table of funtents

1. 👋🏼 it’s me, hi

2. 📱 small steps to digital sanity

   1. ☎️ hello, operator?

   2. 💌 you’ve got mail

   3. 💩 a no bs reminder

👋🏼 it’s me, hi

HI MISFITS!

We’ve got a few new faces here, so BIGGGG welcome (+ welcome back OGs!) to the minority misfit 🥹

We drop new episodes (full or mini) every Wednesday @ 5 PM GMT:

• Mini episodes: consist of a hello from me + the meat

• Full episodes: expect a hello, detailed meat + no BS lessons, a tool of the week and advice from another misfit

Last week was MEATY, so we’re bringing mini vibes this time. If you’re ever after a specific topic, browse our full archive here.

Before we dive in, can we juuust appreciate the LONGEST month in history is finally coming to an end?

SHEEEESH. That’s all.

Let’s dive in 🌊

Let’s start with a story all y’all recognise:

You’re out with a friend. Their phone’s upright on the table.

You’re smack dab in the middle of a great chat when all of a sudden:

1. buzz! the phone lights up

2. they divert their attention (just for a sec), then look back at you

3. a banner pops up

4. they divert their attention (just for a sec), then look back at you

5. a notification from news comes on (why??)

6. they divert their attention (just for a sec), then look back at you

You know your friend’s still here physically. They’re certainly not mugging you off to go on their phone when you’re sat opposite.

By now though, the vibe’s lost. You’re both distracted.

📱 small steps to digital sanity

IMO the most valuable thing we can offer clients, second to our experience, is the strength of a clear mind.

Clients are up to their eyeballs with competing pressures. It’s up to us to turn chaos into structure and funnel noise into focus.

Can subtle shifts in our digital engagement actually improve attention - both for us and the clients we serve?

☎️ hello, operator?

When it comes to my attention, I draw hard lines to keep sane - starting with my phone.

Now, I’m nowhere near writing the epilogue of Stolen Focus (there’s no phone drawer or nightly digital wind-down routine in my house).

But as these habits are subtle and quickly became second nature for me, I’m certain anyone (including you) can adopt them.

1. notifications

For starts, I get zero app notifications by banner - meaning no texts, emails or socials will show up on my lock screen. EVER.

Once unlocked, I can quickly access what I need on the home screen with minimal distractions. I have three views with apps grouped per my brain.

I also only allow notification bubbles for messages (iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram) on my home screen. These settings mean I’ll see messages when I choose to get into my phone. One step further - I’ll see LinkedIn or Instagram notifications if (and only if) I choose to go into the apps themselves.

2. time limits

I’m not active on Facebook, TikTok or X (this helps!), but I do enforce time limits on LinkedIn (1 hr) and Instagram (45 mins).

I’m still susceptible to a good ol’ doom scroll; notice I purposely used a screen shot from Monday to prove I don’t always stick to my 1 hour LinkedIn limit!

But if I am going to engage in a doom scroll sesh, I prefer choosing to spend my attention there vs. a buzz, banner or flash compelling me to.

3. sounds

Remember when we used to PAY for ringtones, y’all?

Throwback to my LG Chocolate (miss u) and that one guy who decided spending money on Crazy Frog was a good shout (don’t miss u).

Times have changed, and now unless I’m expecting a call:

• the phone is always on silent

• do not disturb is always on (except for mom + husband)

• no vibrations, flashing lights or ringtones (ironic now that they’re free)

While my phone is always nearby (ever lost it while on silent? lul), it’s never begging for my attention. It’s just there chillin’ in case I need it. And this keeps me sane.

💌 you’ve got mail

Remember that scene in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban where they’re introduced to a boggart?

No one knows what boggarts look like, as they’re cheeky little buggers that take the form of a person’s worst fear.

Now, if I were confronted with a boggart, it’d take the shape of the mail logo with thousands of unread, disorganised emails.

I see an inbox like a house: if my space is cluttered, my mind can’t focus. Here’s how I stay sane:

1. “act” on emails immediately

FYI: this does NOT mean respond to emails immediately (please, don’t ever feel pressure to do this).

It means when I eventually sit and check emails, each gets acted upon in that sitting.

They’re either:

• deleted or unsubscribed from

• stored in an existing folder

• turned into a new filter

• starred to reply

This practice takes 5 minutes (genuinely) at the start of my email sesh and makes ongoing cleanup 100x more manageable.

2. schedule a weekly inbox-zero party

Speaking of cleanups:

Every Friday. 4 PM. Either a hype or deep focus Spotify playlist (there’s no in between) - and I get all my inboxes down to zero. It’s so cathartic.

While replying obvs takes time, the end of week cleanup generally takes 30 mins (across 4 email addresses, btw)!

3. segment your browser profiles

Finally, whether you’re a Google Chrome or MS Edge user, we’re all winners. Consider making different browser profiles to segment your work / searches.

For example, I have 4 different Chrome profiles: one for keshty, one for my personal email and one for each of my fCOO clients.

This functionality also enables you to keep each profile’s tabs separate, rather than having hundreds of tabs open in random windows.

💩 a no bs reminder

Some incredibly kind misfits think I really have my shit together. Today, I’ve shared small ways I stay sane in order to offer the best of my brain to others.

Before you decide I’m some sort of super-freak, let me serve your weekly dose of no BS.

I’m super organised - at work.

Now ask me where my house keys are at this very moment. Go ahead, ask!

Have one chat with my husband about the state of my password management before we met #romantic

How many friends have I left on read? (sorry friends, love you really)

I don’t have it all together - no one does. Give yourself some credit and take it one step at a time. You’re doing just fine.

If you take anything from this mini-episode, let it be this:

Pick ONE action that’ll help you own your devices more than they own you.

Whether that’s changing an app’s notification setting or hosting your first inbox-zero sesh: start small, build the muscle and watch your incremental efforts pay off with the gift of your attention.

PS: let me know which mini action you choose moving into February 👀

That’s a wrap, misfits 🫶🏼

As always, I’m only an email away for questions and future episode ideas. I lurv hearing your thoughts (and genuinely read through every email + poll 🥲).

catch you in feb (finally),

xo neds