QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT
After being here on Substack for several weeks, I have further fleshed out the finer points I would like this content to provide and grow into.
With this clarity, I decided I should properly format the layout and content here at HAUS NOTES. Hopefully, these adjustments will give you a better sense of what to expect week-to-week from each offering.
This issue will be the general content and layout of monday musings in the future*. You will see updated formats for the midday reset and friday, i’m in love later this week.
* refining this may be an ongoing process as this Substack was a real fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants thing from ideation to launch.
Thank you for subscribing and reading!
Hello lovelies,
I hope you had the gentle start or the on-my-sh*t energy you wanted this morning.
I am sitting here on Sunday afternoon, looking up at the first blue sky and sun we have seen in weeks here in Vermont. Even though I woke up to temperatures in the teens, it feels like visual hope - and that is enough for me today. I feel like, collectively, we have a solid start to the beginning of our week.
I was in full productivity mode this weekend as I prepared to usher myself back into a full workweek. How is it that February already feels like it is slipping by?
Maybe it is the time of year. Or my number of years that has me more reflective on time. Specifically, being more thoughtful and discerning about how I use mine. Be that time on work, leisure, or pleasure. As I’ve gotten older, time has become more precious.
I have discovered (multiple times) that structuring my time gives me more freedom, instead of trapping me, as my go-with-the-flow nature tends to believe. I was reminded of this truth over the weekend.
So, today I thought I would share some tried-and-true methods I’ve used to get myself on track when I’ve had one too many balls in the air.
I spent Saturday wading through the mess of undone and half-done ideas, tasks, and projects that accumulated as I healed and took on this somewhat unplanned Substack endeavor.
A newsletter was planned, but it was still a nascent thought on January 1st. All that changed once I broke this freaking rib. But we have gone over this before.
Things were not in as bad of a state as I thought it would be. I had managed to keep the important things moving forward, and surprisingly, my wild scribblings were somewhat organized and coherent. I needed to make order out of the chaos. Time blocking has been a lifesaver for me in this regard; it typically makes scheduling out my to-dos a breeze.
If you are prone to scattered thinking or feel like you are constantly hustling but getting nothing done, I highly advise trying the time block method.
But aside from that, I need more time. The curated time-blocked work cadence I had laid out for myself (pre-bone break) was no longer viable for the amount of planning, researching, and writing I intend on giving HAUS NOTES.
Additionally, now that I am nearly fully functional and pain-free, I can more fully turn my attention back to growing my primary business, NEUE HAUS studio. As we head into the season of renewal and rebirth, people are excited to refresh their spaces. There are several new design projects on deck that I am excited to dive into.
But, oh boy. This is going to be a balancing act.
As I reworked my daily schedule to allow for writing, I knew I needed to rethink my deep work hours and how best to accommodate the additional work alongside my other high-priority obligations.
What is deep work?
In layman’s terms, deep work is allocated time for your most important (and/or meaningful) work without distractions. You can find more about deep work here. As a caveat, I diverge with the individual who coined the phrase; I do not believe deep work is limited to the professional realm. I find it works just as well for domestic and personal projects.
We are all familiar with deep work. It is what we do when we become so engrossed in a project, task, or exercise that we lose track of time or what is happening around us and can dial into what is in front of us. Where we can focus on deepening our understanding, honing our abilities, and making more nuanced connections.
Most of all, it is often deeply satisfying.
So, a carefully crafted schedule of deep work blocks would be what I needed to power through several different projects thoughtfully and efficiently without sacrificing quality, my sanity, or large chunks of my free time. Simply put, I need to commit to the bit and not break any more bones!
And man, it took some effort to make it work, but it got done.
In the end, I created two daily deep work blocks, between 9:30 am - 1:30 pm for design-focused work and another from 6 pm-9 pm for writing. (I like splitting up my days - it frees my midday for lighter work tasks, meetings, and errands.)
The blocks coincide with my circadian rhythm, so my deep work during my higher energy hours. The time in between allows me to transition from one state of deep work to another.
The reality is that it is difficult to sustain a regular daily routine of deep work.
Embracing routine deep work with so many projects on deck may be my mountain to climb this year. But I plan on marinating in it. I feel empowered by having a defined and balanced schedule to help me navigate and achieve my goals with free time to spare. (Fingers-crossed.)
I am going all in. Wish me luck!
FEBRUARY MOOD BOARD
It is all quite red and retro this month - two of my favorite things. I want February to feel fiery and active with a dose of fun.
WHAT I AM READING
Natasha’s Dance by Orlando Figes A book for the history lover, a cultural history of Russia.
This Might Just Be the Most Fun, Least Boring Way To Add Years to Your Life An article about creativity and longevity, Getting creative can be deep work, too!
WHAT I AM LISTENING TO
The mercury in retrograde playlist on Spotify is my new go-to work playlist.
This episode of for the healthy hoes (I am just obsessed with this podcast.) Their content this year has been absolutely fire!
Forget white noise, it's ALL about the brown noise. Wildly calming and aids you in drifting off into a peaceful sleep.
WHAT I AM WATCHING
I’ve been in a bit of a watch dry spell, but this Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell video about the paradox of time is worth a watch, espeically with all this talk of TIME.
Thinking again, I did recently watched Loudermilk on Netflix. While I was hesitant that it was another rote dramady of a childish but cranky middle-aged white man, but it was so much more. Surprising poignant amid the mayhem. I appreciated how they humanized the the lived experience of individuals in recovery and their loved ones. I completely lost it during the last episode. I highly recommend.
WHAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT
This AMAZING lamp - it’s so good, somebody…buy it!
A handy AI literature map - for scouting out new authors.
…and finally being able to laugh without pain.
WHAT’S KEEPING ME SANE
Alpaca socks mine have been making winter more tolerable and have negated my having to double up on socks on those frostier days.
This tiktok account, this man’s laughter is contagious and the content hilarious.
MONDAY MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN:
INCOMING VIBE OF THE WEEK
That’s all I have for today…until next time, my friends! I hope y’all are served the week you’re hoping for and treated to some sweetness along the way.
<3 Nicole
Deep work - Hallelujah. I’ve been trying so hard to make space for that in my day and life. I have it time blocked…still working towards having it be a regular part of my day, but I shan’t give up!!