When life takes over

Predicting the future and taking a break

👋 Hi friends, it's Hesam with issue #30.5 of 4 bits.

4 bits is a biweekly newsletter where I share thoughts and musings on how to build memorable experiences.

Why is this issue 30.5 instead of 31? More below.

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😀 What’s new this summer: being more intentional about setting boundaries for actual vacation. I’m considering putting on an out of office message and archiving all emails when I return. 🤔

— From issue #29 of 4 bits, April 25, 2024

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Last summer, I made a huge mistake.

While I had the luck and privilege of staying halfway across the world with family on an extended vacation, the weight of my self-imposed commitments got to me.

A few commitments I couldn’t keep:

I started a new project right before I left for the summer. I had the opportunity to work with someone whose work I admired. I thought I couldn’t pass it up or delay it. I assumed I’d have the free time to get the project done. I didn’t.

I continued trying to write 4 bits. I had only been writing for 5 months. I was convinced I needed to keep going and not take a break. I thought it would only take a few hours of my day. Instead, I found it difficult to context switch from being on a trip to writing.

I started a separate popup newsletter for family and friends to follow our family’s journey during the summer, sharing stories and photos from abroad. Like a Netflix series, each year there was supposed to be a season. Since we already had a season 1, there HAD to be a season 2. I wrote issues despite the difficulty in doing so, but the frequency was sporadic and the writing was half-hearted. I gave up before I wrote the final issue.

I tried to check in regularly with my colleagues at work, doing my best to stay accessible even though I was technically “off the clock”. While these check ins didn’t create new work for me, it was a regular reminder that I had many work responsibilities to get back to.

If I were to predict the future, I expect that this same story would repeat itself this summer. Unless I make a change.

The view from an Airbnb we’ll be staying at during a short trip to Germany this summer

A good friend once said that I often play the video game of life at the hardest difficulty level possible. I add more responsibilities and commitments because it’s easier than slowing down.

So with the intention of designing a better experience for myself this summer, I’m putting 4 bits on pause until I get back from our travels. No new projects. One check in with a new team member.

Expect new 4 bits issues in August. I’m counting this one as a half issue (30.5 instead of 31), because I’ll write the next issue after an opportunity to rest and notice experiences around me.

Until then, give yourself permission to slow down - we all need to be reminded of that sometimes.