Jeff Bezos’s Secret to a Clear, Focused Mind Is Puttering. Psychology Says He’s on to Something
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By: Jessica Stillman
Many founders and CEOs are known for their high-octane morning routines. Not Jeff Bezos. The founder spends the first hours of his day “puttering.”
“I like to read the newspaper, I like to have coffee, I like to have breakfast with my kids before they go to school. Puttering time is very important to me,” Bezos explained back in 2018. According to his wife Lauren Sanchez, his mornings still focus on slow, offline puttering today.
Sipping your coffee while catching up on the news sounds pleasant. But Bezos doesn’t just putter around in the mornings because he’s a billionaire who can do what he pleases. In the same interview he explains that his relaxed morning routine helps him clear and center his mind so he can make high-quality decisions during the day.
To the productivity obsessed, puttering might sound like the opposite of focused effectiveness. But psychology says Bezos is on to something. Puttering, by definition, may be aimless and small in scale. But science is clear it can also help our brains work at their best. Read more...
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I putter before I get started for the day. An afternoon putter works too!
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Hmmm, this is exactly what I do! Now I know there's actually a name for it. I love it. I get up extra early just so I have enough time to putter, and it absolutely doesn't work without excellent coffee. Since I work with a lot of ADHD founders chasing BHAGs, I need cardio kickboxing to clear my mind, stay focused, and be productive. Turns out puttering AND punching things is my secret sauce.
puttering while the serfs make him rich, I get it.
I’ve started doing this too, no phone, no email, just tea + quiet thinking. My focus and creativity shot up. Sometimes the best strategy is slowing down 💪