How to find laser focus at 35,000 feet

Hey Time Dorks,

This is the 15th newsletter since we relaunched Time Dorks in this new weekly format last November. Are you enjoying the format? How about the cadence? Do you have any ideas on how we could improve?

We’d love to hear what you think!

If you have any feedback, hit reply and let us know. We read every response.

Now back to this week’s edition.

Something to Try

Do you look forward to your time on an airplane? There’s the tiny cramped seats. The crying baby in the row behind you. And the spotty Wi-Fi that won’t let you stream.

Sure, none of those parts of flying are awesome. But what if I told you that airplane ride was the perfect place to focus?

One of our favorite things about airplanes (apart from the sheer wonder of flying through the air) is the enforced focus.

During a flight, there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do, and even if there were, the seat belt sign requires you to keep your butt in your chair.

The strange parallel universe of an airplane cabin can be the perfect opportunity to read, write, knit, think, or just be bored—in a good way.

But even on an airplane, you have to change a couple of defaults to make time.

First, if your seat has a screen, turn it off when you sit down.

Second, if your airplane has Wi-Fi, don’t pay for it.

When you Fly Without Wifi (Tactic #27), you can enjoy Laser mode while cruising at 35,000 feet.

Whether you have a personal goal, such as writing some adventure fiction, or a professional goal, like fixing up a presentation for your upcoming product launch, you can use this time to put your priorities first.

And guess what? This default shift doesn’t have to be limited to your time on an airplane.

If you aren’t traveling any time soon, think about how you can simulate this experience in your day-to-day life.

Jake has recently rented an office, but he never installed Wi-Fi.

I go to my favorite coffee shop to write, but I don’t let myself connect to the Wi-Fi.

In both cases, we’re putting some friction between us and the infinite possibilities (ahem, distractions) the Internet provides. This small shift can make it easier to drop into Laser mode and focus on your Highlight.

The ways you can customize this tactic are endless, so go experiment and let us know how you get on!

Tech & Tools

Whether you’re on an airplane or in a coffee shop, sometimes you need a little help to shut out the chaos around you. Noise-canceling headphones can supercharge this tactic.

Personally, I love Apple products and recently splurged on the AirPods Max, which offer amazing noise-cancelling, but there are plenty of quality options at a much more reasonable price point.

And if you’re Looking for the simplest (and cheapest) option? Foam earplugs! Or for a more stylish option, try these Loop ones.

Timely Quotes

Thanks for reading, see you next week!
Connor