Hi Friend,
Greetings from Newark.
This week was awesome. I’m finally starting to have a better evening routine, one that doesn’t include mindless scrolling on Instagram.
Now when I’m home from work, I do my daily French Lessons on Duolingo, cook my meals while listening to an audiobook, watch half an episode of Sopranos during dinner, and finish the night off with a book.
A big win for me was getting started with daily cooking. I’ve realized that getting the grocery on the weekend and planning your meals is so much easier for weeknight cooking. It reduces the stress of answering the most demotivating question “What to cook for dinner today?”
The 15-day streak for Duolingo with 2274 XP earned over 3 hours was a bonus. Before bed, I try to read a few pages of Oranges by John McPhee to understand how the great non-fiction writer could possibly write 176 pages about oranges. Also, the blackout curtains I got for my bedroom are a game changer. Nothing beats a dark and quiet room to sleep in. I’ve never felt fresher waking up on a weekday.
Only time will tell if I can keep up with this routine that I like.
Over the weekend we celebrated a birthday in the family. We dressed up as Bollywood actors and danced to the latest numbers. Stories were told, laughs were shared, memories were created. Even though it was a small gathering, it’s these small things that bring the most joy.
When you look back on all the times you will have had in the past months and years, it will be all the small things that you remember most. That's why it's important to take time to appreciate the little moments of joy and experiences that come our way. It's these small moments that truly make up life, and they are the ones we will cherish the most.
🦾 On Becoming a Bomb Engineer.
This Week: Priorities are crucial to get things done
In a manufacturing plant, the one thing needed for effective project completion is setting priorities.
As an entry level engineer, the priorities of your projects need to be set by your manager based on the overall goals of the company and the team. These priorities will in-turn determine what tasks to work on next and what tasks can wait for some more time. You know you have a great manager when they set priorities and those priorities don’t change.
Now a manufacturing facility has a dynamic environment and priorities will change. You need to be flexible to handle minor changes in priorities.
But you know it is bad when your priorities start shifting at the same rate as someone chasing the next shiny object. Unfortunately, you are not going to get any work done and will have nothing to show for at the end of the year.
If that case, have an open conversation with you manager to set priorities for your projects. If that doesn’t work, you need to be selfish and look at projects that will help with your career development. Dedicate more time to those projects and add value to the company while chasing those shiny objects. Because the same people who ask you to chase shiny objects will ask you about your value addition to the company.
I didn’t realize until quite later in my career that having priorities is a key aspect of getting projects over the finish line. Priorities prevent you from squirreling away to the next shiny object and stay on track to add value to the team.
⛺️ Content I’m Digging
📑 Write for your grandkids
By Michael Dean
Writers should think of their grandchildren when writing online, as a way to preserve their ideas and create a time capsule for future generations.
Writing online can be a simple endeavor, and that it can be a way to feed the curiosity of descendants, providing them with unfiltered wisdom from the generations before them. It can also be an opportunity to provide a personal perspective into our day-to-day lives. We can share our stories with future generations in ways that are more personal and meaningful than ever before.
By writing for our grandchildren, we can ensure that our words live on.
Quote of the week
Maya Angelou on small wins
The small daily victories are the sweetest. They are the ones that give you the courage to go on
Thank you for reading.
I really appreciate your attention.
Your Friend,
Shubham
P.S: Parts of this essay were edited using AI tools.