1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 Don't cram plenty of people on Zoom. Fluorescent light at the office all day long. You know, 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,000 you probably are going to work from home. 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:15,160 Hello and welcome to No Office, a podcast about work, technology and life from a remote 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:21,080 company perspective. My name is Rafal Sobolewski and as always, I'm joined by CEO of our No 5 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:25,080 Office company Nozbe, Michael Stravinsky. Hello, Michael. How are you today? 6 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:26,080 Hey, man. How are you? 7 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:29,240 Good, good, good. I sold my car and I'm enjoying it. 8 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:35,140 No, no office and no car lifestyle, but we will talk about it in the second part of the episode 9 00:00:35,140 --> 00:00:38,600 Yeah, you know we haven't been talking much 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:43,660 So it's good that it's good to see you again and good to record again meanwhile 11 00:00:43,660 --> 00:00:51,040 I've had some feedback from our show a few people wrote to me that they really enjoy listening to it, so 12 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,040 That's good. No formal. You know reviews, but just you know 13 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:03,600 unsolicited kudos from people so we should be happy so thanks everyone and if you want to rate this show on the podcast or 14 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:11,560 Wherever you listen to podcasts like you can and it would be really appreciated. So thank you. Yes. Yes. Thanks. Thanks for this 15 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,340 Yeah, and doesn't really decided we need to 16 00:01:14,340 --> 00:01:16,880 reprioritize some things 17 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,480 Because we still run a Nozbe our company and our product. Yes, we do 18 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:28,120 So we decided that with this show, we will record it not as often, but at least once a month. 19 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:34,280 So don't worry. We still want to do this. And I feel very excited today because we had this break. 20 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,560 I was on vacation, so we decided not to record two weeks ago and take this opportunity to embrace 21 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:46,200 this new schedule. And I'm ready to record today. And today we wanted to talk about 22 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:52,440 working from anywhere you want. Exactly. Because, you know, the pandemic, apart from China, 23 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:59,560 everywhere else, we are not in lockdowns. So the pandemic is subsiding. Many people are vaccinated 24 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,440 and the ones that are not, like, whatever. The pandemic has become... 25 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,280 Yeah, in Western Europe, pandemic is on the break, I would say. 26 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:15,320 Yes, it's on the break. It's on the timeout. And especially in Western Europe, like in Europe, 27 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:21,320 so on the northern hemisphere also in the united states it's getting warmer so people will not be 28 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:26,280 as susceptible to be you know contaminated by the by the virus because you know we will be more 29 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,880 hanging out outside the crowds will meet outside so it's like it's it's it's it's just safer now 30 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:37,320 but anyway i think the good thing just a side note i think the good thing about the pandemic is that 31 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:43,720 people i mean from my experience with friends and colleagues is that people are more cautious so 32 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:52,560 So when they don't feel good, when they feel under the weather, they tend to just cancel and not go to a place where they would normally go before the pandemic. 33 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,160 So they don't want to sell viruses to people. 34 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:57,920 So this is really nice. 35 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:00,280 I mean, this is really, people are like more self-conscious about it. 36 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,040 So I think that's great. 37 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:08,040 But and I think that's the start of something new that you can now like move around. 38 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,200 You can work from different places. 39 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:15,200 And especially if your employer is as good as Nozbe 40 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:19,480 or as good as the employer's past pandemic are 41 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,400 in terms of a hybrid lifestyle. 42 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,320 So they let people work from not only the office 43 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:25,980 but also from somewhere else. 44 00:03:25,980 --> 00:03:29,160 You could really embrace this and switch contexts 45 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,520 by switching places and work on different things 46 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:32,360 in different places. 47 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,320 - Yes, especially now when spring is here for good. 48 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,480 And after this two years of pandemic, 49 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:43,000 I think that was good for nature, for the green parts of the cities that are more vibrant 50 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:49,400 than ever right now, at least in Rotwaffe, in the place where I live. I really enjoy 51 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:54,960 spending time outside. And yeah, our no-office philosophy was never equal to working from 52 00:03:54,960 --> 00:04:01,280 home because that's not what we wanted to promote. In Nozbe, in no-office philosophy, 53 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:07,840 can work from anywhere you want and use it as your advantage first for a more flexible 54 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:14,000 lifestyle and second to really even improve your work productivity to beat procrastination. 55 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:21,280 Yes, especially that you know for a fact that there is no way you can stay engaged and focus 56 00:04:21,280 --> 00:04:25,760 eight hours straight. It's not possible. I mean, it's very hard physically to do. And if you do it 57 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:30,880 one day, then the next day you're just completely wasted. It's really hard to do it. So we are 58 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:38,880 productive when we work in spurts of time, like two hours here, one hour here, and we need breaks. 59 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:44,880 The breaks are important for our brain to have a moment to take five. That's why, for example, 60 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:50,880 the Pomodoro Technique was so famous for this thing that you work 25 minutes and you take five minutes breaks. 61 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,880 Because the break part is really important. And it's not about long breaks, it's about a short break. 62 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,960 just take five, take 10, take a short one. 63 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:05,480 And that's why this kind of philosophy to work from different places, and for example, in between, 64 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:12,920 to walk and have a walk or have a ride on the bike between these places, it's this additional 65 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:18,200 catalyst so that in the new place, you're actually more productive and more focused and more 66 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:18,920 concentrated. 67 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:25,480 Yes, that's true. And I can totally feel it on my example in recent weeks. And you're 68 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:30,480 You also wrote about it in the chapter 29 of your No Office book. 69 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,480 Yeah, I mean, this thing is so important that I dedicated the whole chapter about it. 70 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:40,480 I wrote an essay before on my blog, but then I dedicated the whole chapter. 71 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:45,480 When I was writing the book, I was thinking, "Do I really need to write this?" But then, yeah, it is important. 72 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:50,480 Yeah, it helped you with the procrastination of writing the next chapters, yeah? 73 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:51,880 - Exactly, exactly. 74 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,880 I mean, that was the whole thing, you know? 75 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:56,520 Because the idea to change offices, 76 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,600 to different tasks, different office, 77 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:00,180 you can work from anywhere. 78 00:06:00,180 --> 00:06:02,640 This whole idea is to have this flexibility 79 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,960 and this agency to work from different places 80 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,760 and sometimes like tailor the place 81 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,440 to a context or to a task. 82 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,080 And in my chapter, I give some examples, 83 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,360 like for example, long term, I mean, long writing, 84 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:19,680 like when I was writing the chapter, 85 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:40,380 would actually step out of this home office where I'm here and go to my balcony. And on my balcony, I would sit down and work, I would just take the iPad, I would work there, you know, I would put a do not disturb. And for two hours straight, or three hours straight, I would write, like, this whole idea that I was there, like kind of for my brain was like a trigger. Okay, now it's time to write. That's just right. 86 00:06:40,380 --> 00:06:43,640 And you don't leave the place till you are done with writing. 87 00:06:43,680 --> 00:07:05,320 Exactly. Exactly. So you're not tempted to do something else like, like here when in this home office where I have, you know, here, my laptop, here, my things, and I, you know, and I can be tempted to do something else or, you know, switch tasks or whatever. No, I just take the iPad and I'm there. And I'm just, you know, focused on writing. And in my mind, I don't leave until I'm done, as you said, 88 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:09,320 Yeah, and there are no other distractions. Like maybe on balcony, it's not... 89 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:14,240 They can be still because someone can come to your door and ring the bell, etc. 90 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,640 Yeah, but this balcony is very high. I don't see anyone here. 91 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:23,920 Because I live in this townhouse, so that I have, you know, we have three floors, right? 92 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,160 So and my home office on the top floor with the balcony on the top floor. 93 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:31,680 So I have a nice view above the street and above everything else. 94 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,680 So I don't see people walking on the street. I don't see people driving the cars on the street. 95 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,280 So I'm not distracted by that. I see the long view. 96 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,480 So in the long view, there is really, you know, there is nature. 97 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:48,280 Yeah, true. And it probably really helps your eyes to rest for a bit, 98 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,160 to look at something that is far, far away. That's very helpful. 99 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:51,600 Exactly. 100 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:58,200 Right to time. Yeah. So what are your other tips and tricks? How you change offices now in 2022? 101 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,560 - Yeah, so for example, I'm back to what I wrote 102 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:05,560 in this chapter that I'm back to doing my weekly review 103 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,720 in a cafeteria, like before the pandemic, what I would do, 104 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,480 I would have this routine of dropping my kids at school 105 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,800 on a mighty Friday, on a Friday, 106 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,080 and then going to a cafeteria, 107 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:21,560 'cause this would be like killing two birds with one stone, 108 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,000 because I will have a treat, 109 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,960 have a different kind of coffee, different kind of breakfast, 110 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,480 And then in the same time, I would have to finish my weekly review. 111 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:37,160 And I am not allowed to leave the place until I'm done with the weekly review. 112 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:38,560 Again, the same thing. 113 00:08:38,560 --> 00:08:41,120 My brain knows that I have to finish this here, 114 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:48,120 because otherwise the bartenders may look at me weirdly if I sit there for hours. 115 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,120 But on the other hand, I don't want to sit there. 116 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,640 And you don't want to spend too much money drinking five coffees. 117 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:55,480 Exactly. 118 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,760 I don't want to keep on ordering new coffees. 119 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,320 So yeah, so basically that was my treat. 120 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:01,720 And again, it's a great trigger 121 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:03,520 'cause I come there prepared. 122 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,480 I also, I just take my iPad there 123 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,040 and we can link to our product vlog 124 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:09,960 where we explained how we do weekly reviews 125 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,960 because we do them in Nozbe with a very cool checklist. 126 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,680 So we will link to our product vlog in nozbe.com/vlog. 127 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:20,880 So where you can see our latest one, 128 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,280 how we do a weekly review. 129 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:23,800 But anyway, that was the thing. 130 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:28,800 and I'm back at it. 131 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:30,160 And I can tell you frankly that if I don't do it like this, 132 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:34,020 I'm struggling to do weekly review. 133 00:09:34,020 --> 00:09:35,800 So that's why I really need this trigger. 134 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,400 I need this treat, this change of scenery, 135 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,360 and just being there and not in my home office. 136 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,760 I have the same. 137 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:45,400 I'm physically not able to do my weekly review 138 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,360 when I'm at my desk. 139 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:49,480 I must at least take my MacBook 140 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,280 and sit in the com feature and have my MacBook on my laps, 141 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,120 and then I can do a weekly review, no problem. 142 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:53,800 [laughter] 143 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,120 It's just a different context. 144 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,200 Yeah, I would say it's really nice to, for example, last Friday, 145 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,560 I did this that first I went to a coffee shop. 146 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:04,920 I had my breakfast here. 147 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:06,120 There are coffee. 148 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,040 And I started my quarterly review. 149 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:09,320 I walked there for two hours. 150 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,240 I finished one part of the task, but I consciously 151 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:18,760 split this task into these two parts to do this part in this place. 152 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:25,240 and then I took a walk and I sat on the bench in the park to do the second part. 153 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,400 And actually being offline is a feature because I just opened my 154 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:34,360 quarter review note and just writing what I had in mind. 155 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,120 Yeah, because your laptop is offline, there are no notifications, no nothing coming in. 156 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:43,640 So that can be even an advantage over the iPad sometimes, but only in that context. 157 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:44,040 Yes. 158 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:49,800 Yeah, but still I had my iPad with me and when I was working in a coffee shop in a cafeteria, 159 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:55,800 I just used both using universal control, actually. So like this, yeah? 160 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:56,280 Uh-huh. 161 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:03,960 Yeah, so and iPad had an internal connection, but MacBook, no, no. So if I needed to check something 162 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:09,000 that required connection to write my quarterly review note, then I used universal control to 163 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,560 check it on iPad. So that was really nice. By the way, have you tried universal control on 164 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:14,560 on your site. 165 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:15,560 Not yet. 166 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:16,560 Not yet. 167 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:20,560 And no, I'm still, you know, the thing is, because I'm so busy right now with really 168 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,560 like with actual tasks in NoSpeed that we have so many things to do. 169 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:25,400 Yeah, I know, man. 170 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,900 It's this like, I'm kind of overworked there. 171 00:11:27,900 --> 00:11:31,880 And especially we are doing lots of, you know, changes in marketing and stuff and lots of 172 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:32,880 work. 173 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,260 So I'm just focused on just getting this task done. 174 00:11:34,260 --> 00:11:37,700 So I didn't have time to finish setting up my MacBook Air. 175 00:11:37,700 --> 00:11:41,360 My still old iMac is still here because I haven't transferred everything. 176 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:46,160 So I haven't transferred everything to my MacBook Air and I haven't even played with other features. 177 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:51,160 So you want to say that your MacBook Air became MacBook Pro-crastination? 178 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,160 Yes, definitely. 179 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,160 And so I'm just getting stuff done on this thing. 180 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:01,160 And as long as there is nothing extra I need, then I'm just getting stuff done on this. 181 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,160 And I work still a lot on my iPad. 182 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:09,160 And speaking of switching places, for example, we just bought a new table for our living room. 183 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:15,120 room. And our living room is on the bottom floor. And then my 184 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,720 home office on the top floor. But because during the day, very 185 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:23,000 often there is nobody here. Like there's just me. So very often I 186 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,280 just come back from school from like delivering kids to school, 187 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,180 and have a coffee in the kitchen. And I just take the 188 00:12:30,180 --> 00:12:33,440 coffee to the living room. And this new table is very nice. So I 189 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,560 just sit there with my iPad at this new table and work from 190 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:41,000 there. And again, it's kind of more casual because I'm just 191 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:45,280 there with my iPad and with my coffee. But as you have seen in 192 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,800 our meetings, very often I do meetings there right now in the 193 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:52,040 morning. And also, I just like today, I was sitting there 194 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:55,280 because of some other reasons. And then I just decided, you 195 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,920 know, I'm gonna just finish working there. And only until 196 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,280 like, you know, 10 before 12, where we decided to record this 197 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,720 thing, I just have moved up to my home office to set everything 198 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:09,360 up for this podcast. But until then I was just sitting downstairs. Again, different 199 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:14,720 environment. I am you know, cranking my tasks there, you know, and also like having a good 200 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:19,040 view and just because and enjoying just that there's nobody in the house anyway. So it's 201 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:23,840 fine. That's cool. I sometimes use because we have a new table and new charts on our 202 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:29,820 balcony. Oh, you see? Yeah, and many, many new flowers and bees actually, because we 203 00:13:29,820 --> 00:13:37,100 of nature. I sometimes also do that, but mainly Anja, my fiancé, is occupying the balcony 204 00:13:37,100 --> 00:13:43,940 for the whole day. So I don't have many opportunities to work there by myself, but it's a very nice 205 00:13:43,940 --> 00:13:44,940 place. 206 00:13:44,940 --> 00:13:51,780 I have one more additional thing that I actually discovered during the pandemic as a way to 207 00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:59,100 do things differently. And I mention it also in the chapter of my book, chapter 29. Virtual 208 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:04,100 meetings with people while walking. So this is something I really started enjoying. 209 00:14:04,100 --> 00:14:09,300 So very often we have one-on-one meetings in our company, and very often, 210 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:16,540 I mean not very often, we have these meetings very often, but when we do, these 211 00:14:16,540 --> 00:14:20,600 meetings usually take an hour or two. Like they're longer meetings. 212 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,600 So instead of sitting and having the longer meeting, I would take my iPhone, 213 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:27,940 headphones and would go for a walk. 214 00:14:27,940 --> 00:14:30,780 And usually the other party, the other person would do the same. 215 00:14:30,780 --> 00:14:35,280 And we would be just walking together while not being together and chatting. 216 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,780 And usually we would start on video for a few minutes. 217 00:14:38,780 --> 00:14:43,320 And then later we would switch off just to audio and just talk and walk. 218 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:48,540 And I could do like five, six, seven kilometers sometimes just walking around 219 00:14:48,540 --> 00:14:50,900 and talking to the other person. 220 00:14:50,900 --> 00:14:54,580 And I think we really both enjoyed this. 221 00:14:54,580 --> 00:14:59,860 And it was first with one person, with Radek from the podcast fame. 222 00:14:59,860 --> 00:15:05,500 But then later with many people, I would just do a one-on-one meeting while walking. 223 00:15:05,500 --> 00:15:08,180 And I think it's great. 224 00:15:08,180 --> 00:15:10,140 Again, you change the scenery. 225 00:15:10,140 --> 00:15:14,900 You walk, so you do something for your kind of fitness. 226 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:19,940 Yeah, you walk and then your brain is walking better while walking. 227 00:15:19,940 --> 00:15:20,540 Exactly. 228 00:15:20,540 --> 00:15:22,540 Because it's got fresh air. 229 00:15:23,140 --> 00:15:28,340 your heart is pumping the fresh blood and etc. So yeah, it works better. You have a better idea. 230 00:15:28,340 --> 00:15:33,540 You're stimulating by the talk with the intelligent person on the other side. So 231 00:15:33,540 --> 00:15:39,860 yeah, that's really nice. And actually, I will have on Monday, my quarterly talks with Camille 232 00:15:39,860 --> 00:15:45,940 and Hubert. And I also plan to do the walk. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So that's something that I 233 00:15:45,940 --> 00:15:52,580 actually discovered during the pandemic, because we couldn't meet people. And we could only walk 234 00:15:52,580 --> 00:15:56,340 outside and you know only you know and when we were in lockdown there we could 235 00:15:56,340 --> 00:15:59,780 for example only walk for it you know I don't know in a one kilometer radius for 236 00:15:59,780 --> 00:16:05,100 example of our house so it was an excuse to go out of the house and do a walk and 237 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:08,480 and just do something and and now I want to keep doing it. 238 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:13,980 Yeah me too and I have some other tips also to share. Like tips, observations. 239 00:16:13,980 --> 00:16:20,360 I'm still loving even more my MacBook Pro because like it's it's it's 240 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:25,360 It's fantastic. I don't even have to take the battery with me. It never dies. 241 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,360 I mean the charger. You don't need to hesitate. Take the charger with you. 242 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,360 The charger. Yeah, battery I have. 243 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:31,360 You do have to have a battery. 244 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:36,360 Yeah, I have a battery inside. Yeah, so I don't need to bring any charger. 245 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:42,360 And I love our backpack from Reunion. Actually, two backpacks, because one we got from Reunion 246 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,360 and I use it when I'm taking a walk. It's very comfortable. 247 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:51,600 And second, I have it, it's a bike backpack, so I can attach it to the trunk of my bike. 248 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,120 So that's better when I take my bike and ride it. 249 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:59,120 I don't have to have it on my back when I ride a bike. 250 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:05,920 And I love even more my case for my MacBook, because look at this, it's this Mofz sleeve 251 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:07,200 for the MacBook. 252 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:08,200 It can elevate it. 253 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:09,200 - Oh yeah, the one that elevates. 254 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:10,200 - Elevates it. 255 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,920 So the screen is in more ergonomic position. 256 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:20,740 The keyboard and touchpad are not because you have to raise the hands a little bit. 257 00:17:20,740 --> 00:17:23,620 But you don't work like this for many hours. 258 00:17:23,620 --> 00:17:25,600 So I think it's fine. 259 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:31,000 And it really helps also in coffee shops because you elevate the MacBook so it's safe. 260 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,200 When something spills on the table, your MacBook is safe. 261 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,440 And this sleep is water resistant. 262 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:42,720 So yesterday actually I worked like this for an hour in the coffee shop and I really enjoyed 263 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:48,360 Because with iPad you didn't have this problem with the old version of smart keyboard. 264 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:52,280 Now with Magic Keyboard it's kind of risky still, but it's only Magic Keyboard. 265 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,760 The iPad itself is safer. 266 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:59,760 Yeah, but the cool thing about the Magic Keyboard is that it elevates the iPad as well. 267 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:03,040 So it's a bit higher and I really appreciate it. 268 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:09,560 Another trick you can do is, for example, if you want to really go wild and work in nature, 269 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,440 you can bring your desk with you. 270 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,720 So in the previous episode, I was showing this, 271 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,160 my construction, you can take piece of wood, 272 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:22,920 like flat piece of wood, so like very small desk, 273 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:27,560 and attach it to the plate, which is the part of the tripod. 274 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:29,560 So actually it works like this. 275 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,360 And you can really squeeze it to the backpack 276 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:33,800 and take it with you. 277 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,360 - Yeah, that's really cool. 278 00:18:36,360 --> 00:18:39,400 You have a stand-up desk in the middle of nature. 279 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:47,880 Yeah, I did it last year, two or three times. This year I haven't done it yet, but the summer 280 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:48,880 is ahead of us. 281 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:49,880 Yeah, it's coming. 282 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:55,480 Yeah, it's coming. One more thing that can stimulate your creativity, for example, when 283 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:01,760 you have the task to do, but it's really creative, creative work, yeah? I would go to the new 284 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:08,920 place, the new coffee shop, new restaurant, new park, to discover new places, to be inspired 285 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:14,920 with something, to seeing something new, to go outside of my routine. So that's something 286 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:20,160 I discovered recently that when I'm in the new place, I feel very creative. I have great 287 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,240 ideas and it can really help you. 288 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:30,600 Especially now, my observation is that after the pandemic, many cafeterias, restaurants 289 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:36,640 have been taken over by new owners because the other ones had to close, unfortunately, 290 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,800 all that stuff. But the good thing about it is that made many of these new owners I mean, 291 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,760 at least here when I like around me, I saw are doing like significant renovations and 292 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:51,600 you know, refurbishments of these places. And just yesterday, we went to, to a very, 293 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:57,080 very nice restaurant, which used to be a very nice restaurant before, but now they completely 294 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:03,680 rebuilt it. And it's very modern, very nice. It's like completely like, you know, it's 295 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,920 previously it showed its age. Now it looks like a restaurant 296 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:13,800 from 2022. So it's fantastic. And yeah, I felt so energized at 297 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,640 the place I felt felt so well. And the food was as good as it 298 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,960 used to be. So it was fine. But the most important thing was the 299 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:25,560 ambience like this not modern thing. So I think it's it's a 300 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:30,240 good way to try as you said, new restaurants, new new cafeterias, 301 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:34,480 new places because they can really inspire you and motivate you. 302 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:41,040 Yeah. And every time you go there, you can choose a different route to go there by walking or riding 303 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:47,200 a bike, which is the best option, I would say. And the other benefit is that often those places 304 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:52,880 have air conditioning, which I don't have in my house. And I probably don't want to have it 305 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:59,440 because I would use it for three months in a year and during the summer when I probably travel more. 306 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:04,440 So it's kind of not a good optimized expense for me. 307 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:08,160 And then that way I can hack it. 308 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:09,840 Also your family may be happy 309 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,280 when they finally have a home for themselves. 310 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:14,120 - Yes, exactly. 311 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:19,120 - When you, for example, go away to work in cafeteria 312 00:21:19,120 --> 00:21:20,560 for one day in a week, 313 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,720 which is actually a case in my home. 314 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:26,740 - Yeah, the thing is that, you know, 315 00:21:26,740 --> 00:21:31,740 people who now have this flexible lifestyle, like for example, your boss agrees to hybrid 316 00:21:31,740 --> 00:21:37,660 work or you work remotely just like we do, or you run an internet-based 317 00:21:37,660 --> 00:21:43,100 company, you know, a one-man shop or a consultancy, whatever. 318 00:21:43,100 --> 00:21:48,500 Very often people are like, "Yeah, I have all this flexibility. I can work from anywhere." 319 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:52,460 And you still just work from the corner of your bedroom all the time. 320 00:21:52,940 --> 00:21:57,940 So don't. 321 00:21:57,940 --> 00:22:00,400 Start to shake things up. 322 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:02,060 It's like because you are now in charge, 323 00:22:02,060 --> 00:22:05,620 you have the agency to change it, 324 00:22:05,620 --> 00:22:08,820 to make it different, do it. 325 00:22:08,820 --> 00:22:11,560 Just do it, Nike. 326 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,900 Change, shake things up, go somewhere else. 327 00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:17,100 Enjoy this flexibility, and you will be surprised 328 00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:20,700 that you will not be less creative or less productive. 329 00:22:18,860 --> 00:22:22,860 Actually, maybe in the beginning, setting everything up and whatever. 330 00:22:22,860 --> 00:22:26,860 But then later down the line, you will see the benefits 331 00:22:26,860 --> 00:22:30,860 of changing the ambiance, the changing the environment, 332 00:22:30,860 --> 00:22:31,860 the context. 333 00:22:31,860 --> 00:22:34,860 Yeah, that's totally true. 334 00:22:34,860 --> 00:22:38,860 Actually, I was thinking that these co-working places, they used to 335 00:22:38,860 --> 00:22:42,860 be only in the city center, at least in my city. And now 336 00:22:42,860 --> 00:22:46,860 when I was preparing for the show, I 337 00:22:46,860 --> 00:22:49,940 I just searched in Google Maps to a co-working place 338 00:22:49,940 --> 00:22:52,940 and discovered that there are actually some places closer 339 00:22:52,940 --> 00:22:55,900 to where I live. 340 00:22:55,900 --> 00:23:01,100 And I discovered the startup from my city, Space Labels. 341 00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:02,900 And when I installed this-- 342 00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:04,380 I don't know. 343 00:23:04,380 --> 00:23:05,340 I would try this. 344 00:23:05,340 --> 00:23:08,380 I would probably hate it or love it. 345 00:23:08,380 --> 00:23:13,340 But they installed these small cubes inside cafeterias. 346 00:23:13,340 --> 00:23:14,660 Then they are soundproof. 347 00:23:14,660 --> 00:23:18,540 They have high adjustable desk, com feature, 348 00:23:18,540 --> 00:23:20,220 and you can rent it for hours. 349 00:23:20,220 --> 00:23:21,060 - Wow. - Yeah. 350 00:23:21,060 --> 00:23:23,100 So it's very funny. 351 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:27,460 I will try this and report back, but yeah. 352 00:23:27,460 --> 00:23:30,900 I don't know if I love it or hate it 353 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:32,980 because it's kind of creepy, 354 00:23:32,980 --> 00:23:34,740 but kind of cool on the other side. 355 00:23:34,740 --> 00:23:37,500 - All right, all right, all right. 356 00:23:37,500 --> 00:23:39,080 Yeah, speaking of coworking, 357 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,580 I used to also do is sometimes I would, for example, 358 00:23:42,580 --> 00:23:51,660 go with my wife to her office. And I wouldn't work from her office like she works from her 359 00:23:51,660 --> 00:23:56,220 office, but I would just go to the cafeteria in her, you know, because she works at a big 360 00:23:56,220 --> 00:24:00,180 office. So I would go to the cafeteria at the big office, I would have a breakfast with 361 00:24:00,180 --> 00:24:04,380 her, then I would work from the cafeteria, then we'd have a coffee. And then for example, 362 00:24:04,380 --> 00:24:08,460 I would go home. And then she would stay and she would, you know, go home at the end of 363 00:24:08,460 --> 00:24:16,160 the day. But this was something I really enjoyed, remember, because many of her colleagues are 364 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:21,160 also my friends, because we know each other from being parents of the kids and all that 365 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:26,520 stuff. So we know each other. So it was also a nice way to just socialize. So every now 366 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:32,740 and then I would meet somebody there and we would chat. So this would be also my way of 367 00:24:32,740 --> 00:24:40,720 a person who works remotely to have a kind of work that is more susceptible to interruptions 368 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:47,420 because I would see people but a day of socializing. I would usually for that day have lighter 369 00:24:47,420 --> 00:24:56,260 tasks so not requiring longer hours of writing. And this way it would be just having an office 370 00:24:56,260 --> 00:25:02,660 without having this office, you know? So this is something I also recommend, like, you know, 371 00:25:02,660 --> 00:25:08,980 I used to also visit friends who work in the office to just, you know, visit them, have 372 00:25:08,980 --> 00:25:13,420 lunch with them, and then stay on for an hour or two with some light work there, just to 373 00:25:13,420 --> 00:25:16,900 be again, be in a different environment, and then come back to my home office. 374 00:25:16,900 --> 00:25:21,660 Yeah, that's that's that's also good strategy. And when you go to your wife's office, then 375 00:25:21,660 --> 00:25:26,660 I think, do you feel like you love your job even more? 376 00:25:26,660 --> 00:25:28,660 Because you see all the people, 377 00:25:28,660 --> 00:25:30,500 they have to go to the office, 378 00:25:30,500 --> 00:25:32,100 they have to wear a suit probably, 379 00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:33,420 because they are lawyers. 380 00:25:33,420 --> 00:25:34,620 - Yes. - And yeah. 381 00:25:34,620 --> 00:25:36,460 (both laughing) 382 00:25:36,460 --> 00:25:37,380 - I mean, completely. 383 00:25:37,380 --> 00:25:40,800 Like, you know, I don't, you know, 384 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,020 I don't, you know, need to dress up every day 385 00:25:43,020 --> 00:25:43,860 and all that stuff. 386 00:25:43,860 --> 00:25:44,700 Like, you know, it's, 387 00:25:44,700 --> 00:25:46,700 but you can see, you know, 388 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:49,620 because in her work now people can have the flexibility 389 00:25:49,620 --> 00:25:51,560 to work a few days a week at home 390 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:56,040 And they can do that, and my wife does it. 391 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,680 You can see the difference when you bring the kids to school, 392 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:01,600 because then you can see who's working from home today 393 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,080 and who's going to the office by the outfit. 394 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,720 [LAUGHTER] 395 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:12,040 So yeah, it's a funny thing about the offices 396 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:14,400 and the attire in the offices. 397 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,200 Yeah, and OK, and the last tip on my list 398 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,480 is to always have with you, 399 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:21,400 uh, 400 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,560 I-N-C headphones. 401 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:24,680 - Most canceling headphones. 402 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,760 - Because you'll never know, 403 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:28,120 uh, which, uh, 404 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:31,600 which kind of people you will meet in the cafeteria. 405 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,320 In Poland, it's usually people are very quiet. 406 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,040 If they talk with each other around the table, 407 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,440 they are quiet. 408 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,960 They don't want anyone else to hear their conversation, 409 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:45,880 but there are exceptions. 410 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:47,200 And I think in Spain, 411 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:49,780 where you live, it's the opposite. 412 00:26:49,780 --> 00:26:52,620 Like the Spanish people are very loud. 413 00:26:52,620 --> 00:26:53,680 - Yes, exactly. 414 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,460 So the headphones are important. 415 00:26:57,460 --> 00:27:00,100 I take them with me, 416 00:27:00,100 --> 00:27:02,060 but let's talk about the headphones after the break. 417 00:27:02,060 --> 00:27:03,940 So because then we can geek out a little bit 418 00:27:03,940 --> 00:27:06,340 about the technology because I do want to have a point. 419 00:27:06,340 --> 00:27:07,180 - Okay, okay. 420 00:27:07,180 --> 00:27:09,060 So let's take a break 421 00:27:09,060 --> 00:27:12,400 because we are sponsored by our own app, Nozbe. 422 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:16,500 It's a task-based communication tool 423 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:20,100 that you can use it by yourself or with your team 424 00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:24,820 to communicate effectively in an asynchronous way. 425 00:27:24,820 --> 00:27:29,500 Again, with your teammates or with yourself from the future. 426 00:27:29,500 --> 00:27:32,580 So let's hear what Nozbe customers say about the product. 427 00:27:32,580 --> 00:27:35,580 - Once I started using Nozbe, 428 00:27:35,580 --> 00:27:37,940 that's when we started to really think beyond 429 00:27:37,940 --> 00:27:40,460 like a freelance mindset to more of a team mindset. 430 00:27:40,460 --> 00:27:42,580 And the beauty of it is that we can have a remote team. 431 00:27:42,580 --> 00:27:45,180 So we can hire people based on their credentials 432 00:27:45,180 --> 00:27:47,600 or based on relationships that we had 433 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:48,880 with people that we knew would be really good 434 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,460 and didn't have to hire based on location 435 00:27:51,460 --> 00:27:54,820 and somebody that's within a mile radius, 436 00:27:54,820 --> 00:27:56,040 something close to where we were. 437 00:27:56,040 --> 00:28:00,120 It also, Nozbe is very intuitive and easy for a team to use. 438 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:03,120 So as we add new people, whether it's a contractor 439 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:04,580 or an employee to the team, 440 00:28:04,580 --> 00:28:06,460 we can get them set up with Nozbe 441 00:28:06,460 --> 00:28:08,900 and within really an hour, they can see projects 442 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:12,120 and tasks that are assigned to them and start working. 443 00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:14,960 So most of our team's really taken those pretty easily. 444 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,540 (upbeat music) 445 00:28:17,540 --> 00:28:21,560 - And we're back. 446 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,660 So Michael, you wanted to geek out about headphones. 447 00:28:24,660 --> 00:28:26,720 So here you go. 448 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:31,720 - So first of all, I keep recommending the AirPods Pro 449 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,760 because they are so small that they can fit in the pocket. 450 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:37,960 - I'm waiting for the second generation 451 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,400 and still use my original AirPods. 452 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,200 (laughing) 453 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,520 So I love the AirPods Pro because of also the rubber, 454 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:49,400 they fit better in my ears as well, my ear canals. 455 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,560 But the most important thing, they're always on me, 456 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,380 which is funny to say because today I couldn't find them. 457 00:28:55,380 --> 00:28:58,800 So I have to, I put them somewhere, they're so small. 458 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,120 But now that they are also in Fun My, 459 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:02,900 so it's easier to find them. 460 00:29:02,900 --> 00:29:06,240 Anyway, this way, even if you're going outside, 461 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:11,240 even with your laptop or with your iPad or with your iPhone, 462 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:16,640 you can still put them on and have noise canceling 463 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:21,000 and just be quieter in a cafeteria. 464 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,460 So I would recommend these. 465 00:29:23,460 --> 00:29:25,040 Of course, we both right now 466 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,000 are wearing noise canceling headphones. 467 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:32,000 So you have the Bose QC35, and I have the-- 468 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,640 - 10C700. 469 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:43,960 Exactly. NC700. Exactly. So these are really good. And now Sony launched the whatever name they have Mark 5. 470 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:48,960 Yes. Exactly. Sony W5. 471 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:53,960 Yeah, exactly. So it's also there on the market. 472 00:29:53,960 --> 00:30:00,960 So and as you said, the new AirPods probably are coming very soon. 473 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:12,960 also announced by Apple. So yeah, noise canceling headphones are really cool. Also, my wife is using, we bought on a break back Friday, we got a very good deal on the Beats. 474 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,400 - BitSolo? - What was the name? 475 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,320 Yeah, but not BitSolo 3, but the Solo Pro, 476 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:23,000 oh, BitSolo Pro, which are also with noise canceling. 477 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,120 And she got red ones, and she's really happy. 478 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,840 I had red, big red headphones. 479 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:32,680 Because BitSolo, the BitSolo 3 were on ear, 480 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:36,260 and BitSolo Pro are over the ear, just like these ones. 481 00:30:36,260 --> 00:30:37,520 So they are really good. 482 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:42,520 And just yesterday, my wife had to have a meeting 483 00:30:42,700 --> 00:30:46,460 while she was out with me having lunch. 484 00:30:46,460 --> 00:30:50,060 So she could just sit back in the quieter part 485 00:30:50,060 --> 00:30:51,860 of the restaurant and have the meeting 486 00:30:51,860 --> 00:30:54,840 with the noise canceling headphones, 487 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:55,920 and it went pretty okay. 488 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,980 And then she could rejoin me and having lunch. 489 00:30:58,980 --> 00:31:03,060 So as you said, there are many options right now 490 00:31:03,060 --> 00:31:05,460 with the headphones. 491 00:31:05,460 --> 00:31:08,220 I do recommend taking the bite 492 00:31:08,220 --> 00:31:10,060 and having the wireless headphones 493 00:31:10,060 --> 00:31:12,420 because really they're really good now. 494 00:31:12,420 --> 00:31:14,300 and they're just very comfortable. 495 00:31:14,300 --> 00:31:15,980 And again, no wires here, 496 00:31:15,980 --> 00:31:20,980 so there's no risk of pulling something off the table 497 00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:23,980 or doing something crazy 498 00:31:23,980 --> 00:31:25,460 when you're sitting in a cafeteria. 499 00:31:25,460 --> 00:31:30,020 So I do recommend choosing one of the wireless options 500 00:31:30,020 --> 00:31:31,780 and especially with noise canceling. 501 00:31:31,780 --> 00:31:33,700 - Yeah, totally agree. 502 00:31:33,700 --> 00:31:37,340 I can't wait for Apple to release AirPods Pro 2 503 00:31:37,340 --> 00:31:40,780 because my original AirPods, 504 00:31:40,780 --> 00:31:43,780 They don't want to break. 505 00:31:43,780 --> 00:31:49,220 They work like I bought them in 2017, actually. 506 00:31:49,220 --> 00:31:50,780 And they still work. 507 00:31:50,780 --> 00:31:57,220 After 20 minutes, I hear this, buh, buh, buh, buh, buh. 508 00:31:57,220 --> 00:32:02,940 But they still continue to work for another half an hour. 509 00:32:02,940 --> 00:32:05,060 So of course, after an hour, they are dead. 510 00:32:05,060 --> 00:32:09,660 But yeah, now I'm using just the right one. 511 00:32:09,660 --> 00:32:13,500 And if I really, if really battery dies, 512 00:32:13,500 --> 00:32:14,740 I switch to the left one. 513 00:32:14,740 --> 00:32:18,540 - Okay. - Yeah, but it's still fine 514 00:32:18,540 --> 00:32:19,940 waiting for AirPods Pro 2. 515 00:32:19,940 --> 00:32:23,800 - So, you know, headphones are really something 516 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,360 that you should consider. 517 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:28,420 But of course, if you're in a very noisy place, 518 00:32:28,420 --> 00:32:31,380 so having like over the ear noise canceling headphones, 519 00:32:31,380 --> 00:32:33,260 just like the ones that we have right now 520 00:32:33,260 --> 00:32:36,220 recording this show, it's of course the best option 521 00:32:36,220 --> 00:32:39,500 'cause then you're completely quiet, it's good. 522 00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:40,820 - All right, so let's move on. 523 00:32:40,820 --> 00:32:44,300 And yeah, apart from no office lifestyle, 524 00:32:44,300 --> 00:32:47,420 I'm now running no car lifestyle, finally. 525 00:32:47,420 --> 00:32:48,740 - Yeah, you sold your car, man. 526 00:32:48,740 --> 00:32:52,780 - Yeah, finally, because I attempt to sell my car 527 00:32:52,780 --> 00:32:56,380 starting from when we came back from reunion, 528 00:32:56,380 --> 00:32:59,200 or even, no, before, even before reunion. 529 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:00,520 I put it on sale. 530 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,380 It was at the second half of March, 531 00:33:03,380 --> 00:33:08,060 and now I managed to sell it at 11th of May, 532 00:33:08,060 --> 00:33:12,420 or 10 of, or nine of, something like that. 533 00:33:12,420 --> 00:33:15,760 So basically it's been over a week now 534 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:19,380 since I sold my car and I totally, we actually, 535 00:33:19,380 --> 00:33:23,020 we found out we are loving this lifestyle. 536 00:33:23,020 --> 00:33:27,600 Like activity rings on my watch, they rock. 537 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:33,020 Now every day it's like 1000 calories burned 538 00:33:33,020 --> 00:33:36,380 without nothing, just like that. 539 00:33:37,540 --> 00:33:42,540 Yeah, and it's just commuting now is fun. 540 00:33:42,540 --> 00:33:43,780 I have peace of mind. 541 00:33:43,780 --> 00:33:46,420 I don't have to worry where to park a car. 542 00:33:46,420 --> 00:33:48,180 Is my car still there? 543 00:33:48,180 --> 00:33:50,820 Are there any scratches, et cetera? 544 00:33:50,820 --> 00:33:51,740 It's awesome. 545 00:33:51,740 --> 00:33:55,520 And really, you can really pack a lot of stuff 546 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:59,340 if you have a proper bike and proper bike bags or chest 547 00:33:59,340 --> 00:34:05,460 because Rania has this Dutch city bike, Batavus, 548 00:34:06,020 --> 00:34:11,020 and it really has a trunk in front and trunk at back. 549 00:34:11,020 --> 00:34:14,800 So you can, as you can see, 550 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:18,340 she is able to remove a lot of stuff, 551 00:34:18,340 --> 00:34:22,000 even some plants to the garden, 552 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:26,560 to the garden of her parents and pretty easily. 553 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,260 And as you can see, 554 00:34:28,260 --> 00:34:32,680 I finally take advantage of my pig design gear 555 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:34,920 with this mobile accessory, 556 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:38,860 but I can magnetically attach the phone to my bike 557 00:34:38,860 --> 00:34:43,860 and really take pictures and videos of us riding a bike. 558 00:34:43,860 --> 00:34:47,140 It's really fun, totally recommended. 559 00:34:47,140 --> 00:34:50,060 What else I wanted to share is that I'm really impressed 560 00:34:50,060 --> 00:34:54,420 with bike infrastructure in Poland and in my city. 561 00:34:54,420 --> 00:34:56,500 It's better every year. 562 00:34:56,500 --> 00:35:01,500 And I have many feedback to the city councils 563 00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:03,780 in many areas. 564 00:35:03,780 --> 00:35:07,140 But speaking about bike infrastructure, 565 00:35:07,140 --> 00:35:09,100 I think it's still not perfect. 566 00:35:09,100 --> 00:35:10,200 I still have some feedback, 567 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,860 but it's the only area where city officials 568 00:35:12,860 --> 00:35:14,500 actually learn from mistakes. 569 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:18,900 And with each investment, almost every each investment, 570 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:20,460 they really fix those mistakes. 571 00:35:20,460 --> 00:35:25,380 And this bike infrastructure is very comfortable to ride. 572 00:35:25,380 --> 00:35:28,260 And every commute actually now in the city is like, 573 00:35:28,260 --> 00:35:32,780 I would say that more than half of the distance 574 00:35:32,780 --> 00:35:37,020 you travel with the really nice bike infrastructure. 575 00:35:37,020 --> 00:35:42,020 And the potential of it to be even better 576 00:35:42,020 --> 00:35:46,980 is really high in Wroclaw because we have five levers 577 00:35:46,980 --> 00:35:51,980 and also we have a long, lightweight embankment, 578 00:35:51,980 --> 00:35:57,740 which alongside the lever and this label embankment, 579 00:35:57,740 --> 00:36:00,220 you can really have the nice bike paths 580 00:36:00,220 --> 00:36:02,540 which are far away from the roads. 581 00:36:02,540 --> 00:36:05,100 And they can be very good for transportation. 582 00:36:05,100 --> 00:36:09,460 That's the tricky part because often this part 583 00:36:09,460 --> 00:36:14,460 of the ground is not owned by a city, 584 00:36:14,460 --> 00:36:19,300 but the whole radion or the railway guys. 585 00:36:19,300 --> 00:36:22,960 So they have to, yeah, it's a political thing, 586 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:27,080 but slowly, slowly it's getting better. 587 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:32,720 And really the best bike paths are when they are far away from cars. 588 00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:38,320 For example, now they are building new tram paths finally. 589 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:45,880 And alongside of these paths, there are bike paths. 590 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:48,920 The road for cars is like 200 meters away. 591 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:53,680 So it's really comfortable to ride and really enjoyable. 592 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,000 So I totally recommend it. 593 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,640 You can really live like that, especially when you don't have kids. 594 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:06,820 Yeah, I mean, speaking of kids, my kids finally this year started cycling much more, and they 595 00:37:06,820 --> 00:37:08,620 are much more motivated to cycle. 596 00:37:08,620 --> 00:37:16,900 And even our middle one, she's 10 years old, she got a new bike and she's really good on 597 00:37:16,900 --> 00:37:17,900 this bike. 598 00:37:17,900 --> 00:37:18,900 She likes riding it. 599 00:37:18,900 --> 00:37:25,100 So we started to promote riding by bicycle a lot more. 600 00:37:25,100 --> 00:37:30,160 The only problem is of course like in the morning to go by bike to school requires waking 601 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:33,800 up earlier and this is still a problem. 602 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:40,840 But for example my eldest, I would normally drive her to her training in the afternoon. 603 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:44,120 Now she's riding the bike and she had first accident. 604 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:49,440 I mean not accident but you know she fell off the bike and so she learned something. 605 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:52,760 I mean nothing really happened but she learned something that she you know because she was 606 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:58,280 just too, I think, too confident on the bike. So, you know, it was a good humbling experience for her. 607 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:05,400 Anyway, I'm enjoying this a lot more. So this way now, whenever I want to do something, you know, 608 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:12,200 want to run an errand or whatever, I just take the bike. And I have, I still have, this is the cool 609 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:19,080 part, I have still the chair, you know, for my bike, the chair to carry a young child, right? 610 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:23,880 So, and this chair, this is the chair that I used 611 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:26,820 when my 13 year old was small. 612 00:38:26,820 --> 00:38:29,580 So on this bike with this chair, I used to carry hair. 613 00:38:29,580 --> 00:38:33,500 Now she's 13 years old and she's my height basically. 614 00:38:33,500 --> 00:38:37,340 So this is so funny, but still my youngest, 615 00:38:37,340 --> 00:38:40,340 she's almost six years old, she still fits in the chair. 616 00:38:40,340 --> 00:38:43,120 Like barely, but she still fits in there. 617 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:45,420 So I carry her on the bike. 618 00:38:45,420 --> 00:38:47,500 I'm hoping that next year, I mean, 619 00:38:47,500 --> 00:38:49,660 She already can ride a bike and she's good at it. 620 00:38:49,660 --> 00:38:51,580 But because when we live, 621 00:38:51,580 --> 00:38:53,360 so we live on the outskirts of the city 622 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:56,500 and we live in a kind of hilly place. 623 00:38:56,500 --> 00:39:00,260 So this is a problem for cycling 624 00:39:00,260 --> 00:39:02,460 because this requires like more power, 625 00:39:02,460 --> 00:39:05,620 more, you know, the stronger legs. 626 00:39:05,620 --> 00:39:07,900 - Or electric bikes. - So I'm gradually, 627 00:39:07,900 --> 00:39:09,940 or electric bikes, exactly. 628 00:39:09,940 --> 00:39:10,960 But I don't want to buy electric bikes 629 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,900 from my daughters at this point. 630 00:39:13,900 --> 00:39:16,620 So what I want to do is practice with them, 631 00:39:16,620 --> 00:39:23,120 practice, especially coming home, you have to climb quite a hill. So and they are usually 632 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:27,780 tired when they are coming home. So the idea is that, you know, we keep practicing, we 633 00:39:27,780 --> 00:39:32,140 keep going on bike rides, and we keep practicing coming home, going the uphill and all that 634 00:39:32,140 --> 00:39:39,440 stuff. So I'm hoping that even the youngest will be able to ride her own bike very soon. 635 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:43,280 And the other reason, the second reason that I'm still carrying the youngest and she's 636 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:51,960 not riding her bike, is the bike infrastructure. Because from my home to the nearest bike lane, 637 00:39:51,960 --> 00:40:00,180 it's one kilometer. So we have to go one kilometer through roads, pavements, and all that stuff. 638 00:40:00,180 --> 00:40:05,920 There is no bike infrastructure for us next to our home. And this is quite dangerous. 639 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:10,900 So I don't want her, the six-year-old, to ride her own bike here. If we would live just 640 00:40:10,900 --> 00:40:18,420 right next to a bike lane it would be so much easier. So again this is my 641 00:40:18,420 --> 00:40:23,620 way of saying people who run the cities like you know keep building the 642 00:40:23,620 --> 00:40:26,900 bike lanes you know and keep building these things because we need them. 643 00:40:26,900 --> 00:40:33,140 Especially that bike infrastructure is very cheap comparing to roads and 644 00:40:33,140 --> 00:40:36,760 public transport infrastructure. And you know the thing is that the more you 645 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:44,320 cycle, the more you realize how stupid some parking places are. Like places 646 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:47,920 where the parking places are not necessary and these places could be used 647 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:53,020 as a bike lane, you know? I have few of these near my home that, you know, I would 648 00:40:53,020 --> 00:40:57,720 and also there is for example a one-way street coming to my house which is so 649 00:40:57,720 --> 00:41:01,720 wide that it has no problem and there is no problem of putting a bike lane there. 650 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:06,160 No problem. But nobody still did it. Like there is still not, you know, planned. I'm 651 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:10,240 I'm hoping it's going to come because there is no need for such a wide road, 652 00:41:10,240 --> 00:41:12,760 you know, coming to this residential area. Like, you know, 653 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:17,080 like you can really split it into having a, you know, narrow row, narrow road, 654 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:19,040 and then a bike lane. 655 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:22,400 And the narrow road would also imply that people would not speed so much. 656 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:26,920 They would drive here slower. So you get two benefits and, you know, 657 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:32,680 in the same time. So, um, I'm hoping that, um, that in my city, the, the, 658 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:34,960 because they are building back infrastructure here. 659 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:38,880 So I'm hoping that they will continue to invest in this. 660 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:40,800 And I'm really happy that my daughters are embracing 661 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:41,720 the cycling lifestyle. 662 00:41:41,720 --> 00:41:44,240 - Another benefit you can get if you really push it 663 00:41:44,240 --> 00:41:47,140 and your daughters use bike every day, 664 00:41:47,140 --> 00:41:51,880 and they have this uphill to ride, 665 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,520 when they come back home, they will be very tired 666 00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:56,280 and go to sleep earlier. 667 00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:59,480 So wake up earlier and go to school by bike. 668 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,660 And you have more time in the evening with your wife. 669 00:42:02,660 --> 00:42:04,360 - If it worked that way. - Yeah, I know. 670 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:09,160 would be nice but very often they are very tired and they are very complicated to put to bed anyway 671 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:12,680 so you know i can't imagine 672 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:20,520 anything else you want to share or shall we wrap up this let's wrap it up and yeah you know and 673 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:28,040 again let's just repeat that we do encourage you to cycle more and the the weather is getting better 674 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:33,240 like like use the weather use the time and cycle more uh it's it's it's fantastic i'm really 675 00:42:33,240 --> 00:42:39,240 enjoying this. Thanks for listening and what day is tomorrow Michael? Well tomorrow is Friday and if 676 00:42:39,240 --> 00:42:44,040 it's tomorrow is Friday for you then it should be your mighty Friday. Exactly do your weekly review 677 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:49,960 plan priorities for next week and learn something new to have a great week weekend. All the links 678 00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:56,920 and show notes you can find on office.fm/31. If you enjoyed this episode please share your tips 679 00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:03,960 for walking from different places. Tweet them with #noface or comment under the episode entry 680 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:12,360 at nooffice.fm/41. Okay, that's it for today. Say goodbye, Michael. Okay, stay safe, have a great 681 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:20,120 work-life balance by being flexible, by changing, shaking things up, changing offices, 682 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:24,360 and just stay tuned. See you in the next one, and hear your next one.