I'm "busy", and new music
What do you do when you want to do absolutely everything?
I haven't popped into your inbox lately and I'm trying not to feel too guilty about that (it's tough!) but the more that I tried to keep up with the routine of posting once a week here on Substack, the more I realised I was dropping everything else important to achieve that. The last thing I wanted was to come to resent this by over-leveraging myself.
Therefore, I'm approaching things a bit more holistically. I came to accept that I have a craving to do many things at once and can quickly burn out when I try to stick to self-imposed rhythms like posting once a week. I'll continue my cycle of posting new music, writing about what is inspiring me and writing my thoughts though.
Whilst I haven't been exactly writing, I have been hard at work on some new music which I wanted to share here as a little teaser in the hope that you'll enjoy listening to that instead!
I'd also love to make a video for this track so I'm currently scouting the internet for some interesting footage to go along with this. If you have anything in mind please do let me know. What images might go well with this track?
Just as I was thinking more and more about how my calendar was so full of all the things I wanted to get done (writing, music, renovations, socialising, being a good partner, seeing my family, etc. etc. the list goes on) the YouTube algorithm did what it does best and served up this video about how to be good at — and juggle — everything you're interested in. That's a gross understatement of what this video is actually about but sums it up well enough. It's a brilliant video for those who feel they have a lot on their plate but don't want to throw it all away. One section in particular resonated with me because in the midst of filling my time up with everything I want to get done, I can still find myself being easily led astray by *shiny object syndrome* which Oddyseas neatly explains in this video.
I particularly resonated with his idea of laying your week out and entering everything you want to get done into a Google Calendar. Doing it in a way that everything you currently do and want to get done is accounted for. After watching the video I took the plunge and mapped out my entire week.
I started by putting in the non-negotiables like work, commuting, eating and sleeping and then filled the rest of the empty space with the things I wanted to focus on. Composing new music, writing for Substack, learning about BTC, woodworking, studying Japanese etc. Then I set all events as recurring weekly. I had always turned my nose up at this idea before, but my gosh I was so wrong. Doing this has helped to keep me on track with the things I want to achieve and there's zero chance of neglecting to do something because I've been too busy with my other passions.
It's definitely not for everyone and I'm sure there are those who would cringe at the thought of such rigidity, but for someone who has too many interests like me—it's working perfectly!
Thank you for being here. I'll leave you with a quote from Eckhart Tolle which helps to keep me grounded and reminds me that although I've just filled out my entire week on Google Calendar, I should not take it too seriously!
In today's rush, we all think too much — seek too much — want too much — and forget about the joy of just being.
— Eckhart Tolle 🍃
Please share this with anyone who might enjoy it and if you'd like to support this newsletter please buy one of my albums over on Bandcamp, or consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack. My music is also on Spotify and Apple Music. Alternatively, you can send a few sats to: ozu_@getalby.com
SJF