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Welcome to my November 2024 productivity report! We’re now officially into year two of these posts – can you believe it? To backtrack, check out where I started in October 2023. You’ll find November 2023 here, and December 2023 here. For this year, January 2024 is here, February 2024 is here, March 2024 is here, April 2024 is here, May 2024 is here, June 2024 is here, July is here, August 2024 is here, September 2024 is here, and October 2024 is here.

🌱 How I Felt About November 2024

November was a complicated and very emotional month. Turbulent is probably the word I would use to describe it. The tension in the country was so high because of the political situation and all sorts of feelings were flaring all over the place. To be honest, it was a disappointing month for me, not because of who won and who lost, but because of how people behaved. I felt like I watched the absolute worst in people come to life, and it made me really sad. I thought we were better than pettiness, but I guess not.

I can work with anyone, regardless of policy disagreements, as long as there is a foundation of mutual respect in place. When that goes out the window, I’m out. And what made me really sad this month was to see just how many people felt OK with putting others down in various forms.

I’m not OK with any type of bullying or disrespect, regardless of what side of the political spectrum you’re on, and this month just felt like high school all over again. *Sigh.* Because of that, I had to say goodbye to several people that I felt crossed a line, and that was hard. When you are a secure and stable person, you don’t have the need to take your grievances out on others, so until they can see that, we have to part ways. My integrity is not for sale, and I’m not going to compromise on my boundaries.

🌻 The Battle of Emotions vs. Rationality

I definitely became a much better leader as a result of all the tension in November. I guess turbulence shakes things up for a reason. As a result of watching how things unfolded, it became really clear to me who in my circle has a grip on their emotions, and that is something that’s exceptionally important to me… not only for leadership purposes, but for common functionality. To succeed in life, you have to evolve and rise above your own biases to truly see clearly what’s going on. And you can only do that if you put your emotions aside and look objectively at a situation from all angles. Rationality for the win. Ugh…

The me share an excerpt from the Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene, which is the audio book that I listened to this month because it really speaks to this skill. In one chapter, he talks about Pericles, the famous politician from Ancient Greece, and he writes the following:

“What consumed Pericles as a thinker and a public figure was how to get out of this trap, how to be truly rational in an arena dominated by emotions. The solution he came up with is unique in history and devastatingly powerful in its results. It should serve as our ideal. In his conception, the human mind has to worship something, has to have its attention directed to something it values above all else.

For most people, it is their ego; for some it is their family, their clan, their god, or their nation. For Pericles it would be nous, the ancient Greek word for “mind” or “intelligence.” Nous is a force that permeates the universe, creating meaning and order. The human mind is naturally attracted to this order; this is the source of our intelligence. For Pericles, the nous that he worshipped was embodied in the figure of the goddess Athena.

Athena was literally born from the head of Zeus, her name itself reflecting this—a combination of “god” (theos) and “mind” (nous). But Athena came to represent a very particular form of nous—eminently practical, feminine, and earthy. She is the voice that comes to heroes in times of need, instilling in them a calm spirit, orienting their minds toward the perfect idea for victory and success, then giving them the energy to achieve this.

To be visited by Athena was the highest blessing of them all, and it was her spirit that guided great generals and the best artists, inventors, and tradesmen. Under her influence, a man or woman could see the world with perfect clarity and hit upon the action that was just right for the moment. For Athens, her spirit was invoked to unify the city, make it prosperous and productive. In essence, Athena stood for rationality, the greatest gift of the gods to mortals, for it alone could make a human act with divine wisdom.

To cultivate his inner Athena, Pericles first had to find a way to master his emotions. Emotions turn us inward, away from nous, away from reality. We dwell on our anger or our insecurities. If we look out at the world and try to solve problems, we see things through the lens of these emotions; they cloud our vision. Pericles trained himself to never react in the moment, to never make a decision while under the influence of a strong emotion. Instead, he analyzed his feelings.

Usually when he looked closely at his insecurities or his anger, he saw that they were not really justified, and they lost their significance under scrutiny. Sometimes he had to physically get away from the heated Assembly and retire to his house, where he remained alone for days on end, calming himself down. Slowly, the voice of Athena would come to him.”

It goes on, but you get the idea. Athena is a master of her emotions. She brings order among the chaos to the entire mythological world. She was the goddess of wisdom, war, and arts. She is depicted as the most courageous, resourceful, wise, organized, and strategic minds of the Gods, and was known as the patron goddess of heroic endeavor, meaning that she walks along the heroes as their companion. She provides them with knowledge and strategy, guidance in decision-making in all aspects of their life.

When you read about Athena, she is always the ones that upholds justice, solves disputes, and guides in decision-making because she has clear ethics and a rational mind that’s unaffected by emotion. She doesn’t react or lash out. Instead, she is proactive and pauses, analyzes, and logically thinks of a strategy before she acts.

I may not be a mythological goddess, or Greek for that matter, but everything else rings true: Athena is who I strive to be. She and I have the same mission: to guide our heroes on their journey and make sure they make the right decisions, at the right time, for the right reasons. I’m the voice of rationale, logic, and direction for my clients, and I bring order and effective decision-making to their world. I’m grateful to have that clarity, so that when people ask me what I do, I have an answer.

It’s also who you have to be – to some extent. Not to say that you have to have all the answers, but good leadership requires rational thought over rash impulse decision-making. When you have any amount of power, you have to know how to manage yourself and get out of your own way. That’s a skill to develop if you don’t have it yet. I watched so many people shoot themselves in the foot this month that it was this takeaway that stood out above all. Don’t burn your bridges with pettiness. Step back and think about the long-term strategy instead; you’ll be a lot better off for it.

So yes, there was a bunch of drama in November, but the way I responded to it was very Athenian. I didn’t act off emotions on a whim. I patiently let things play out over the whole month, and then made rational decisions after looking at the entire situation. I’m proud of myself for standing my ground with clear boundaries, even if it hurt. Even if it was difficult…. but if that’s not the mark of a true leader, I don’t know what is. Another milestone.

🤔 Question

What figure from the mythological world do you identify with?

Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to know.

🏆 How Productive I was in November 2024

This month, I hit the ground running the minute I got back to Chicago. I was extremely productive, even though it was quite a heavy month for me – emotionally. When I say “productive,” it may be hard to know exactly what I mean, so let me lay it out for you. To me, productive work means that there is a clear result to show for my hours of effort. In other words, I want to see, feel, and know that there was a tangible outcome from my time – the return on investment is there.

An an example, I recorded 21 videos this month, and those were all completed within about 30 hours of work. That means that I scripted, recorded, edited, and rendered each video in just over one hour. That is productive. Why? Because it’s just over one hour per lesson of time investment, and that hour is going to pay off long-term with the re-launch of the course. And anyone who is a content creator know just how time-consuming it can be to record and edit videos. But as with anything, the more you do it, the more you perfect the workflow, and then you’re able to produce those types of results.

I still have more to go – I’m only half-way – but December is likely also going to be a very productive month, so I have no doubt, I’ll wrap it up by the end of the year.

📁 Projects Completed 

Despite the insane amount of productivity, this month was a complete bust in terms of closing out projects. That may sound counter-intuitive, but there is an explanation, you see.

I took on three projects for November, and two were so massive that I knew they were gonna stretch way into December. Normally, I prefer to break things down into smaller sections instead of focusing on large, multi-layered projects. That being said, it just didn’t make sense this time around, so I made a conscious decision that I would be OK with that.

The first project I kicked off way the update of my best-selling course DPO PRO: The Ultimate Photo Organizing Masterclass. The goal was to do a complete overhaul with all tech updates, and well…. that’s massive. We’re talking close to 50 videos, work book, and so on. You’ll hear more about this in December when I wrap it up, but so far, I’m more than half-way done.

The second big project was a Market & Monetize Bootcamp for The Photo Managers. This was basically a virtual conference, so I had to prep four different presentations, come up with logistics, and a learning plan. Plus host a Facebook group for the attendees with challenges, and follow-ups.

The one project that I actually did complete was a redo of my home office. I wanted to bring in some new energy and refresh the space, and I decided to go for it. The whole thing was prompted by the fact that I needed a new setup for my singing microphone and I wanted to cut down on cord clutter, so I had to reposition my desk. Well, that snowballed. But I still finished it up in one day, and now it felt much better in there. The Feng Shui isn’t perfect yet, but it’s way better than it was before, so that’s enough.

🚀 My Favorite Project in November 2024

I love to teach, so I had a hard time choosing my favorite project this month, but I have to say the TPM Market & Monetize Bootcamp. Even though I didn’t close it out 100% (The Facebook Group is still up and running as of today), the big presentation day was in mid-November and it went well. I was a little nervous about teaching four 90 minute sessions in one day (that’s A LOT!), but surprisingly, I was bursting with energy and it wasn’t a problem. I think the adrenaline rush of so much attention worked out for me. 🤣

The first few reviews came in afterwards, and they were all positive, so that was a good start. I love marketing and strategizing offers, so that’s something I could talk about all day, every day. That helps because it doesn’t feel like work. All in all, I can safely say that it was a success.

⏳ Hours Worked in November 2024

In my last report, I hypothesized that I would go over on hours in November, and I did – I clocked just under 104 hours, which is 26 hours per week. That’s over, but not by as much as I thought. Had you asked me in October what I would guess, it would have been more like 20 hours over. I anticipated that re-recording my course would take a lot more time than it actually did, and I am very surprised right now. Granted, that project isn’t done yet, but still.

My goal has been 25 hours or less per week, and as long as I don’t go past 30 or more, I’m satisfied. There’s always going to fluctuation, but a few hours more or less isn’t the concern. It’s just about keeping an eye on it, so that I can maintain my well-being and not overwork.

The challenge of working remotely, from home, and while traveling is that the lines are very blurred, and it’s impossible to compartmentalize life and work. Frankly, I don’t care to do that either. It’s all one coherent ecosystem, and in my opinion, it should be. That being said, defining work becomes tricky when you live and breathe it as an entrepreneur. Hence the KPI of knowing how much I put in. Just the awareness of understanding where I’m at is what makes the difference here.

⌨️ Digital Images Organized in November 2024 

I took much fewer photos in November than normally – only 671 of them. Most of them were from a photoshoot, but I had very few candids and “normal” photos. There were two major reasons for it: 1) I was home, taking it easy, and nothing much happened. And 2) I was an emotional wreck for most of the month, and didn’t have the energy to show up on camera the same way I normally do. It’s OK. Some months, you’re not gonna be yourself. I needed a break and I allowed myself to not go there and to take time off.

Below is my favorite photo from November, taken on a walk near my home.

Normally, I don’t take a lot of landscape photos unless I travel someplace exotic, but this month, I diverged and gave my photo collection a little boost. The colors are gorgeous during sunset.

Very Swedish, don’t you find?

👟 Steps Walked in November 2024 

In November, I walked 49,803 measured steps, which is around 1500 steps per day on average. Ouch. That was no doubt because I was at home, resting up, but it’s still not a good number. I’m gonna give myself a little bit of a break because I did need to rest up, but this is definitely something I have to keep an eye on going forward.

Most likely, I will have to keep going with this goal in 2025. Moving the goal post or dropping this area completely would likely result in a poor performance all of next year, and I don’t want that. Let’s see how next month goes; I’ll decide at the end of the year.

🍋 Home-Cooked Meals in November 2024

Oh, we did so well in November (92.1%) – wow! That’s the best stat so far this year!! Naturally, it was because I was home (go figure), but also because we did make a more conscious effort to cook every day. My target has been 75% for the year, so I’m super happy with this number. Just thinking about where we were when we started (somewhere around 30%) makes me so proud. We are still convenience people – no doubt about it – but we’ve come a long way.

I was saying last month that if this streak continues until the end of the year, then I think I can comfortably let this goal go for 2025 and replace it with something else. Just one more month to go, and we’ll find out. Hussah!

🎧 Books & Learning in November 2024

This month, I listened to audio book version of The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. This is an incredible book, so pick it up if you haven’t read it yet. As most of you know, I’m a big fan of self-development books because I’m always in learning mode, and this one is a staple. Pick it up if you haven’t yet, and just watch how many current events fit within the mold. It’s astounding.

This book led me to this month’s takeaway, which is that in order to truly master entrepreneurship, you have to also master your emotional self. Look above if you skipped it. Anything by Robert Greene is going to be a good read, but this one is a gem. Enough said.

☕️ Meaningful Conversations in November 2024

This month, I didn’t do any FIKA with Caroline rounds for several reasons, but mainly because it was an intense month work-wise, and I had to reclaim a bit of energy with more downtime than usual.

Besides that, I actually had plenty of great conversations with friends that ran so deep that it would be superfluous to add more. I was actually incredibly proud of myself because it was the first time I allowed myself to ask my friends to hold space for me rather than the other way around. I’m usually the one they call, but this month, it was the other way around. Given that it was a very tough month, I needed that, and I was so grateful to see who stepped up for me. I’m truly blessed with some amazing friends.

FIKA with Caroline will be back soon, just not yet. I have some mailing list consolidation to do first.

If you’re not on there yet though, subscribe to get notifications when slots open up. 👊🏻

⭐️ Success Celebrated in November 2024 

This month, I would like to highlight and thank The Photo Managers. I’ve mentioned them so much in the past few months, but never really shouted them out in a post. First of all, I owe a big debt to Cathi Nelson, who is the founder of the group. Cathi has always been extremely generous towards me, and has given me a platform to teach many times over, regardless of topic. I’m so grateful for her and everyone else who are involved with TPM because it’s just a fabulous community of caring and smart people.

If you’re not a member, but interested in learning more about the field of photo management, I highly recommend that you join and take a class or too (maybe mine?) – it’ll be great fun!

😍 This Month’s Favorite Hubs, Tools, Services, & Products

What hubs, tools, products, and services do I use to be more productive? Quite a few things! In an effort to be really transparent, I have some of my recommendations below. Some links are affiliates links, others are not, but either way, I’d recommend them. Feel free to reach out if you have questions on any of them.

Here’s my list of things I loved this month:

• Notion → Where would I be without Notion? Not anywhere close to where I am now, that’s for sure. I run my entire life and business in Notion, so I wholeheartedly recommend this platform. We hosted a Building in Notion (for Beginners) event some time ago, and the replay is available for purchase.
• Airtable → We have used Airtable for many years now – as our main hub before Notion, and now for student-facing databases, external editorial calendars, and intake forms. Love it!
• Forever → This is good platform for storing photo archives. I invested in this company when they were a startup a decade ago, and it has only gotten better since then. Great for memory-keeping!
• ShowIt → Love ShowIt! It’s the most flexible and best website platform out there, IMO. Plus, it’s run by nice people, which is a plus. I just renewed my own subscription not too long ago.
• Convertkit → Convertkit is now simply Kit, and I’m not really used to that change yet. I’ll come around, but I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be calling it Convertkit for a while still. Change is hard. 🤣
• Lightroom Classic → This is a program I’ve been using for two decades. I teach it and several other solutions in my course DPO PRO. Join us to learn how to use it!
• Teachable → I’ve been a loyal customer with Teachable since back in the early Fedora days, which says a lot about how much I like their platform. It’s a great place to host your courses.
• Circle → Circle is easy to use for everyone – from students to coaches to guests. We love it as our community hub. It stands well on its own, but also integrates nicely with Teachable (see above).
• Trackabi → My new time-tracking platform, which is working out wonderfully so far.
• Toggl → I’ve just switched away from Toggl, but that won’t stop me from recommending it. It’s a great tool to use for time-tracking. The free account can do a lot!
• Audible → I love my Audible subscription for when I’m getting my steps in, and I recommend trying it out if you want to get your learning on. Sign up for a free 30-day trial through my link to get a free book (or 2 free credits if you’re an Amazon prime member!) – cancel anytime!
• Secret → This is a wonderful place for finding deals on software hubs and tools. Who doesn’t love to save some $$$? Invest a little, save a lot! I’ve saved thousands. Great deals for the new year too!
• Grove Collaborative → Love my Grove subscription! It saves me so much time because I can restock all my household needs easily. They write sweet messages on each box too! So cute. Get a free gift set by signing up through my affiliate link!
• Almond Cow → In 3 minutes, you can have fresh nut milk. What’s not to love? I miss it so much when I travel. It’s the best thing I’ve ever bought for my kitchen, hands down.
• Nuuly → This is so much fun. I just love renting new stuff each month. It’s a creative way to try thing you never would have picked up otherwise. 🙌🏻 Use my link to save $ on your first order.
• Taja → I really like this AI-driven platform for optimizing YouTube videos. It’s a great starting point for coming up with attention-grabbing headlines, descriptions, keywords, and more.
• Wise → Banking as a digital nomad and international service provider can be a bit tricky, but lately, I’ve enjoyed using Wise to make things easier. If you’re a nomad or course creator, take note.
• Harney & Sons → My favorite tea supplier in the US. They have outstanding quality teas for all tastes and budgets, and they’ve worth trying out! Save $10 on your order using this link.

🫖 Tea of the Month

Let’s talk about another classis: Harney & Sons Organic Earl Grey Supreme. This is such a staple in my house, and for good reason. Earl Grey is such a common tea, but it’s so difficult to find a great quality one.

H&S Organic Earl Grey Supreme

Yield: 1 Cup

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

The perfect black tea staple.

Print

Instructions

1. Boil 6-8 oz of water
2. Pour over tea bag and let steep for 3-5 minutes
3. Enjoy

Notes

Purchase this tea online from Harney & Sons.

📐 Measure What Matters

Thanks for reading this report til the end! I hope you enjoyed it. Please remember that productivity is very personal, and you DO NOT have to track the same metrics that I do. Your goals and metrics could be quite different from mine, and that’s OK.

If you’d like to understand where you should be focusing your attention, join us in an upcoming Quarterly Planning Workshop to identify your own goals.

🎬 Prefer to Watch This Report?

• About the Author
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Caroline Guntur Organizing & Productivity Coach

Hi there! I’m Caroline, and I’m here to help you get organized and be more productive, so that you can live better and have time for what matters.

www.theswedishorganizer.com

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