203 - Redux: Efficiency and Content ⏩⏩⏩
Hey there, !
I'm off on my big trip this year, so in the next few weeks I'm going to go back into the archives and let you read some stuff you may or may not have already read. I'm going to get rid of the Recommendations section as it'll be harder to update while I'm overseas :)
In this edition, we see how great I've been at saving time by watching things at a faster speed :D
Through many trials and tribulations, I've unlocked a secret to gain time.
No, it's not a time machine (though this would also be pretty cool...)
No, it's not drugs either!
It all started with this tool: the Video Speed Controller (I've linked the Chrome extension here but it also exists for Firefox) - the most important add-on I've ever found and will ever care about using, regardless of what browser I ever move to.
Yes, yes, I know - this is going to be a hella controversial post, and I've had to defend myself MANY times for this...
...but I actually do believe that, if harnessed correctly, you can become more efficient in consuming content while preserving the enjoyment you get from it.
So, how does this all work?
The Video Speed Controller essentially allows you to control the speed of any content online that is served as HTML5 content (mainly YouTube and Netflix, but I've seen it work for many other things!). YouTube now has this as native functionality, but restricts you to 1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x and 2x. This tool gives you granularity from 1x onwards, in increments of 0.1x.
I started using this tool on YouTube, because a lot of the videos I watched had people who spoke really slowly (Minecraft gamers and video essays) - I really wanted a way to speed it up, just like I could do with university lectures! I started slow (around 1.2x speed), and then slowly built up to 1.5x and then 2x, which is where I average these days.
I found out that I could then do this with podcasts (which is a LIFESAVER) - look at this:
Across my 24 full days of listening to podcasts, I've saved a full 8 days worth of content - in other words, I was able to listen to 8 more days of content in the same amount of time!
(2023 Note: This data has now been updated - out of 54 days of listening to podcasts, I've saved a total of 15 days and 9 hours worth of time. AMAZING.)
But why tho?!
To be honest, it started as a way to speed up watching YouTube, but it morphed into something more. I watch certain tv series on higher speeds - usually reruns and sitcoms where the story doesn't particularly matter - but I've been roasted for this as well. I don't find any drop in quality or enjoyment for what I watch, and I get to watch more if it in the same amount of time!
There's SO MUCH CONTENT out there - how else am I supposed to get through it all and still have a life??
There's literally too much great content out therre to consume, spread across multiple streaming services - Netflix, Amazon Prime, Stan, and now Disney+!
Anyway - usually, I'd use this in cases where I wanted to finish watching an episode in 30m, but it was a 40m episode - pushing it to 1.5x speed would allow me to do this, and then I just got used to it. As an example, when I was catching up with Game of Thrones (like 5 seasons worth!) I used this speed hack to get through it quickly.
It just works!
However, there are definitely tv series (usually dramas) and movies that I won't speed it up for - though there's not really a specific framework for exactly what I choose to watch quicker or at normal speeds...I feel like in some cases you're trying to consume content, and others you're trying to enjoy it.
Try it out yourself - see what happens
If you want to try this out, I'd recommend just seeing if you can watch a Netflix show or a YouTube video at 1.2x speed to start - this is an absolutely negligible speed up in terms of noticeability, but it shaves off 5 minutes from a 30 minute episode, and I mean...the more you binge/watch, the more those savings accrue! If you go any higher, it definitely becomes noticeable that you're watching something faster.
It's essentially an invisible way to save time, and your brain will adapt to the speed-up.
...
And no, if I'm talking to you in person, I don't think you're speaking too slowly!
Please let me know if you've tried it out, or reply to this email roasting me for my bad decisions :D
Chat soon :)