The funny thing I noticed while writing today’s email is how similar the top questions on Reddit are to how I felt in yesterday’s email.

Maybe it’s the collective end-of-year mood, or maybe I’m feeling extra reflective because we just had breakfast. Either way, it seems like a lot of people on Reddit are on the same wavelength.

In today’s Roundup:

1. Why is it seen as more positive to wake up early but more negative to stay up late?
2. How do you keep track of everything without feeling completely overwhelmed?
3. How do you forgive yourself and start taking action for a better life?

Why is it seen as more positive to wake up early but more negative to stay up late?

So this question is wrapped in toxic productivity culture and, honestly, a bit of a status game.

Here’s my take: it doesn’t matter whether you wake up early or stay up late to be productive. If you’re cranking out 20 minutes of solid work in the morning or at night, it’s still 20 minutes of solid work.

Personally, I'm all for waking up early. While I can’t fathom how night owls do it, I don't hold anything against them. So, if burning the midnight oil is your thing, then you have no reason to change.

The real takeaway here is to just run your own race. Whether it’s early mornings or late nights, stick with what helps you thrive—and don’t get caught up in the “which is better” debate unless it actually affects your bottom line.

How do you keep track of everything without feeling completely overwhelmed?

I'm gonna give some counter-intuitive takes here - first off, as a human being, you're not meant to track everything, so trying to do so is just setting you up for bad outcomes.

But, if you’re losing track of things that actually matter and it’s starting to negatively affecting your life, here’s a simple system that works for me:

• Time-sensitive tasks, schedules, and appointments: Use a calendar. Google Calendar works just fine for me.
• Important info that isn’t time-sensitive: Use your Notes app. Most of my notes are a mess but I don't lose things.

I’ve experimented with complex setups - like Notion HQs and other “second brain” systems, and while they’re fun to tinker with, they’re often more work than they’re worth. At the end of the day, the simplest tools have consistently been the most effective for me. Stick with what works and avoid overcomplicating things.

How do you forgive yourself and start taking action for a better life?

I get it—it’s tough, especially if you've got yourself involved in screwups before.

But here’s my approach: treat every day as a chance to begin again, and to be better.

We all carry some level of shame or sadness about the things we’ve done or the potential we feel we’re not living up to. But honestly, there’s no benefit to holding onto past mistakes. What’s done is done, and the best thing you can do is focus on what’s next.

If you’re struggling, remember that every second is a fresh start. Use it as an opportunity to make better decisions and keep moving forward.

Forgiveness starts with giving yourself permission to begin again—over and over if needed.**

**This doesn't give you the permission to be a total slop in your life or to be an asshole to others, however.

That's all for today's Roundup! Rhea and I are off to spend a day in the city to burn off these calories from our heavy breakfast 🤗

Nicholas Ng