1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: What do your Mondays look like, or more importantly, what 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: do they feel like. You might be demolishing your to 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: do list and running meeting after meeting, but do you 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: feel energized? Do you feel enthusiastic about what you're doing. 5 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: If you don't, it probably doesn't matter how many items 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: get ticked off your list, because you're going to run 7 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: out of steam before you get the meaningful work done. 8 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: So what's the solution. Anthony Zachariah, the co founder of 9 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: billion dollar company Linktree, has thought a lot about Mondays 10 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: and sees them as sacred time, so he's developed a 11 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: routine that sets his weak up for success. My name 12 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: is doctor amanthe Imber. I'm an organizational psychologist and the 13 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: founder of behavioral science consultancy Inventium, And this is how 14 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: I work a show about how to help you do 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: your best work. On today is my Favorite Tip episode, 16 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: we go back to an interview from the past and 17 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: I pick out my favorite tip from the interview. In 18 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: today's show, I speak with Anthony Zacharya and we start 19 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: by him describing what a typical Monday looks like. 20 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: So typical Monday starts like every day. I've got nearly 21 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 2: two year old twins, So they wake at about five 22 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: thirty in the morning. Five five thirty in the morning, 23 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 2: so no matter what day it is, that's that's just 24 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: like that's the that's the alarm clock is then waking up, 25 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: which is awesome in that they're so happy in the 26 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 2: mornings if they've had a decent sleep, So there's getting 27 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 2: to hang out and play with them, but it's a 28 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 2: bit of a bit of a scramble sometimes to get 29 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: to that first meeting, and luckily on Monday there is 30 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: in a first meeting at seven to seven thirty, so 31 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: it's just about getting them to daycare on time on 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: a Monday, So a bit of time with them in 33 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 2: the mornings, you know, having breakfast with them, getting them 34 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: to daycare. It's a nice way to start the week 35 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 2: as well, because the rest of the week is quite 36 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: rushed in the morning, so trying to take the time 37 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: to spend with them one of Monday morning is really nice. 38 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:15,839 Speaker 2: And then from there it's I'll actually go and take 39 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 2: myself and have a coffee somewhere and bring my laptop 40 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: and just to get work from I work from home 41 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: most days of the week, so getting out of the 42 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 2: house is a key thing no matter what day, at 43 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 2: least once a day, so I'll just in a cofee 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:31,639 Speaker 2: shop with my laptop and just get on top of 45 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 2: the week, get on top of some work. And that's 46 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: sort of the start for the first couple of hours, 47 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: which is just sets up nicely. Then you kind of 48 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 2: come back home and get in the zone on deep work. 49 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: How do you get into flow when you know that 50 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: you've got some deep work to do? 51 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 2: This is the hard one because this nature of like 52 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: and trying to pull your stuff out of, this nature 53 00:02:55,240 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: of being busy and reactive is productive, which is not 54 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 2: and you feel productive. He's like, oh, I'm replying to 55 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: a slack getting to an email, getting back to this thing, 56 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 2: or like making some comments on something that don't really 57 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 2: need to but I feel productive because I'm contributing. It's like, actually, 58 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 2: it's not productive at all. I'm just trying to pull 59 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: yourself out of That is in a really big learning 60 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 2: of the last couple of years as well, because I 61 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: think previously running early days of linterin even previously running 62 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 2: digital agency, you're kind of having to be all things 63 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 2: to all people and the jack of all trades. And 64 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 2: now it can be a bit more special. So that's 65 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 2: deep work thing is something we're really trying to focus on. 66 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 2: For me, it is just writing a list of like 67 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 2: the three things that I need to do today and 68 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: noise canceling headphonesh is the biggest thing for me. Like that. 69 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: I just find if I'm procrasting, anting a little bit 70 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: and trying to figure out what do I work on? 71 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: There's so many things. What's the priority? I've got an 72 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: hour to do it. I know it's I know other 73 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: people have this or not, but for me, just putting 74 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: the headphones on, putting noise canceling and some music of 75 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 2: some sort, I lock in and can get through that. 76 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: If that is just replying to some emails, that is 77 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: just like responding to giving feedback on a bunch of 78 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 2: stuff that's sitting there on a project that I need 79 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: to feedback on for to unlock others. I find I 80 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: can just do that as soon as the headphones are 81 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 2: on and I've had coffee and I've you know, maybe 82 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 2: had a bit of a morning stretch as well. 83 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: Do you have go to music or do you have 84 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: a song on repeat? What's your approach to music during 85 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: deep work. 86 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: Depends on what I need to get done. If you 87 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: do some reading, then it's no music with no lyrics. 88 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 2: But and it might be just some electronic music that 89 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: is just pretty, just a nice beat, semi monotonous, but 90 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: enough you can just give you a bit of energy. 91 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: But if it's stuff we don't need to be reading 92 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 2: at the same time, I'll probably go I'll probably go 93 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 2: something else a little more aggressive. It has guitars in it. 94 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 2: This gets a bit more amped up, but kind of varies. 95 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: Like I've been known to put on you know, the 96 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 2: best of opera soundtracks and Spotify because some of it, 97 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 2: like the builds and the momentum in it, is like 98 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: it actually I don't know. It's like a bit of 99 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 2: movement in the passion of it that you go, yes, 100 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 2: I'm getting this stuff done, and this big opera moment 101 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 2: is like so euphorik, I'm with this. 102 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: So I wonder if you have a morning work routine. 103 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: I know for me, I've developed a kind of boot 104 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: up routine which I do after breakfast, which involves making 105 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: a long black coffee my only caffeine to drink for 106 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: the day, going upstairs to my iMac and looking at 107 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: my calendar for the deep work sprint that I've diarized. 108 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: My deep work sprint consists of something that requires focus 109 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: and is the most important thing that I can be doing, 110 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: which is sometimes deadline driven because I find deadlines very motivating, 111 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 1: but it's sometimes part of a system that I'm working to, 112 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: such as when I'm writing a book, the first one 113 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: or two hours of my day would typically be spent writing. 114 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: I'd love to know for you if you have a 115 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: boot up routine that works for you. Maybe send me 116 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: a note on the socials. I am very easy to 117 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: find on LinkedIn. Just search for Amantha Imba and I'm 118 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: on Instagram at Amanthai. If you're looking for more tips 119 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: to improve the way that you work. I write a 120 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: short fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things that I've 121 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: discovered that helped me work better, ranging from software and 122 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: gadgets that I'm loving through to interesting research findings. You 123 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: can sign up for that at Howiwork dot co. That's 124 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: how I Work dot co. How I Work is produced 125 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: by Inventium with production support from dead Set Studios, and 126 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: thank you to Matt Nimba, who does the audio mix 127 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: for every episode and makes everything sound so much better. 128 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: Than it would have otherwise. See you next time.