🚀 Life OS w/ Ali Abdaal Day 1 - Pt. 2

· 5 min read · Lukas Zangerl
#newsletter

Hello Friend đź‘‹

That’s absolutely nuts. 🥜

45.312 Newsletter recipients**.**

Yesterday, the biggest NLP Brand in Europe sent out a WHOLE NEWSLETTER about MY WORKSHOP. 🤯

Here’s the proof:

This is a section of the newsletter:

Promotional graphic for a German-language productivity workshop titled 'Mehr Fokus, Weniger Chaos' (More Focus, Less Chaos) by Lukas Zangerl. The image shows a smiling man in a light blue shirt against a dark background with the workshop title. Below are workshop details including the date (Thursday, February 13, 20:15-21:15), workshop highlights about focus techniques and eliminating distractions, and a bonus offer for a focus workbook valued at 49€. The design uses a green gradient background with white text cards containing the information.

I guess I am a productivity expert now. 🤷‍♂️

Check out the full newsletter from Landsiedel NLP Training

👉 Now let’s get started with today’s topic:

Today I will introduce you to the 3 Menus Ali Abdaal taught us in Life OS.

Picture three distinct lists, each one designed to keep you moving when work loses its spark.

🔥 The Activation Menu.

It is for those moments when you can’t seem to start anything. Maybe it’s the dread of a complex project. Maybe it’s because you haven’t slept well.

In any case, the Activation Menu offers immediate tactics:

  • put on gentle background music,
  • do a short breathing exercise,
  • or handle a small admin task just to gather momentum.

🔄 Then there’s the Reactivation Menu.

This list matters most when your mind begins to wander, or you catch yourself daydreaming halfway through a task.

Sometimes all you need is a one-minute stretch or a quick energy boost to snap back into focus. Maybe you do a few jumping jacks to jolt your body awake, or swap out a mellow playlist for an upbeat soundtrack.

Some people even place their phone in another room, far from tempting notifications.

🔋 Finally, you have the Recharge Menu.

This one’s for those moments when you’ve been pouring energy into your work and need a reset. Take a short walk around the neighborhood. Make yourself some coffee or tea. Stretch at your desk or roll your shoulders to release tension.

The idea is simple: find what replenishes your mind and body, then do it before you burn out.

All three menus should be personal.

They’re built around what works for you, not for everyone else. You might love classical tunes or prefer white noise. You might enjoy a brisk run or favor a slow, mindful stroll.

What matters is that your menus guide you toward instant solutions whenever you feel procrastination creeping in, notice your focus slipping, or sense your energy fading.

If you want a quick snapshot of how these menus might look, here are a few suggestions.

🔥 On an Activation list, you might include:

  • “start with a small, easy task,”
  • “turn on instrumental music,” or
  • “take three mindful breaths.”

🔄 For Reactivation,

  • a short break with jumping jacks could help, or
  • you might banish your phone to another room to block out distractions.

🔋 As for Recharging,

  • you might set aside ten minutes for a leisurely walk,
  • do a light stretch session, or
  • sip a fresh cup of coffee.

Why bother with such lists? 🕵️‍♂️

Because they target three common productivity hurdles:

  1. starting,
  2. sustaining,
  3. recovering.

🔥 The Activation Menu breaks through that initial resistance so many of us feel before diving into work.

🔄 The Reactivation Menu rescues you from the vortex of distraction that can strike at any time.

🔋 The Recharge Menu ensures you don’t plow through tasks until you’re drained, unable to give your best.

👉 Creating these lists is straightforward.

Think about situations where you struggle, whether it’s late-morning lethargy or mid-afternoon restlessness.

Jot down actions that work for you. Keep them visible. Then, when your mind starts to wander or your body protests the next big deadline, you won’t waste time brainstorming fixes on the fly.

Instead, you’ll have a dedicated set of options ready to use.

đź“… Next, integrate these menus into your daily or weekly routine.

Some people post them near their computer screen. Others keep them as digital notes or phone reminders. The point is to have these tools at arm’s reach.

If you notice yourself hesitating to begin, open your Activation Menu.

If you’re sinking into an Instagram rabbit hole, snag your Reactivation Menu.

If your energy levels are nosediving, tap your Recharge Menu.

Over time, you’ll fine-tune each list to better match your needs, discarding ideas that don’t help and adding new ones that do.

Ultimately, these menus become your personalized toolkit. 🧰

They encourage you to reflect on your habits, track your triggers, and refine your strategies to stay productive. You’ll sidestep those aimless hours when nothing gets done.

You’ll dodge the slump that robs you of focus.

You’ll avoid running on fumes. Instead, you’ll have a safety net of tested methods that bring you back to your tasks, keep you energized, and help you finish strong.

Have a great week,
Lukas 🌞