Micro living and Micro working

Ask someone how they are doing, and 80% will return with one word: “Busy.”
It got me thinking… society got through one pandemic only to end up in another: a busyness pandemic.

In the wake of the COVID pandemic, as time seemed suspended and the distinction between days blurred, many of us turned to a practice of micro living and micro working. Instead of focusing on grand ambitions and macro-level goals, we honed in on the minutiae of daily life, stacking small tasks to create a semblance of productivity.

During the pandemic, micro living manifested in mundane yet essential questions:

“What’s my next meal?”
“Is my sourdough ready yet?”
“What show should I watch now?”
“Which Zoom happy hour is happening tonight?”
“What TikTok dance will I learn next?”

In this quest for busyness, we inadvertently fell into the trap of the busyness pandemic. We filled our days to feel a sense of purpose, but in doing so, we neglected the quality of our activities.

Similarly, in the realm of work, the pressure to stay busy can lead to a frantic pace devoid of meaningful progress. We convince ourselves that constant activity equates to productivity, perpetuating a cycle of mindless rushing from one task to another.

As John Wooden wisely observed, “Never mistake activity for achievement.”
Yet, in our post-pandemic world, many continue to conflate the two. Micro living and micro working may seem like pathways to fulfillment, but in reality, they often lead to burnout rather than joy. It’s time to reevaluate our approach and prioritize meaningful engagement over mere busyness.

Break Free from Micro Living: 5 Powerful Questions

Here are 5 important questions to ask yourself when you’re feeling caught in the busyness trap:

Am I running towards something or away from something?

My coach likes to remind me that when I start filling up my schedule externally, it might be a sign I’m trying to avoid dealing with something internally.

It’s like emotional whack-a-mole. If I can just keep moving, it can’t catch me!

Stop and ask yourself if there is something you don’t want to feel and that’s why you are running away from something vs. running toward something.

Am I focused on quality over quantity?

I’d rather complete 1 project than start 4.
I’d rather have 2 present hours with my family than 4 distracted hours.
I’d rather have 1 quality dinner with friends than trading Instagram DMs.
I’d rather schedule a 10 minute phone call than trade 30 slack messages.

Pause and think about how many interactions you are having and rate them on quality and determine how to swap them for more quality interactions.

Do I have permission to unplug?

In 2024 I believe everyone has a technological “numbing cycle”: a series of clicks we perform when we are exhausted, stressed and need a break but don’t feel like we have permission to unplug.

Instead we open and close a series of apps without even thinking about it.
Instead of checking email while we’re out to dinner just enjoy a nice meal.
Instead of watching a webinar while we’re working out focus on your exercise.

Am I trying to fill every hour? Steal my 4-3-2-1 method.

4 Hours of Deep Work + Meetings a day.
3 Hours of Intentional Family Time.
2 hours of Movement.
1 Hour of Rest.

You don’t need to schedule every moment of your day. I use that time to do whatever feels right for that day.

Time IS money. Am I overspending?

Imagine you were given $100 a day and, without thinking, you gave out $20 to the first 5 people you saw. Every day you would be broke.

Think about your time as currency.

Stop giving it to every single person who asks for it.

Every Sunday I look at my calendar and ask myself 3 questions:

Do these meetings get me closer to my goal this month? If yes, keep all. If no, proceed to question 2.
Do these meetings increase my luck surface area? If yes, keep most. If no, proceed to question 3.
Do these meetings increase good will & positive value? If yes, keep some. If not, cancel.

If you are ready to take your Ambition to the next level, here are 3 ways I can support you.

Library Lounge

A resource hub for ambitious entrepreneurs looking to start, grow, or scale their businesses and build the careers of their dreams. https://marielleagency.com/shop/.

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Micro living and Micro working