January 12, 20257 min irakurketa

🧠 This simple tip made me a 10x better designer · The Bunker #116

Hi friend, welcome to another week!

It’s been a while since we’ve been running this Newsletter, and the plan is to keep growing this project over time!

Today, I’d like to share something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. Even though it seems like a simple lesson, it’s completely changed the way I work, design, and even live.

It all started the other day at the gym. It was just a regular day like so many others, I arrived, put on my headphones, and started my routine. But honestly, my mind was everywhere except on what I was doing.

Without even realizing it, I was thinking about a thousand things at once: finishing quickly at the gym so I could buy something I needed, getting home to keep working, crossing tasks off my never-ending to-do list, and still finding time for other plans I had that day.

All of this, of course, while going through my reps on autopilot.

And then, right in the middle of a set, it hit me: What am I even doing?

I was moving like I was in a rush to reach the finish line, but I wasn’t enjoying the journey.

And the worst part? I wasn’t even paying attention to how I was doing the exercise.

So I decided to do something simple: stop.

I took a deep breath, focused, and forced myself to slow down.

I started doing the reps much more slowly and intentionally, paying attention to my technique, to how each muscle felt as it worked, to the movement itself.

And it was a completely different experience. I noticed things I’d never felt before, small adjustments that made everything feel so much more effective and intentional.

When I left the gym, I kept thinking about it and realized the same thing happens to me constantly in my daily life.

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Always in a rush

I don’t know if this happens to you, but I have this habit of trying to do everything at the same time.

In my head, there’s always an endless list of tasks I want to complete: projects, ideas, errands, personal stuff…

And without realizing it, I jump from one thing to the next with this sense of urgency, like I’m racing against the clock.

For example:

I’m reviewing a design, but at the same time, I’m thinking about an email I need to send or something I’ll need for the next project.
I’m working on an important task, but I’m already planning what comes next, as if I can’t just focus on what I’m doing right now.
Even in simpler moments, like cooking or going for a walk, my mind is busy with other things, as if I can’t let myself just enjoy the moment.

And the worst part is that this constant rush doesn’t just leave me feeling exhausted, it also affects the quality of my work.

Because when you’re juggling a thousand things, it’s impossible to pay attention to the details. And it’s those details that make all the difference.

This reminded me of a concept from the book Atomic Habits that talks about the "attention residue." The idea is that when we switch quickly from one task to another, part of our attention stays stuck on the previous activity, preventing us from fully focusing on what’s in front of us.

And that’s exactly what was happening to me.

The power of stopping

That reflection at the gym led me to try something new: instead of letting my mind jump from one thing to another, I consciously decided to slow down.

So I opened a project I was working on and forced myself to look at it calmly, as if I were seeing it for the first time. I let go of the rush, closed other tabs, and focused entirely on analyzing what was in front of me.

And you know what happened? I noticed things I’d missed before:

Spacing that wasn’t quite balanced.
A color palette that could be more harmonious.
A piece of text that, with a small tweak, could communicate the idea much better.

The simple act of stopping and looking carefully allowed me to massively improve the design.

But beyond the result, what surprised me most was how I felt: instead of stress and urgency, I felt calm, control, and satisfaction.

What I learned by slowing down

Since then, I’ve been trying to apply this slower approach to everything I do, and the benefits have been incredible.

Not just in terms of productivity, but also in how I live and enjoy each moment.

For example:

I work with more intention. By focusing on one thing at a time, I feel like I’m really giving my best to every project.
I notice details I used to miss. Whether it’s in a design or a conversation, paying attention has helped me discover things I used to overlook.
I enjoy the process more. Instead of always thinking about what’s next, I’m learning to value the present moment and savor each step.

How you can apply it

I invite you to try it out.

The next time you’re working on something (or even doing something as simple as cooking), try this:

Pause for a moment. Before you start, take a deep breath and let your mind settle.
Focus on the present. Forget about what comes next and give your full attention to what you’re doing now.
Notice the details. Take your time to observe and look for things you could improve or enjoy more.

I promise this small practice can make a huge difference, not just in the quality of what you do, but also in how you feel while doing it.

Conclusion

In a world that constantly pushes us to go faster and do more in less time, I believe there’s something profoundly valuable in simply slowing down.

Because when you do, not only do you work better, but you also start to see things you used to miss, details, nuances, little wonders hidden in the everyday.

For me, this lesson has been a complete mindset shift.

And every time I feel the urge to do a million things at once, I go back to that moment at the gym when I decided to slow down and pay attention.

And every time I do, I realize that, in the end, it’s not about doing more, it’s about doing better.

I hope this reflection inspires you to try something similar. If you have thoughts or experiences about this, I’d love to hear them.

By the way, something that helps me stay present is doing activities that force me to focus, like skiing or driving. They require constant active attention, which means I can only focus on what I’m doing at that very moment.

If you’re skiing and thinking about other things, you might have an accident. It’s an activity that demands you to actively think: What’s the next step? over and over again.

Until next time,

Jordi Espinosa.

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