My life has improved significantly in terms of stress by going 100% async.
It’s very tough to do because everyone constantly wants a piece of your time. It’s like swimming against the current.
If you have the chance to become an async maxi, I highly recommend it.
The world will hate you, but it’ll feel too good to care what the world has to say.
Ok I'll bite. What's Async?
Only using asynchronous forms of communication (e.g. email, text, nostr, etc) instead of taking in-person meetings, zoom calls, “team lunches”, “all-hands” meetings, or just going for it and literally lighting a dumpster full of cash on fire.
Would love to hear more about the dumbster fire relation to async 🤣
Some teams I’ve worked with have joked that we should make an app that tallies the cost of meeting based on the salaries. The implication being that if managers could state the cost of their meetings in monetary terms, they wouldn’t be as incentivized to carpet bomb meeting invites.
Ah yes, I like that 😅 That should be the standard.
What Veil said except the last sentence. Don’t know what that’s about.
What would you say have been the trade-offs?
The biggest trade off might be fewer opportunities. It’s still difficult at times to interact with the legacy way of thinking. Some people just don’t understand it and refuse to even consider working that way. They are born into a society that operates with in-person on demand cooperation and it’s super hard to get them to think in different ways. Some people just don’t like it and prefer to be face to face or sync up often.
It can get uncomfortable to explain to someone and at that point the opportunity is already lost.
I found that bitcoiners are more receptive of it but even there the habit is to occupy someone’s time when it’s convenient to you.
What is async?
Working without meetings and on your own time without the expectation of being present at a certain time for things like calls or meetings.
Do you have a full time fiat job? I would love to follow that advice but sometimes you are forced to assist to some of those meetings or meet some deadline. I love to work on bitcoin and Nostr stuff.
It’s not advice, more like just sharing my experience. I realize it’s not possible for all or at all times that’s why I said “if you have the chance”.
I freelance so clients change all the time. Some are more receptive than others. Bitcoiners tend to be more open to it as they value personal agency and autonomy.
In most cases it’s up to the organization and it can be tough to change things. Companies that report success with it usually have sync up meetings several times a year or even more frequently to socialize and form stronger bonds.
I also realize it’s not for everyone as some people don’t like that kind of freedom. I leaned early on that a good number of the population actually prefers to be told where to be, when and what to do. Async more closely aligns with people who tend to be ok without any directions and can start and stop on their own.
I did this almost 20 years ago and I love it. But there is a small downside in that I can't remember dentist appointments (I have no calendar app).
That’s true. My concept of days and time is all blurred.
What does it mean to go async?
You stack enough 'fuck you' sats and when some asks you to do something outside of your prefered schedule you go RATM on them: 'fuck you I won't do what you tell me'
Referring to work style where people work on their own time with minimal to no real time communication. Basically doing your own thing and checking in once in a while.
It prioritizes personal work time preferences and focuses on the outcomes.
I see.
You know, my line of work doesn't really align with the concept of async, but I do make it a point to disconnect for a full month each year. During that time, I leave behind any family commitments or responsibilities and head back to Guatemala to work on the farm my dad and I own. I also make sure to indulge in my passion for enduro riding for several hours every week, while also dedicating myself to intense training at the gym and in boxing. These activities demand my complete focus and attention, mainly directed towards myself and my personal growth. So, would you say this falls under the category of async?
For everyone asking. I am assuming it’s this (or similar)
What does that mean in practice?
One of the projects that I have been working on has been async English lectures. I have been working on an app with some teachers that would help them not to have their classes synchronous (in-person, on a call) but asynchronous. It’s been a massive improvement for them, and there have been able to do more.
At the same time, I tried to do the same, to be more async, and it had the same impact on me also.
So I agree 💯
