This is No Time for Regret

What’s worse than feeling you haven’t lived the life you want?

Some may say fear of failure outranks regret, but that’s not what you’ll hear from those who are facing death. They’ll tell you that they wish they’d taken more chances.

After all, when you’re facing death, you’re acutely aware that this life is not a dress rehearsal. And yet, we are often the biggest impediment to our own happiness by clinging to self-limiting beliefs.

We start to loosen up a bit when we hit 50, which corresponds with the upswing of the U-shaped happiness curve. And that makes the prospect of a longer healthspan so alluring, We’ve got plenty more of the good life ahead of us to travel, have fun, and generally make an impact on our own terms.

At the same time, there’s no room for past regrets or guilt. Hopefully we’ve all learned hard lessons from our past mistakes, and that’s the only purpose they serve — to teach us to become better people.

Dwelling on past mistakes makes you more likely to repeat those same mistakes, and that defeats the purpose of hard-earned lessons learned. Research in this area advises to focus on what you can do now and in the future:

Instead of dwelling on the past … research into behavior suggests that setting goals for the future can positively change present behavior. In short, if we want to have better self-control, “Look forward, don’t look back.”

We’ve got plenty of time left to live the lives we want. But we don’t have time for regret.

Why not take a chance or two this June?

Walk This Way

Walking is way better than not moving at all … by a lot. But does it cut it as cardio? It depends on how you do it, but the real answer is that walking is a gateway drug to more vigorous exercise.

Does Walking Really Count as Cardio? (Lifehacker)

Hold It Now … HIIT It

When it’s time to get serious, you can’t beat high intensity interval training for both efficiency and results. But it’s way more than simple sprints. Ladies, don’t let the Men’s Journal brand deter you, you’ve got these no problem.

15 HIIT Workouts to Get in the Best Shape of Your Life (Men’s Journal)

Video Killed The Office Star

2020 introduced business “virtualization” into the mainstream. It also showed you how weak current technology can be when it comes to communicating with others. The metaverse is the next phase, and it’s gonna be wild.

The Future of Remote Work is a Lot Like Living in a Video Game (Mashable)

Leaving on a Jet Plane

As Americans get vaccinated and start traveling again, some destinations, types of trips, and rentals are booking up this summer. Here are some tips on how to outsmart the crowds and travel options that are still in play.

Our Guide to Last-Minute Summer 2021 Travel (Afar)
_____

To get in the zone for peak performance, Trudi explores the 3C Method below. And in the Flashback, Lenny Kravitz cranks a killer Jimi Hendrix riff in this early 90’s anthem that became his hardest-rocking hit.

Speaking of 56-year-old Kravitz … have you seen this guy lately?

Keep going-

Brian Clark

P.S. New to Further? Join us here.

Harness Flow for Peak Performance Using the 3C Method

By Trudi Roth

As we return to “normal life,” it’s time to think about habits we’ll shed and those we’ll keep.

One page to preserve from the silver linings pandemic playbook is engaging in immersive activities. From baking to gardening, playing music, and crafting, we got lost in creative challenges — melting away time, worries, and distractions in the process.

Similarly, without things like commutes and workday boundaries, business productivity soared. Why are we going back to the office again?

Anyway, with more time and space to play with, many of us experienced the bliss of flow. Don’t turn the spigot off now — just a couple of hours “in the zone” daily, and you can optimize your mental performance and boost productivity by a reported 500%.

A Primer on Peak Performance

Positivity psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi pioneered the term “flow” in his 2008 book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. It’s all about feeling and performing your best in an effortless, hyper-focused way.

The reasons why flow feels so pleasant and productive have to do with neuroscience. When you’re “in the zone,” your body releases bliss chemicals, including dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, norepinephrine, and anandamide. Also, your brain waves shift from beta activity (normally stress-related) to alpha/theta activity — simultaneously alert, aware, and calm.

In other words, you’re in an “eyes-open” meditative state.

While we’ve all experienced flow at some point, Csíkszentmihályi argues you can control getting into the zone by consciously accessing information — not leaving it to chance.

The “3C Method”

To “hack” the flow state, productivity expert Jari Roomer created the “3C Method”:

• Create a Distraction-Free Environment: Turn off your phone, mute notifications, close tabs (especially email and social media), and tell your family not to disturb you (unless there’s an emergency).
• Control The “Monkey” Mind: Once you’ve managed external interruptions, work on internal distractions. To calm racing thoughts, adopt a regular meditation practice, limit caffeine and sugar intake, de-stress by journaling, and take breaks. Also, when you’re in flow, have a pad of paper handy to jot down random thoughts to address later.
• Cognitive Optimization: This is all about maximizing your brainpower, starting with capitalizing on your peak energy time. Technologist Paul Graham wrote about maker vs. manager schedules, promoting the idea of making things when you’re freshest, sharpest, and clearest (mornings for most) and managing things when you don’t need much focus. Also, remember to hydrate, use music strategically, and optimize your cognitive load with tasks that are challenging but not overwhelming and frustrating.

Roomer says if you spend just two hours daily “in the zone,” you’ll be as productive as most people are in a 40-hour workweek. It’s not about kicking back to go with the flow — it’s all about using flow to grow.

Work In A Flow State For 2+ Hours Per Day Using The ‘3C Method’ (Medium)