumping between disconnected tasks!
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☑️ The Might-Do List and Burner List: They suggest very specific list formats to avoid getting lost in endless possibilities. The Might-Do List is for projects, NOT daily tasks. The Burner List has a front burner (top priority project) and a back burner for the next important one. This frees up focus and combats feeling like you have to do everything at once.
😈 Beat the Distraction Demons
The authors get how easy it is to get sucked into email spirals or social media black holes. They understand that these aren't just minor annoyances – they drain our own mental energy. That's why they get super specific, offering tactics like:
📲 The Distraction-Free Phone: Remove those tempting apps! This isn't just willpower; it's about removing the temptation entirely. Consider turning off notifications even for texts during your focused music time.
✌️ Log Out and Leave: Don't rely on willpower to resist checking websites. Log out completely when it's time to focus, making that impulsive click a conscious choice, not a mindless habit.
🏊♂️ Outsmarting Your "Infinity Pools": The book calls social media, email, and those always-refreshing news sites "Infinity Pools" – bottomless distractions. Be brutally honest about your triggers and either block them entirely during your Highlight time or set strict time limits and stick to them.
It's about creating smart setups to save you from yourself. Musicians and composers especially NEED that kind of mental space to let creativity flow!
⛽️ Fuel Your Creative Machine
This book reminds us that our brains aren't magical – they run on our bodies! That means getting strategic about the things that directly impact our musical performance and inspiration:
🚶 Get Out of Your Practice Space: Instead of sitting in front of your DAW for the 6th hour in a row, you can’t forget to move your body! Go for a walk even if it’s just for a few minutes. Let what’s around you inspire your next studio session!
🥗 Fuel for Focus: Opt for snacks (with actual nutritional value 😂) that'll sustain your stamina through a long rehearsal or performance. It’s no surprise that food is quite literally the fuel your body needs to perform at its best!
🤫 Silence is Golden: Prioritizing quiet time helps tune your mind. Find moments of silence before a sitting down in front of your studio computer, or turn off the world completely for a few minutes right before a difficult practice. You'll be amazed at how ideas seem to surface more easily in the calm!
A well-tuned creative machine is far more likely to produce that breakthrough moment in your music or unlock the fluidity you've been chasing in your technique!
I definitely recommend “Make Time” for anyone looking to narrow their focus a bit!
And don't forget to check out the other books I've been reading in my 2024 Book Challenge!