07/10/25 Conversationality: Optionality's analog summer

Jory’s analog hobby of choice: Puzzling

Jory Des Jardins

and I discuss Optionality’s Analog Summer and why we chose it as the overarching theme for July and August. (With sub-themes like play, fin, joy, and REST.) For Jory, it started with concerns about her attention span and short-term retention. For me, it’s about acknowledging that an optionality-driven life must respect our personal pursuits and endeavors as much as our professional ones…isn’t that part of the point?

There is data to support the idea that analog pursuits, offline pleasures, and IRL convenings are good for us. (So stay tuned for Optionality’s next IZRL event in September.)

So, I’m going to try to turn at least one or two of my morning walks per week into more of a walking meditation, rather than using them to listen to podcasts, books, webinars, or have calls.

And Jory will continue doing jigsaw puzzles…the more complex, the better.

What will you do?

Mentioned in the conversation:

Dr. Gloria Mark from UC Irvine and her work on attention span:
https://gloriamark.com/attention-span/

Jory’s newsletter introducing this month’s Optionality theme:

Key points in the video:

1:15: Jory shares the impetus for writing My Analog Summer (above) and basing Optionality’s summer theme on it. And re-visits life during the initial COVID lockdown and coming out of it.

4:28: Elisa explores the idea of (sometimes) turning her daily morning walks from times for productive content consumption to something more meditative.

5:50: The “push-me-pull-you” around office time, and the concept of flip-flopping what happens onsite vs offsite.

7:00: Streaming content online about offline pursuits. (aka, yes, I became a sourdough person!)

9:00: Dr. Gloria Mark’s work on attention span. And the lie that we’re good at multitasking.

13:00: Introducing Optionality’s new Writing Co-Working Group (for Premium members). And writing styles (internal vs external processing)

15:00: Jory makes a goal to read and watch more long form content.

17:40: Elisa has to find a way to bring Buffy the vampire Slayer into the conversation!

19:00: Jory and jigsaw puzzles

20:00: BlogHer, IRL events and the value of both reunion and discovery

21:17: We planning an Optionality IRL event in September. Watch this space!

August’s theme doubles down on play, fun, joy and REST. Join our guest author Dr. Natalie Nixon as we discuss her new book, Move. Think. Rest., on Wednesday August 27th at 12PM PT/3PM ET.