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Welcome, friend! I'm glad you're here. This is the first issue of How Kind, where I hope to spread kindness, one newsletter at a time.
(Re-)Introducing myself, I'm Mateus Da Silva - a Brazilian-American product designer & tech ethicist. I recently wrapped up a 5.5-year journey working on design systems at Netflix, and am very excited to pursue new opportunities like this publication!
Every week(ish) I'll share a few things I'm thinking about, loving, working on, hearing, and seeing, with a focus on design, tech, ethics, and also life in general. But most importantly, I hope to start a conversation with you and other readers. To that end, I'd also love to hear what's on your mind - write me at howkind@mateusdasilva.com or respond directly to this issue by using the comment links at the end.
Since this issue is all about beginnings, I thought there'd be no better way to start than to talk about starting.
How to Start Anything (And Why Productivity is Anti-Human)
It's cliche at this point to talk about the paralysis we feel when we stare at a blank page, a mountain of to-dos, a sink overflowing with dirty dishes, a new exercise regime, or that school or work project we dreaded starting - and now it's due tomorrow. There's something very universal about that feeling, when we know we "should" be doing something else, but for some reason that thing has taken on a life of its own and is following us around like an ever-looming shadow.
Part of the reason we feel this is because we are sold the lie by society that we need to be productive at all times. We are constantly bombarded by influencers and thought leaders who say that the secret to success is to optimize your time during every waking moment; become ruthlessly efficient; and, of course, use the latest and greatest tools to go faster, farther, and harder than you could with your squishy human brain and delicate hands alone.
The thing is - we are humans, not machines. The concept of productivity is connected to, among other things, the rise of machine-led production lines in the Industrial Revolution, and the impact of Fordism on an economic system based on mass production, mass consumption, and mass assembly lines. Since then, boredom and leisure have been labeled as undesirable, feeding off precious time that could instead go into being productive. Creating for the sake of creating, for the joy of the craft, rather than optimizing for maximum efficiency or gain, is conflated with laziness. What's the point if you're not hustling?
If any of this resonates with you, I invite you to take a moment today and ask yourself these questions when you feel the pressure to be productive:
- Does speed truly help me here? What am I rushing towards?
- Have I sat enough in my boredom or relaxation today, without trying to fill in that gap with "productivity"?
- Have I felt bad about being "lazy" or "unproductive" today? What's making me feel that way?
I hope taking this reflection gives you chance to start distancing yourself from the nonstop pressure to always be producing.
Now, because we do need to accomplish certain things on a daily basis, I want to share a strategy that changed my life. It's deceptively simple:
- Pick a single task you need to accomplish today.
- Prepare yourself for that task (whether it's sitting at your desk, opening up your notebook, picking up a book, putting on your running shoes, etc).
- Set a timer for 5 min. Yes, just 5 min. The short duration is key to help combat the resistance to getting started.
- For 5 min, focus on that task and nothing else until the timer is up.
That's it.
5 minutes might seem like nothing. But trust me, this is about "tricking" your brain. It's about building momentum.
There's no way you can fail. After the timer is up, one of two scenarios will happen: you'll either feel motivated and energized enough to start another 5 min timer (or your duration of choice) on that task; or you can call it enough for the day, and that will still mean you got a small chunk of the task done, rather than nothing at all.
Progress is progress. You'll still be farther along today than you were yesterday. Remember, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Give it a try and let me know what you think :)
What's been inspiring me
Article: Why saying hello to strangers can be good for you
A simple acknowledgement of a fellow human does wonders to boost my mood and sense of community.
Before we go
Got a question for me? A burning topic on your mind? Thoughts on this issue? I would love to make this a conversation and build the newsletter with reader-submitted questions and topics. Comment below or write me at howkind@mateusdasilva.com :-)
Kindly yours,
Mateus Da Silva
🎷 This was issue #1 of How Kind. Enjoying the newsletter? Consider subscribing for free (or upgrading to a paid subscription) or tipping me!
