Focus Weekend (Part 1)

It's day 144 of documenting 2025.

Happy Weekend, my friend ☺️

You may be reading this post late...or early, depending on where you are.

I'm typing this now...by 9:55 am (Nigerian time).

I just have 45 minutes on the clock

Shoot! 😐

I haven't read today's note from the usual read!

Guess I have to pause the timer.

Be right back!

(6 minutes and some seconds later...)

I'm back!

I finished reading through day 144 in 365 Days With Self-discipline.

A book that has a note for every day of the year.

It's what I use for highlights....a section of the post where I share quotes and give my take on them.

Alright...back to what I wanted to say.

Oops! Gotta resume the timer! ⏲️

There...done.

(The timer will probably ring before I finish typing...but it's cool)

Now let's continue.

It's the rest period...for most of us working a job.

Although I think some jobs require you to work on a Saturday.

Mine isn't included.

I'm at home now chilling...and adding another day to my writing streak ✍️

For the record, there will be no "Blast From The Past" today....and tomorrow as well.

I'm replacing it with something else.

Something on the topic of focus.

I'm finally done with chapter 2 of a book by Martin Meadows, the author of the usual read.

It's called, "The Ultimate Focus Strategy".

It's a book I'm reading to learn....or rather, cement what I think I know about focus.

I finished chapter one and shared the summary of it in one of the previous posts.

(Can't remember which one 😑)

I finished chapter two yesterday.

No...I think it's the day before, after an endless number of sections.

The summary of the chapter is what I want to share with you.

It's going to be in two parts.

Why?

Because it's quite long.

The summary, titled "Quick Recap" is in twelve points that summarize the whole chapter.

I'll share 6 of those points today...and the remaining 6 in tomorrow's post.

So, part 1...part 2.

The points are packed...

I assure you.

I probably need to remind myself of some of the points too.

Before that, let's look at today's highlights.

From the usual read, written by Martin Meadows....

365 Days With Self-discipline

📌 On The Work Of A Human Being

"In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought

be present — I am rising to the work of a human being. 

Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? 

Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bed-clothes and keep myself warm? — But this is more pleasant. 

Dost thou exist then to take thy pleasure, and not at all for action or exertion?"

Quote by Marcus Aurelius

"Yet sleeping in is only more pleasant in the beginning or when you’ve earned it. 

Making your life revolve around comfort and laziness doesn’t lead to happiness in the long term; it leads to depression.

Taking action and exerting yourself rarely feels good at first , but upon completing valuable work, the pleasure of sleeping in can hardly match the pleasure of being productive"

Yep! Tell me about it!

Most times when I usually get back from school work, the next thing is a bed.

Sometime I leave lunch for the most refreshing nap I can ever get.

I usually wake up after 2 hours.

I can totally relate to the last sentence 😌

"Whenever you find yourself discouraged, remind yourself that while succumbing to laziness feels good at first, ultimately it will only worsen your situation and make you even less ready to face challenges. 

Embrace discipline, stay active, constantly grow, and you’ll find both fulfillment and meaning in life."

The teaching job is one I disliked.

Mainly because I believed it doesn't pay enough...

As much as online work does.

But then I found out that it would pay me more than just a salary.

It would also pay me in experience.

I rarely go out.

Except for when I had JAMB lessons, I stayed at home most of the time.

This job allows me go out...although the school is close to the house.

Point is, it takes me out of my comfort zone.

It's also teaching me how to deal better with people.

Especially youngsters I'm teaching.

It's always punishment and caning with the other teachers...

Nothing like that in my case.

They kinda like me...except when it's time to write down the notes for the class.

Then my ears hear so many complains.

"The notes are too much, ma"

"Do you teachers want to kill us with notes?"

"Everytime, I'm writing one note or the other"

I just smile and keep on with the class.

Inwardly I'm saying, 

"I feel your pain...I was like you once. But if I passed through it, you have to do so as well".

It's not every single moment I teach tho....

There are times when I'm free...even after break time.

Then, I just work on unfinished content or reply messages on Whatsapp.

Next week, we go again.

And I'm gonna love every bit of it 😁

Moving on....

Let's get to the summary of the chapter I read.

On the main website, this post will be tagged, "Focus Series".

So you can find it easily.

Chapter 2 of The Ultimate Focus Strategy

STEP 2 — FOCUS: QUICK RECAP

1. The second step comes down to choosing one path and staying on it until you reach your destination. Resisting the temptation to chase after shiny distractions is paramount to success with the strategy.

2. There are four steps to find the right path to follow. 

Start by researching the tried and true strategies, instead of looking for a magic pill. 

When choosing the strategies to test, eliminate any approach that you can’t imagine following over the long term. 

For example, if you absolutely hate running, don’t start a workout plan that forces you to run every day. You can only go so far with sheer persistence. 

Next, research the remaining strategies more thoroughly, asking yourself if you can follow them for months or years. 

Lastly, pick one strategy and stick to it for at least a few weeks or months.

3. You should stick to your strategy if it’s scalable, doesn’t come with too many drawbacks, and can easily become a part of your everyday routine. 

You should consider changing the strategy if it doesn’t bring the expected results, you abhor following it, or there are unexpected inconveniences that are part of the

strategy and make it challenging to stick to it.

4. Whenever you feel the temptation to deviate from your path, remind yourself that success requires following a system. 

It might be boring or repetitive at times, but it’s necessary for accomplishment.

5. To overcome everyday distractions, practice mindfulness, take up a high-focus sport, read and write, try to engage with your entire self in whatever you’re doing, surround yourself with beauty, travel, and be careful of laziness triggers (activities that throw you out of your “work” mode and make it difficult or impossible to return back to work).

6. If you’re dealing with too many personal challenges at once and they’re so severe you can’t maintain focus on your most important goal, apply the Ultimate Focus Strategy to your problems instead of focusing on your main objective. Resume working on your dreams when you’re done putting out fires.

If the problems aren’t so paralyzing and you can continue on toward your main goal, rate them from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most worrying problem), and deal with these challenges one by one, starting with the most difficult — but only after performing your key action for the day that will get you closer to your primary objective.

That's part 1.

(I told you they were packed! 🙂)

Make sure you don't miss part 2 in tomorrow's post.

I'll also title it "part 2".

For reference purposes.

I hope you enjoyed today's post.

It's you learned something new, or you were reminded of something you already know.

It's the latter for me.

Thanks for reading, my friend 🎀

I have written over a hundred posts before this one...

If you want to catch up on the posts from the week that just ended, visit Documenting 2025.

Scroll as much as you like, pick a post, and enjoy.

I'll see you there 😉

I'm Duon Ada.

I'm documenting 2025.

And I'll see you tomorrow.

Ciao 💕