Welcome to the New Mind Studio, your weekly space to think clearly, choose deliberately, and invest your energy where it counts.
I’ll be honest with you: the 80/20 principle has always been a bit of a mystery to me.
I understand it in theory. I’ve nodded along in meetings where someone says, "Focus on what moves the needle.” But actually applying it? I find it genuinely hard.
If you feel the same way, this issue is for you.
Spoiler: it's also the reason this newsletter is about to look a little different.
More on that at the end.
CONNECT
The 80/20 principle is simple, but not easy.
It's not really about the exact numbers. It's a thinking tool, a way of looking at any situation and asking: where is the leverage here?
Most of what matters in your life comes from a surprisingly small number of things.
The rest just feels urgent.
The invitation is straightforward:
Find those few things, and give them disproportionate attention.
Simple in theory. Much harder in practice.
For me, that difficulty tends to come down to three things:
Perfectionism. Wanting to optimise everything instead of accepting "good enough" for the bottom 80%. If you can't let things be imperfect, you can't prioritise.
Guilt. Dropping low-value tasks can feel lazy in a culture that glorifies busyness. Busy has become a badge of honour. Focused hasn't yet.
Fear of missing out. You worry that ignoring the 80% means you'll miss something important. Sometimes you will. That's the trade-off you make.
It's one thing to know what matters. It's another to keep choosing it.
REFLECT
So when I notice myself getting pulled in too many directions, this is the pattern I try to come back to:
List all direction of one topic.
Ask: Which few matter most — or cause the most trouble?
Shift your time and energy toward those few.
Here's what that looks like across a few different areas:
Your meetings. You attend 10 a week. But 2–3 actually drive decisions, build relationships, or move your work forward. The 80/20 move: Protect those fiercely. Treat the rest as optional until proven otherwise.
Your social life. You know 30 people. But 4–5 of them give you most of your joy, support, and real conversation. The 80/20 move: proactively plan time with those few. Be okay saying no to low-energy invites.
Your stress. You feel overwhelmed by "a million things." But if you actually list them, 2–3 issues are causing most of the tension. One relationship, one project, one financial worry. The 80/20 move: put your problem-solving energy there, not spread thin across everything.
Hiring for (AI) roles. You could screen for 10 qualities. But maybe 2 predict 80% of success: e.g. human-centred judgment and AI fluency. The 80/20 move: probe those two hard and early in your hiring conversation. Let the rest follow.
The examples are different. The logic is the same.
What I'm still learning is that this takes practice. It takes experience to develop a feeling for what actually moves the needle. You can't always know in advance. You have to pay attention, reflect regularly, and adjust.
That's why I've made mastering this concept one of my goals for this year.
Want to put this into practice right away? I've put together 4 ready-to-use 80/20 prompts for your favourite LLM, covering learning, stress, energy, and hiring. Copy, paste, and have fun!
The 80/20 principle won't tell you exactly what your vital few are. But asking the question regularly and honestly, will change how you work, how you rest, and what you stop apologising for leaving undone.
GROW
And in a way, writing this newsletter has become part of that practice too.
It has brought me more joy than I expected. Building something week after week, with intention, has become one of the most energising things I do.
At the same time, I'm a mom. I work in tech. And this is a side project I care deeply about.
So I want to apply the same principle here.
I want to focus on the part that creates the most value, for you and for me, and let the rest be smaller.
That means The New Mind Studio is moving to a bi-weekly rhythm. Two issues a month. More space to think. More space to develop the ideas properly.
And in true 80/20 fashion, this is where you come in.
I'd love to get to know you better. If you work in tech, lead people, build something, or are navigating change in any way, I'd love to speak with you for 20 minutes.
What challenges are you facing right now? Why are you reading this newsletter? What do you want more of?
I have a few ideas for where The New Mind Studio could go next, and I'd love to test them with real people before I build.
If you're open to a 20-minute conversation, just reply to this email. I know that time is one of the biggest gifts you can give someone, and I'd be deeply grateful.
Warmly,
Nadia
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