[byte]sized: Post #5

Deadlines, driving, and breaking bread with "the others"

Post #5, baby! This week’s thoughts include arbitrary deadlines, online reviews that straight-up lie, and why my best thinking happens behind the wheel. Also, the chaos of notifications, the value of different perspectives, and a book app you should definitely be using. I've done a lot of driving lately, so this post is probably heavier than normal with car references...

Let’s roll!

• I've been thinking quite a bit about Parkinson’s Law (no, not that Parkinson) which states that work expands to fill the time available for completion. Mainly, I've been thinking how productive people can be in a couple hours, and how a 40 hour work week is rediculous. Give me a week to do something, I’ll take the week. Give me an hour, I’ll somehow get it done in an hour. Give me 4 weeks? I'll probably still get it done in an hour on week 3.

• So much progress is made just for the sake of convenience. Sure, I could still crank roll down my windows, or stick a key in my door to unlock my car, but it's SO MUCH nicer to not have to do that. This is why AI has become so ubiquitous; it's practical and helpful to just about anyone that sits at a computer. It shortcuts having to sift through ads and other BS on google to get a mostly accurate answer.

• The last few “4.5-star” restaurants I’ve tried have been 3.0 at best. Have online reviews been completely gamed? I can't be the only one that feels this, right? Where can I can I get good recommendations without having to talk to people?

• I recently spent a few days with people who see the world very differently than I do. It was uncomfortable at times, but a solid reminder of why it’s important to step outside your bubble and actually listen. Here's a business lesson for you (don't say I never get you anything): if your team all thinks the same, you’ve either hired clones or made them too afraid to speak up. Diversity builds better products, culture, and results.

• Your brand promise means nothing if you don’t back it up. If you claim “quality” or “trust,” your customers better feel it. This race to the bottom for customer service is so bad that even some basic help from a person feels lucky.

• That trip I took was several hours of driving away and I found that I do my best thinking while on the road. There’s something about the act of driving that occupies the busy parts of my brain so the rest of it can focus (maybe it's Maybelline ADHD). It's also fun when I have some epiphany and need to write it down so I start yelling at Google who can't understand me over my loud ass car and I end up with such great reminders like, "Call Mike horse god an elephant".

• Turn off the notifications. Seriously, you don’t need them. That email can wait, and if it’s truly urgent, they can *GASP* call you (please text). Constant pings and asks kill focus and deep work. Show your team it’s okay to unplug by doing it yourself.

• Wrapping it up with another app recommendation: Libby (again, no affiliation - just an avid user). Wouldn't it be cool if there was a way to get books and audiobooks for free? Did you know there are ultra-secret, government-funded programs that you can sign up to use at no cost? I'm not kidding, they are typically known as "libraries" and you probably have 1 (or more) in your town! Fuckin' wild right?

  I digress... Libby is an app that lets you borrow e-books and audiobooks from libraries using just your library card (go get one if you don’t have it). I use this constantly, and it’s essential for hitting my yearly reading goals.

  🔥 Hot tip🔥: Some U.S. libraries let you sign up for a card even if you don’t live there, giving you access to way more books.

That’s a wrap for this week. If any of this resonated with you, or if you also need something to occupy your brain to think straight, let me know. Otherwise, go turn off your notifications, question that restaurant review, and go read a book.

I'm out!

Trevor

P.S.: Curious about my consulting work? I help build people-first workplaces that actually function. More here: //TREVORFRY.TECH