DDW Lab
Start Doing The Work
The curriculum is a collection of actionable items for different domains of life. It’s meant to act as a checklist I can go through with friends, clients, or myself when struggling in one or more areas. Working with an accountability partner or coach can increase the effectiveness of these exercises.
Here are the three types of items in the curriculum:
- 💣 One-time actions that provide long-term value.
- ⛔ A habit that you stop engaging in because it no longer serves you.
- ♾️ A habit that you start engaging in for as long as it serves you.
Curriculum
⏱️ Time-Management
- ♾️ Do you use a calendar or agenda?
- ♾️ Do you use some form of ToDo list system?
- ♾️ Do you have a second brain?
- Getting Things Done: Microsoft OneNote Second Brain
- Projet oriented notes (PARA)
- ♾️ Do you take time to sharpen the saw?
- ♾️ Do you practice deep work?
- The 4 philosophies of deep work.
- ♾️ Do you practice Inbox Zero?
- Only touch an email once.
- Archive, snooze and rules features.
- Unsubscribe from useless marketing emails and newsletters. (bottom link)
- ♾️⛔ Do you have good phone hygiene?
- Leave phone and smart watch on silent by default.
- Airplane mode most of the time.
- App to schedule work email notifications.
- Disable most notifications on your phone.
- Technology Design Plan for each app
- 💣 Do you have a second monitor or a big computer screen?
- Recommended resources:
💸 Finances
- ♾️💣 Are you earning more than you spend?
- Earn More:
- Ask for a raise.
- Learn a new skill.
- Start a side hustle.
- Spend Less:
- Track spending for at least 30 days.
- Pay yourself first. 50/30/20 Rule.
- Earn More:
- 💣 Do you have an emergency fund?
- High-interest savings account
- 3 to 6 months of living expenses
- 💣 Do you have a no-fee checkings account?
- 💣 Have you automated your saving and investing?
- ♾️ Do you track your net worth?
- Spreadsheet template
- 💣 Have you called service providers to lower your bills?
- 💣 Have you set up automatic bill payments?
- 💣 Do you have a will?
- 💣 Do you have/need life insurance?
- 💣 Do your credit cards fit your needs?
- Recommended resources:
🌱 Habits
- 💣♾️ Have you used a Habit Design Plan?
- 💣 What are your keystone habits?
- 💣 What are your decisive moments?
- 💣 Have you asked yourself these questions?
- Recommended resources:
💭 Self-Awareness
- ♾️ Have you worked with a mental health professional?
- Especially if you have benefits
- 💣 Did you take various personality tests?
- Big 5
- James Clear’s collection
- Principles You
- 16 Personalities (fun but less validated)
- ♾️ Do you have a stillness practice?
- Meditation (scholarship option)
- Breath work
- Journaling
- NSDR (10 min & 20 min)
- ♾️ Do you track your affective states?
- Recommended resources:
🧭 Career & Lifestyle Design
- 💣 Have you done the Odyssey Plan?
- 💣♾️ Do you perform a 80/20 analysis of your calendar?
- 💣♾️ Do you perform fear setting exercises?
- 💣♾️ Did you craft your current job?
- 💣 Do you have a LinkedIn profile?
- ♾️ Are you showcasing your work online?
- 💣 Have you done the Time Buckets and Spending/Saving ratio exercises?
- Recommended resources:
📖 Skills & Learning
- ♾️ Do you read?
- ♾️ Do you have a note-taking system?
- ♾️ Do you practice Deep Work?
- ♾️ Do you use spaced-repetition?
- 💣 Do you know the basics of the following skills?
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Public speaking
- Excel or Google Sheets
- Coding
- Recommended resources:
💪 Health
- ♾️ Do you walk or bike to places when you can?
- ♾️ Do you do regular physicals with your doctor?
- ♾️ Do you take advantage of your work benefits?
- Psychotherapy
- Dental
- Physio, chiro, acupuncture, massage, …
- 💣 Do you know if you consume enough protein?
- 💣 Do you drink enough water?
- 💣 Do you know if how many calories you burn relative to how many you consume?
- 💣 Do you use an electric toothbrush?
- Recommended resources:
😴 Sleep
- ♾️⛔ Do you get light in your eyes at the right times?
- 💣 Are blue light filters scheduled on your devices?
- 💣 Do you have Blackout blinds in your bedroom?
- 💣 Do you have a good pillow?
- 💣 Do you have a friendly alarm clock?
- ♾️ Do you stick to a sleep schedule as much as possible?
- ⛔ Is your caffeine consumption under control?
- Recommended resources: