I don’t know about you, but I feel like time speeds up in December.
December feels like the Bermuda Triangle of months. Because come January, I’m always like “wait a minute, wasn’t it just November?” Maybe it’s the combination of the holidays, shorter days, year-end pressures, and just trying to squeeze the last bit of productivity out of the calendar. But whatever the cause, life in December feels just a little more vaporous than normal (James 4:14).
At any rate, I pray that this is a fruitful and God-glorifying month for you as we bring another year to a close and look forward to what’s ahead.
Also, quick thanks to everyone who took advantage of the POWER Mornings / FPT Black Friday Bundle. I pray those two courses are a blessing to you!
And lastly, one very big announcement before we dive into this week’s Roundup…
🎉 Redeeming Productivity Academy is Officially Open!
Redeeming Productivity Academy is my membership that pairs a training program to help productivity-minded Christians reach their goals with a community to keep each other accountable along the way.
I’ve spent the last 3 months working with 50 founding members to hone this community into something truly special. And I’m pleased to announce that we are now ready to accept new enrollments for 2022!
If you’re a Christian who is struggling to get organized, manage your time well, and just be more productive for God’s glory, you’ve found your tribe.
🧑‍💻The Roundup
Your Surface Area of Concern Is Expanding (4 mins)
This is a concept I think about a lot, especially since my brief stint working in the news: We know too much. It’s nice to put a name on the phenomenon.
“Our ‘surface area of concern’—the number of events we pay attention to on a regular basis—has expanded alongside technology. This is not an inherently negative thing, but becomes one when it adds chronic stress, leads us to burnout, and affects our mental health.”
(Chris Bailey / A Life of Productivity)
John Piper on How to Write a Personal Mission Statement (20 mins)
I’ve been writing, rewriting, and refining my personal mission statement since college. But I’ve never heard someone go into as much detail as Piper does here on the high-level considerations that should shape your personal mission statement as a Christian.
“When I read the Bible, I cannot escape the relentless teaching that God has purposes. He has goals in everything he does. He’s not a God who is coasting aimlessly. He’s not going in circles.”
(John Piper / Desiring God)
Tiago Forte on how email can help you achieve your productive potential (4 mins)
This was a great practical read on redefining your relationship to email. I’ve already begun implementing some of these lessons myself.
- Reframe your perception of unread email — your inbox is teeming with opportunities!
- Engineer your downstream systems — apps for reading later, calendar, notes, and task management.
- Intentionally reduce your reactivity to email — you’ll remove distractions and alleviate self-imposed pressure.
- Use low reactivity to excel at email — you’ll improve your reputation by responding in greater depth.
(Rahul Vohra / Superhuman)
Lessons From Seven Years Of Remote Work (2 mins)
“When you’re physically disconnected from your colleagues, you have to build new skills and adapt your tactics. This is advice I wish I’d had seven years ago when I started working remotely.”
(Tyler Cipriani)
How Do I Glorify God Even When My Work Seems Meaningless? (8 mins)
Some helpful thoughts here for those struggling to glorify God in jobs that feel meaningless.
(Greg Phelan / The Gospel Coalition)
⌛️That’s All for this Week
That’s all I got for this week. Thanks for reading!
If you want to get in touch, just reply to this email. Love hearing from you guys!
– Reagan
