| | | | | |  Will Varner | | IN THIS ISSUE | How to become indistractable | Dog-sitting for your boss | When dolphins get drafted | | | | Good morning. Here's an idea raised by our Icebreakers guest, the author Nir Eyal, that I couldn't squeeze into the interview section itself (#newsletterproblems). As you'll see, Nir's most recent book is all about teaching yourself to become indistractable. And, as someone who would win Olympic gold in opening new browser tabs, I begged him for several tech tools—extensions, screen time measurement apps, anything—that would better help me stay focused. He responded that, while tools were useful, I was missing the bigger picture. 90% of the time when we get distracted, it's the result of internal triggers such as boredom, loneliness, uncertainty, and fatigue. In Nir's words, "The reason we get distracted is because we are looking to escape an uncomfortable emotional sensation." You could have an iPhone on your desk or a rock—either way, if you're dreading the task ahead, you'll probably start fiddling with it. Just something to think about the next time you decide to delete TikTok because it's too addicting. Seems the problem isn't really TikTok, it's our inability to master our own feelings.  —Neal Freyman | | | | | | | | | Photo courtesy Nir Eyal. Illustration: Francis Scialabba By this point in the newsletter, you might have checked your Instagram twice, scrolled through TikTok, and opened seven new browser tabs with no idea of which website you had intended to visit. It's easy to lose focus. To help us live a more intentional life, the author, lecturer, and investor Nir Eyal wrote Indistractable in 2019, which contains loads of actionable tips on turning distraction → traction. Three years later, it remains as relevant as ever. We chatted with Nir and never once lost focus. How do people know when they're distracted? What if a person uses their phone when they're in the bathroom and they think, "I'm not distracted. This is just my life now in 2022. I check my phone when I'm in the bathroom." You're not distracted if you are spending your time the way you want to. What I want to cater to is the person who's like me: I would be the kind of person who said I'd do one thing and I do something else. I would say I was going to exercise but I didn't. I would say I'm going to be fully present with people I love, and yet I used my phone as opposed to being really there for my daughter and my wife. So that's when it's a problem: when we say we're going to do one thing and yet we're doing something else. Is it effective to use distractions as a "reward"? As in telling myself I can scroll on TikTok if I finish a major task? You want rewards to be self-perpetuating of the behavior. So this is the difference between extrinsic rewards and an intrinsic reward: An extrinsic reward is like a trophy or a badge or something that has nothing to do with the behavior itself. Studies find that extrinsic rewards tend to decrease creativity, and they decrease the longevity of the behavior. But if you can tie in a reward that has to do with the behavior itself—for example, if you're exercising more, the reward might be a better pair of running shoes—well, that would be a reward that is part of the behavior. But a much better reward is an intrinsic reward: learning to love the running. I wouldn't advocate saying, "Oh, if I work for 30 minutes, then I'll be able to putz around on a video game." What I would advocate for is working for 30 minutes and then planning the time in your schedule when you're going to go on social media or video games. You wrote this book 2019, and back then you were obviously very much committed to being indistractable. Have you seen those commitment levels continue over the last three years? Oh my gosh, in every conceivable way. I'm 44 years old and I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm a little bit sheepish to tell you (but also kind of proud) that I have a six pack. The only reason is because I exercise consistently. I eat right because I say I will. My relationships with my daughter and my wife are better than ever because I'm fully present with them. So this is really the skill of the century, that as the world becomes more of a distracting place, it's going to bifurcate into two kinds of people: people who let their time and attention be manipulated and controlled by others, and people who say no—I will decide how I control my time because I am indistractable. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. | | | | | | In honor of National Small Business Week, we've partnered with Intuit Mailchimp (the true champs of small business). Intuit Mailchimp CMO Michelle Taite answered a couple of your small-biz Q's. Let's begin! Brew Q: How do you build an audience of loyal customers? Michelle Taite: At Intuit Mailchimp, the customer is at the heart of our work. It's our goal to stay connected to our customers, listen to their needs, and bring forward thoughtful solutions to help small businesses thrive. For us, that's creating marketing products and inspiring customers through Mailchimp Presents and Courier Magazine. Brew Q: What lessons from COVID-19 might guide future resilience? Michelle Taite: To build more resilient teams, it's critical to check in with each other, stay connected, and treat colleagues as people first, employees second. That's why we like to think of our workplace as a no-judgment zone, where no idea is too big or too small. Want more small-biz insights? Learn how Intuit Mailchimp can help. | | | | Each week, our workplace whisperer Shane Loughnane answers a reader-submitted question about problems at work. Anything nagging at you? Ask Shane here. My boss has a new puppy and needed someone to watch her for the weekend. I dog-sit as a side hustle, so I happily obliged when he asked if I was free. We didn't talk about pricing before he left. He gave me $60 for groceries but never paid me otherwise. I feel awkward asking, especially since he's my boss, but I deserve to be paid for the work I did. What should I do? The first of the month is traditionally a big day for bones: Some of us owe them, others collect them, and a hip-hop group that bears the name gave us an iconic 90s track to help mark the calendar. Is it possible your boss was simply biding his time so that he could wake up and settle his debts with the rest of us today? Probably not, so let's work out your best move here. A key question I have is whether your boss is aware of your side hustle. If so, it's a little harder to defend his decision to compensate you with a modest grocery allowance. On the other hand, if he isn't aware that you are regularly paid for your services, it becomes easier to empathize with a new pup parent who may be unfamiliar with the expense of dog-sitting and simply presumed you were doing him a favor. You certainly could bring it up, and here's two points I'd consider raising if you do: 1) you dog-sit as a side hustle and wouldn't want other co-workers to expect you'll do so free of charge and 2) it's important you be compensated so as not to create any perception of impropriety—e.g., you did a personal favor for your boss and therefore expect any professional benefit in return. Alternatively, you might opt to let it go this time and save yourself a bit of awkwardness. But if/when he asks again, be sure to explain that while you were previously unclear about your payment expectations, you wanted to be upfront before accepting another (pro bono) engagement. Share your workplace conundrum with Make It Work here. | | | Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images On Wednesday, the US Naval Institute (USNI) spotted something fishy near the entrance of Sevastopol harbor, a Russian naval base in the Black Sea. On second thought, the more accurate term would be "mammaly"—because the USNI found two dolphin pens located just inside the sea wall. They had been moved there around the time of Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine, the USNI concluded after a review of satellite imagery. What are they doing there? Not putting on a show for the troops. Their most likely porpoise—sorry, purpose—is to defend Russian warships against enemy divers, serving as a crucial line of defense for what is Russia's most important naval base on the Black Sea. While we can see you there looking shocked at the existence of a Russian dolphin infantry division… Marine mammals have a long history of military service And not just for the Russians. The US jump-started its marine mammal military program in 1960, primarily employing bottlenose dolphins and sea lions to accomplish a variety of underwater tasks humans just don't have the fins for. That could include anything from locating mines to retrieving lost objects to intelligence gathering. Why dolphins? As John Ismay points out in the NYT Magazine, these mammals have a few pertinent skill sets: - Their sonar skills (echolocation) allow them to identify objects better than any human-made sonar machine.
- They can repeatedly dive deep in the water, and don't suffer the same decompression sickness that humans suffer from.
Dolphins' skills were on display during the Iraq War in 2003. Two of them, named Makai and Tacoma, were tasked with clearing a pathway for ships carrying humanitarian aid through extremely murky water. They identified mines, went back to their human handlers to retrieve a floatable marker, and returned to the mines to tag the explosive devices, according to Hakai Magazine. We know a decent amount about the US' use of marine mammals for military purposes after information was leaked about the program in 1992. We know far less about a similar program used by its Cold War foe: the Soviet Union. However, the Soviets were reportedly building up a marine mammal fleet alongside the US in those years, including to protect that same bay of Sevastopol. While Russia discontinued this program following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it appears to be back on. In 2019, fishermen discovered a beluga whale off the coast of Norway wearing a Russian harness and a mount for a GoPro-type camera. If that wasn't suspicious enough, it was found much further south than belugas normally live in the high Arctic. The Norweigans dubbed it a Russian spy. Not that it asked to be. The use of marine mammals in the military has received pushback from some animal rights activists, who say their deployment in dangerous settings amounts to exploitation and abuse. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has said, "War is a human endeavor, and while people and political parties may decide war is necessary, animals cannot." Big picture: Over time, humans have become a lot more skilled at leveraging marine mammals to win wars. Back in World War I, Britain's Royal Navy tried to train sea lions to identify and follow German U-Boats, but the sea lions got distracted by fish and took extra long lunch breaks. Relatable.—NF | | | | | | Bring your metabolism back to its prime with Sakara's best-selling super powder. This stuff can make your metabolism actually act younger. Add it to your morning coffee or afternoon smoothie for a delicious boost that'll ignite your metabolism, keep you fuller longer, and curb sugar cravings. Use code MAY22BREW for 20% off. | | | | Welcome to Open House, the only newsletter section pivoting to VR. We'll give you a few facts about a listing and you try to guess the price.  Multiple Listing NetworkToday's listing exists in two places: Beverly Hills and the metaverse. This 5,062-square-foot, Spanish-style home built in 1928 comes with the opportunity to also own a mansion that sits on a four-parcel piece of land in Decentraland, a popular 3D virtual world. Amenities include: - 5 beds, 6 baths
- Exposed beam ceilings (delicious if you were a termite)
- Plans and permits to build a brand new 10,280-square-foot, eight-bedroom house on the property if you hate this one
- A very real, non-NFT pool
How much for what is kinda like three houses in one? | | | - Crowd and proud: The history of the flash mob. (Elephant)
- The new Playboy Mansion could be in the metaverse. (Morning Brew)
- The world according to Megan Fox. (Glamour)
- Sam Bankman-Fried and Matt Levine on how to make money in crypto. (Odd Lots)
- The biggest cheater in Guitar Hero history was finally caught. (Karl Jobst)
- Were the stimulus checks a mistake? (FiveThirtyEight)
- Influencers want pay equity. But what about their kids? (Marketing Brew)
- Can virtual reality help ease chronic pain? (NYT)
- Top-notch food photography. (BBC)
- Why Elon Musk bought Twitter. (New Yorker)
Pet care you can count on. Become a Fuzzy member and enjoy access to 24/7 live chat with a veterinary pro + recommended products delivered right to your door. Sign up for a free 7-day trial today.* *This is sponsored advertising content. | | | Welcome back to Morning Brew's Meme Competition, where we crown a single memelord every Sunday. Today's winner: Andrew in PA is getting us all emotional.  This week's challenge: You can find the new template here for next Sunday. Once you're done making your meme, submit it at this link for consideration. | | | $9.4 million for the physical house + $100,000 for the virtual house |  | Written by Neal Freyman, Matty Merritt, Jamie Wilde, Max Knoblauch, and Shane Loughnane Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here WANT MORE BREW? Industry news, with a sense of humor → - Emerging Tech Brew: AI, crypto, space, autonomous vehicles, and more
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