About Me — Alex Philippe

The Productivity Monk

Updated: Feb 13, 2022

Bio

I’m a veteran French productivity blogger, having written 500+ articles on my French blog ceclair.fr since 2007. I now dedicate my time to sharing my insights in English.

I like time-proven productivity techniques. So you’ll often see me talking about how many years I’ve been practicing a given technique.

I’ve been told I’m a holistic productivity thinker since I tend to cover productivity from various angles, such as: task management, motivation, willpower, focus, memory, creativity, management, inner game and well-being.

I am a deep thinker and introvert. I used to consider this as a flaw. But I’ve since changed my mind, as introversion has great advantages, such as being more creative, more patient, more gentle with people, and a powerful listener.

These three traits explain why I like to call myself a “productivity monk”.

Right now, I’m living in Mauritius, the self-proclaimed Paradise Island, located in the Indian Ocean. Here’s how it looks:

How to work with me?

I am always happy to help.

If you have any productivity questions, please send me an email here : alexandrephili (at) gmail [dot] com

Website | Twitter

What am I up to?

On Feb 1st 2022, I started a 100 days of writing challenge.

This is a big challenge for me because:

• I am fully employed (I’m a Software Engineer)
• English is not my mother language
• I am a hardcore perfectionist

I also plan to :

• Write a book on my time-tested productivity techniques
• Create a notion template on the subject of focus
• Create a course about accountability partners

My favorites

• Cuisine: Coconut Chicken
• Book: Quiet by Susan Cain
• Sport: Cycling
• Music: Trip Hop (Jay-Jay Johansson, Alpha, Portishead). I also love ABBA!
• Author: Derek Sivers

I strongly believe in

• Participative leadership
• Forest preservation
• Human rights
• Science

My personality

• MBTD profile: INTP
• I am deeply introverted, but I like one-on-one discussions and enjoy the company of extroverts.
• I am always curious about everything

20 Random Fun Facts About Me

1. Although I lived in France until I was 23 years old, I’ve never actually worked in my own country.
2. When I was 18, I discovered I was a frustrated lefty.
3. Since 2017, I have developed a passion for French Mayonnaise. At first, I failed to make it. Then I found the perfect recipe after making it 700+ times (email me for the recipe).
4. I can count until 108 using objects. This helps when memorizing phone numbers.
5. I love the Memory Palace Technique. I once memorized the perfect order of a 52 stack of cards in 3 minutes thanks to it.
6. I was in the USA during the 2001/11 tragedy. My flight from New York was scheduled just 13 days later, on Sept 24th.
7. I visited French Guyana with my father and briefly lived in the Amerindian village Antecume Pata. This was a life-changing experience!
8. I can sing by heart a couple of Sean Paul’s songs.
9. I can cook you the perfect French Ratatouille.
10. I like water fasting. I once fasted for 12 days straight.
11. I used to join a Toastmasters club, but I’m still a mess at public speaking. I tend to have mental breakdowns when facing a public.
12. Once, my math teacher told me I will never be good at Math as I could not count on my feet. But I finished first on my 1st year of University, and got a Software Engineer Master’s degree in a reputed French engineering school.
13. I often talk to strangers in the street.
14. I am such a daydreamer that I once fell into a stinking ditch on the way to school when I was 8.
15. I am French, and yet I hate cheese.
16. I have hypermobile joints, which partly explain why I still can’t play the piano properly after 10 years of lessons.
17. I used to do bicycle races when I was 16. While I always finished last, I never gave up in a race.
18. I’ve been writing a gratitude journal since 2017.
19. I have one leg shorter than the other, which makes my walking a bit funny.
20. I’ve been working each week with an accountability partner since 2017.