Modern Compass Newsletter

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Reclaim Time with TimeOS. Modern Compass Newsletter dropping tomorrow morning to help you do just that! #ModernCompass #PersonalGrowth #ti... See more

Featured Insight: Finding Time for Intentional Life Shifts

Want to start getting serious about dating, weight loss, career, side project, business, etc?

Finding time is a huge part of that and often we do this without a structured way of thinking about. With a visual mental model, it’s easier to find than you think when you have a structured way of looking for it. This is not meant to enable burnout or take on more than you can handle. You know your boundaries, so don’t use this tool in a way that introduces burnout or additional stress. Use it as a way to do something you’ve been wanting to do, but other things like binging Netflix or hobbies have consumed your time.

The Problem

 • Most people think they don’t have spare time.

 • Their days feel full because every slot is already taken by something.

 • Without a clear view of where our capacity is going, we default to “I’m too busy.”

The Insight

Think of your time like the operating system on a computer or mobile phone. You can only run so much in a day before the system slows down. This is what I call Time Operating System, or TimeOS — a mental model for the total capacity of your time and attention during your waking hours. For this activity, assume your system is already full, since most of us fill our days with something.

There are 3 key components that make up your time within TimeOS:

System - is your chosen or non-negotiable to maintain your lifestyle that make up a large chunk of your time. These are not things to survive that are universal in all of us like eating and sleeping. Think family, job/career, other ongoing responsibilities specific to you.

Apps - fill in majority of the remaining time/attention available either with literal apps like social media, Netflix, games, or other things you’ve “installed” over time: hobbies, habits, side projects, recurring tasks, or distractions that may or may not not serve you and could be considered non-essential activities.

Hidden Processes - are recurring thoughts or actions that quietly take up your attention in the background.

Our focus for this newsletter is on what apps are running and what would you swap out or uninstall to free time for what matters more to you? This isn’t pressure to act now. You can simply do this activity and come back to it when you’re ready to activate on your own time. Ideally you would come back to the TimeOS audit weekly or monthly to see if anthings’s changed for you.

The Action Step – TimeOS Audit
Use the worksheet linked below to run a quick audit of your TimeOS:

1. List your System – Your non-negotiable commitments that keep your lifestyle running. Example: Family, Job/Career, etc.. Keep it high-level; details are optional.

2. Identify your top 5–10 apps: These are the biggest time-consumers outside of your system.

3. Spot the hidden processes: Recurring thoughts or small actions that quietly take attention (e.g., repeated worries, errands, mental to-do’s).

4. Decide if you want to swap out an app: Pick one “app” to downgrade or uninstall to make space for something you want to make traction on.

5. System Upgrade (optional) – Promote one meaningful activity from “app” to system status when you feel ready. Examples of what that might looks like:

• Minimum viable cadence (e.g., lift 3×/week, write 30 min M–F)

• Success criteria for keeping it in the system

• Sunset rule if it no longer serves you

Ok so this was cool, but what’s the point of all this? Well if want something, whatever that thing is for you, you have to commit time to work towards it. This concept makes it easy to find what you can swap out to make time, not to mention to spot any hidden processes to be mindful of and take action on.

Add Modules into your TimeOS with Proven Systems From These Great Books
Freeing up some time is one thing, but being productive with that time is a whole other topic that is well established and covered by some of these books. Choose one that fits your style or a use case you’re looking for, and let it guide how you use the time you’ve unlocked.

• Getting Things Done – Professional workflow, project tracking

• The ONE Thing – Goal clarity, business focus

• Better Than Before – Weight loss habits, dating confidence

• Deep Work – Skill learning, distraction control

• Atomic Habits – Daily exercise, consistent routines

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Relationship building, life balance

Personal Story

This process is how I broke out of a career slump 5–6 years ago and, more recently, started Modern Compass. My biggest swap was gaming. At first, I only let myself play after writing for 15 minutes. Soon, I wanted to write more than played. That shift eventually turned writing from an “app” into part of my system.

Optional Interactive GenAI Activity

After completing your TimeOS Audit, drop it into ChatGPT or another GenAI tool and ask for an analysis, 5 follow-up questions, and 5 suggestions.

Did this topic or activity spark any insights for you? I’d love to hear how it landed! Simply reply to this email or share your thoughts here: Survey Link

Amplify Time OS Audit with Brain Dump Worksheet

The Brain Dump tool I built on Etsy pairs perfectly with TimeOS. It helps you clear your mind, sort your thoughts, and act with focus. Normally $2, it’s 75% off for the next 3 days for newsletter subscribers — my way of helping you and getting my first Etsy reviews if you feel so inclined. NEWSLETTERPROMO

Get the Brain Dump Tool →

Modern Compass Updates
Book is ~70% complete with 7 chapters left, clocking in at 63,000 words currently before 1st round of edits and beta reader feedback. Newsletter has 100+ subscribers; TikTok is at 700+ followers, aiming for 1,000 to unlock the highly touted clickable link in TikTok.

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