Ramen Burps

This is going to be a short post because I am exhausted.

To summarize chapter 9 (the second to last chapter in this book) Austin advises us to lead "boring" lives. Get into a routine, get a day job, find a good partner, and do the extraordinary in your work because let's be honest, being creative is tiring enough as it is.

Everybody has somewhat of a routine: wake up, brush your teeth, eat, go to work. Something like that. My routine is pretty much the same, except with more coffee. I (try) to exercise every other day because it really helps keep my head clear and I usually end the day working on my computer or watching Netflix documentaries with my partner until we fall asleep. I think having a good, boring, everyday routine helps people be more creative. One of my favorite statements is: try to do as many menial tasks as you can because when you're doing something you don't want to be doing, your mind will start to wander to the work you actually want to be doing.

My logbook.

Kleon recommends staying organized and keeping a calendar. I live by my phone calendar, mostly because I have the memory of a shrimp. Being orderly helps get my thoughts together and lets me know exactly what needs to be done at the given moment.

Another thing he recommends is keeping a logbook, which I've been doing since I first finished the book back in January. It really helps me retain information even though I'm just writing down a few details. I've loved keeping a logbook and urge everyone to at least try it. My favorite part is looking back to read what I wrote about that day... and it's much less cringy than keeping a journal.

That's all for this week. Thanks for reading.

— B