Hello friend

Welcome to the weekend.

I’ve always loved April (and not just because it’s my birthday month). There’s something about the seasonal shift that lifts my energy and makes change and progress feel more achievable. Maybe you’re feeling it too?

I’m looking forward to delivering my Daily Routines workshop next week. I’ve also been thinking about the podcast again. I’ve missed recording episodes, and a refresh—perhaps with a new name and sharper focus—feels like it might be on the horizon.

Lately, I’ve also been spending a little less time on social media. Not a full break, but I’ve made a few changes and they’ve made a difference. Later in this email, I’m linking to an article about taking a proper break from social media, which I found thought-provoking, even if I’m not quite ready to go that far myself (yet).

If you’re feeling energised by the shift in season, that’s wonderful. And if not, I hope there’s something in this week’s email that helps.

✏️ Doodle Essays

Here is this week's short essay collection:

And here are the doodles:

I also shared the doodle below on social media this week (just the doodle, no essay). The reminder seemed to resonate, so I am sharing it here today as well.

📚 Read

Here are some articles you might enjoy:

7 Days No Social Media Experiment (via Digital Minimalist, as mentioned in my introduction).
Me & My Desk: Emma Gannon (via India Knight—I'm always curious about where other people write or make).

If you're curious about the books I'm reading, you can see my library in Tana here: Library.

📺 Watch

This video is classic Naomi from Todoist (she is fantastic). I love her explanation of the JOT Method, which is specifically aimed at anyone struggling to get started. It's simple, but precisely what you need in this situation.

And if you need a little wellbeing boost today, what about these bird cams, brought to you by the people behind the Merlin app? If you'd rather watch the live streams on YouTube, click the image below.

🎧 Listen

I know I recommend a lot of Cal Newport, but this recommendation is more about the person he's interviewing: IN-DEPTH: Architecting a Deep Life (with Davide Dewane).

The episode refers to Jim Collins's approach to scoring the day, which Collins originally shared in a rare interview with Tim Ferriss. The researcher nerd in me found this fascinating, and I plan to experiment with it.

Here's the video version:

By the way, I listen to podcasts in the Snipd app, but you can find shows and episodes I recommend wherever you like to listen to podcasts. Use my referral link to get a month of Snipd Premium for free.

That's all from me today. Have a great week, and I will be in touch again next weekend.

Best wishes,

Martine

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help: