LifeFlow: Finding Spirituality in Productivity
Volume 23, Chapter III, Number 015
Hello!
This Week’s One Great Thing: LifeFlow: Finding Spirituality in Productivity
Back in 2006 when I left my old life (I was a Jesuit seminarian - one who was studying to be a priest) and started working in the corporate world, I had to quickly find a way to navigate this new world that I was just restarting to become familiar with. It was a reboot of sorts as I had to simultaneously relearn many things that I had studied more intensely in my previous life. I had to learn the corporate language, its skills and its ways of doing things. It was a tough transition and I often felt overwhelmed, disconnected from my spiritual self, and unfulfilled in the way I was living my life.
I needed a system — a way of doing things — that will let me manage what I was finding out was my new Mission (life and long term goals), as well the piece meal work that was assigned to me, the work projects that were coming as a consultant, and the myriad of information (both personal and work-related) that I had to manage.
I found David Allen’s GTD during those days, and I’ve used its concepts ever since. One of the first things I learned in GTD is a very practical and useful information: your brain is a factory of ideas, and not meant to store information. For the brain to be truly powerful, it’s best to free it from tiny practical details and give it the space to think big and be creative.
Creating LifeFlow
This concept of freeing my brain and giving it the space and margin to be creative has been at the core of my personal system, which I now call “LifeFlow.” LifeFlow is what I call my personal Operating System which I developed over the years to help me make sense of both my work and life. It has allowed me to become productive in my personal goals, yet keep a sense of spirituality and connection with others, with myself, and with the world.
LifeFlow is based on three important principles: 1. Declutter the mind by externally organizing and storing important information. 2. Streamline your workflow by reducing and defining the tasks that need to be done. 3. Relive and reclaim your spiritual life by allowing space for inner growth, creativity and connection with others.
It’s a system that is tailored to the individual, built on top of GTD principles, and allows each person to keep track of what needs to be done in the short and long-term. This system has allowed me to focus on the important things in life, remain organised and productive, and continue to live in integrity with myself.
What is LifeFlow?
The goal of LifeFlow is to minimise friction and smoothen the curves, so Life can flow more smoothly.
It has gone through several iterations, and it’s going to be improved as new technology is discovered, and as I find new ways of working in this new AI surge happening. I used Tiago Forte's PARA several years back and just recently, I found out about Carl Pullein's two systems -- the Time Sector System and GAPRA System. And I took from them, in the same way that I offer them now to you. I write about it here as a way for me to document what I do, and as a suggestion so that you can think about YOUR OWN system as well. In these things, as always, use the Ignatian principle of Tantum Quantum -- use whatever helps you have a better system, and become a better person ultimately. Get what you can, then make your own version that works for you.
In my implementation, it has four components:
I. Inbox
An Inbox for all stuff that needs initial triage and processing. Stuff here go through what I call a quick 4D process (schedule with a DATE, DELEGATE, DELETE, or DO). The inbox acts as a temporary repository. At its core, an Inbox is a psychological space saver - it allows you a place to dump stuff so that it does not occupy your mind. David Allen in GTD puts it:
”In GTD, the inbox does not refer only to your e-mail inbox. It is a broader concept that includes all the things you have collected in different ways: tasks you have to do, ideas you have thought of, notes, bills, business cards, etc…"
An Inbox could be a physical inbox. My wallet is a temporary inbox (which becomes a repository of receipts and business cards for example), my bags are also a temporary Inbox.
My ultimate digital inbox is the Inbox in Evernote. Everything that is anything important ends up here and then gets further processed to become part of my Evernote digital cabinet for safekeeping.
II. Mission Control
Mission Control is where I put everything that has to do with my long-term and mid-term goals. It’s a series of notes that has become a repository of things I've accumulated in terms of my mission and vision over the years. I make sure I review this once a month so I don't get lost.
I call it Mission Control because I imagine being in front of a dashboard of my life when I'm reading this.
Over the years, I have added the following areas in my Mission Control:
- A declaration of my ❤️🔥 Life Mission, which I review monthly during my Monthly Reset to check whether I'm still on track to where I want to be long term. A general direction is enough. Life is as much the journey as it is the destination.
- 💎 My Life Philosophy, which is a written down documentation of things I believe in at the deepest level.
- 📍 The Themes of My Life Thus Far - I wrote this when I was struggling with work and I was trying to understand who I am at my best and what kind of work will make me happy. This is also reviewed monthly and activities and work that does not fit here are discarded by the next month.
- ☝ My ONE Big Thing (I got this from the Hedgehog Concept of Jim Collins) and 💫 My Ikigai (from the Japanese concept of finding your life's purpose) are very similar. They act like a compass to tell me where I am and where I need to go, and if there are things in my life that do not fit to where I want to go.
My Mission Control is in Evernote.
III. Programs Management
Programs Management are where all project related areas of my life reside. I use a mix of Tiago Forte’s and David Allen’s idea of Project as a group of tasks that have a clear beginning and a clear end (vs Areas in Life for example which does not have an end). So Projects are within these Areas.
I have three areas so far that I put my attention to:
- 🏡 Family - family projects like special trips, country and house moves (we’ve moved to two countries and 5 houses since I got married) and others.
- ⛺ Tent Making - Consulting and Money Making activities and investments. I learned early on that for St. Paul to fund his ministry, he found work as a tent maker. He would fix tents, and set them up, and he’d get paid doing this. This is where he got money to fund his ministry of preaching.
- 💗 Ministry - personal projects that are not necessarily money making, which includes counselling, productivity coaching and spiritual direction.
Actual Tasks are in my task manager Ticktick, but notes are in Evernote.
IV. Info Cabinet
Then I have an Info Cabinet where I put all personal and business documents and information including invoices, receipts, scanned documents of my three kids (mostly their school stuff), other financial information This is also where I keep some important emails and correspondence that I want to keep in deep freeze (just in case I need to reference them again).
My digital info cabinet is in Evernote, but I also have a physical file cabinet in my study.
Practical Tips to Live with LifeFlow
LifeFlow can only be made possible if you commit yourself to the idea that you need to be conscious and mindful of your life. Here are a few practical tips to live with LifeFlow:
- Prioritize. Know your Mission and rank your daily tasks according to that.
- Create systems. Automate your life, so that you can spend more time and energy on your Mission and on the things that really matter.
- Take care of yourself. Make sure to feed your mind and your body the right fuel to keep it running optimally.
- Be flexible. Life happens, so leave room for the unexpected and adapt
- Connect. Stay connected to yourself, to your Mission, to your family, friends and the world.
By following these tips, you can set up your own LifeFlow system and start living a more meaningful life with clarity and focus on what matters. You will be able to live a more productive and more fulfilling life, in harmony with your spiritual side. LifeFlow keeps these two worlds connected and balanced, allowing us to be successful on both.
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More Great Stuff:
The Most Precious Resource is Agency
- Agency is an incredibly important resource that we can all tap into to shape our lives and achieve our goals. When we feel like we don't have control over our lives, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and lose hope. But by embracing our agency and taking action towards our goals, we can start to build a sense of purpose and direction.
- One of the most effective ways to cultivate agency is to start with small, achievable goals. These goals don't have to be earth-shattering. By setting small goals and taking action towards them, we can build momentum and start to develop a sense of agency that can carry us towards bigger goals.
- But cultivating agency isn't just about setting goals - it's also about taking responsibility for our choices and being willing to accept the consequences of those choices. When we take ownership of our decisions, we start to feel more empowered to shape our lives in the way that we want. And when we encounter obstacles or setbacks, we can use that sense of ownership to help us persevere through those challenges.
- In conclusion, agency is a powerful resource that we can all tap into to help us navigate the ups and downs of life. By setting small, achievable goals and taking ownership of our choices, we can cultivate agency and start to feel more in control of our lives. So don't be afraid to take that first step towards your goals - the sense of agency and purpose that you'll develop along the way is more than worth the effort.
Normalise Setbacks By Asking Your Kids For Advise
- The article discusses the importance of normalizing setbacks and struggles by asking kids for advice when parents face challenges. The author suggests that when parents demonstrate to their children that everyone experiences setbacks and that it is normal to ask for help, children can develop resilience and problem-solving skills. By modeling vulnerability and a willingness to learn, parents can help children develop a growth mindset that will serve them well throughout their lives.
- The article concludes by highlighting the importance of embracing setbacks and modeling a growth mindset for children. When children see that their parents can learn from mistakes and that setbacks are a natural part of the learning process, they are more likely to develop the resilience and determination that will help them succeed in school and in life. By normalizing setbacks and asking for advice, parents can help their children develop the skills and mindset that they need to navigate the challenges of the world.
Ok! Now pause, get yourself to a window, look up to the sky, smile, and have a great day! Look forward to send you another letter next week!
☕ eric santillan