One hour of focus.

One purposeful project.

One vision blessed by divine guidance.

One day closer.

It’s not about wanting to do more, it’s about knowing exactly what to do.

It’s not about having more hours, it’s about having barakah in your time.

This letter will teach you how to unlock the focus you need whenever you want.

Most people think they need a crazy routine planned down to the minute to achieve their goals.

That’s far from the truth.

I remember when I first started my journey. I thought I had to fill every minute of my day with "productive tasks".

At the end of the day I ended up doing 1-2 things out of the 20 things I had on my to-do list.

I was left feeling defeated and discouraged.

You have entrepreneurs who:

• Work 18 hours a day

• Work 4 hours a day

And believe it or not, it’s usually the latter who achieves more of their goals.

Productivity is like tending a garden in the desert — you wouldn’t water it all day under the scorching sun without giving it shade and rest, expecting it to thrive.

There are two terrains of work:

1. Creation — when you are building out something new, be it a product, service, or brand. This phase requires a lot of effort.

2. Cultivation — when you nurture and expand your new ecosystem. You will create content, spread the word, connect with those who seek the shade and water you offer. The effort here is more measured, demanding a few focused hours daily.

Many people on the path to change their life or wanting to leave their jobs get scared of the initial phase of creation.

Habibti, you need to take a step back and see the bigger picture.

The intensity of your early efforts are temporary and will pave the way to a more easy days.

Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. [94:6]

With Ramadan a few days away, if you want the daily planner I use for focus during the blessed month, grab my Productive Ramadan Planner.

Intentional work is only one part to changing your life.

Your Intellect Is What Makes You Better Than Angels

Our minds, gifted by Allah, have immense potential.

It’s what sets us apart in the seen and unseen realms.

In the dunya (worldly life), without an intellect we would be mere animals.

In the ākhirah (hereafter), our minds give us the power to ascend even above angels.

Allāh said to the angels, 'Prostrate to Adam,' and they prostrated, except for Iblis. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers (2:34)

But what was said before the command for the angels to prostrate to Adam?

"And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, 'Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.' They said, 'Exalted are You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, You are the Knowing, the Wise.' He said, 'O Adam, inform them of their names.' And when he had informed them of their names, He said, 'Did I not tell you that I know the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have concealed.'" (2:31-33)

These ayāt highlight the special status given to Adam (and by extension, humanity) through the gift of knowledge.

The potential for humans to rise to high stations is linked to their use of intellect and ability to act righteously.

If we do nothing with our minds, we do a dishonor to the intellectual capacity and learning bestowed upon humanity.

The Qur’an encourages us to reflect, think deeply, and focus our minds.

But how many of us use it to its potential?

Psychological literature often says that humans have an average of 50,000-70,000 thoughts a day.

And up to 90% of your thoughts are the same as yesterday.

Let that sink in.

I want you to consciously observe your thoughts. How often to you think about:

• what you could have done better

• stress about things you haven’t got done

• what you think you should be doing

• stress about future scenarios that haven’t even happened yet

The list goes on. The modern mind has its attention split in a million different directions.

When we dwell too much on the past or future, other thoughts take over. They distract us from the one thing that matters:

The now. الآن.

Most people feel stressed out for this reason.

We can take control back by purifying the self, or tazkiyat an-nafs. The conscious effort to refine and control the nafs.

Nafs Entropy: The Dangers Of The Lower-Self

The nafs entropy is a phrase I came up with to explain the lower self's natural tendency to drift towards disorder and confusion.

You aren't productive because you give in to distractions. You fail to realign the nafs. Slowly, the chaos of the lower desires overpowers your purpose.

Distractions must be overcome if you want to unlock the barakah hours.

There are 2 markers that suggest your nafs may be leading you astray:

Boredom and anxiety.

You ever heard of the saying “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”?

The Prophet ﷺ said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.” (Bukhari)

Why does this happen?

When the difficulty of your task is not aligned to your skill level, it can lead to two states: boredom or anxiety.

Boredom happens when the task is not engaging. This causes your nafs to become disinterested and distracted.

Your focus drifts.

Doing other things start to become more attractive and temporary pleasures take over. They pull you from your higher goals.

Anxiety happens when the task seems too much for your current skill set, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.

Negative self-talk enters the mind.

This mental overload takes up your mind’s cognitive ‘bandwidth’. It’s like when your computer runs too many applications at once and slows down. The performance suffers.

In the same way, the chaos that stems from boredom and anxiety require a clear vision. You must refocus the nafs not only on the immediate task but also on the bigger picture of life’s objectives.

When you have the skill and knowledge that matches the challenge of a task, life becomes a video game you love to play (and win by following the cheat codes from Allah).

The Barakah Hours: Your Productive Oasis System

Many wander aimlessly distracted by the dunya (worldly life). They fail to invest in goals that resonate with themselves, deepening the pit of not taking action.

Remember, perfection belongs only to Allah.

Perfection is not the aim.

Like the stories of the prophets, you will face trials. But it is through these trials that you will taste the sweetness. Success is not without its tests.

You need to first start with basic knowledge and practice. Then you grow and advance as you seek to fulfill your potential. One must be patient.

If you want to achieve a flow state — where the lines of productivity and fun blur — then you need barakah (blessings) and focus in your time. Following these principles will help you create a structure for your own productivity framework.

The more consistently you apply them, the greater the impact.

1. Addressing the Nafs: Who Are You Really?

From a young age, I was always obsessed with Shaytan.

It’s not what you think.

I was fascinated by his ability to derail humanity from the correct path. Growing up in New York City, I observed Muslims who drank alcohol, smoked, cursed, dressed immodestly, entered into casual romantic relationships, and so on.

They were doing all the things I learnt as a little girl in masjid that you should not do.

How did Shaytan do it? What was he saying to them? Why were they listening to him?

I started to observe the life I wanted to avoid and the life I aspired to have.

Over time, this shaped my spiritual identity.

The desire for good is praised, as long as the desire itself is for something pleasing to Allah.

Your dreams become the axis of your growth, and it is up to you to choose paths that lead to righteousness.

Perspective is key.

Was Goliath (Jalut) a challenge for David (Dawud) or was Goliath a target that could not be missed?

It was a natural progression, as if my life was set on autopilot, to reach where I am now.

Anything that threatened my path to Islam (as that was the life I aspired to live by) was a problem I had to solve.

I was able to see the opportunities in social media and digital products, to solve those problems when it came my way.

Many people let society shape their identity and perspectives, thus never breaking free from the cycle of unfulfilling norms.

2. Unveiling Your Potential: The Brain Dump

Your spiritual identity is shaped by your vision of the Hereafter.

Your ultimate vision guides all your worldly efforts.

Now, you need a project that aligns with this vision.

It must be something that will force you to confront and solve personal obstacles.

Clarity and purpose in your work will anchor your nafs, keeping it focused on beneficial tasks.

The best way to build a project is to develop beneficial knowledge and skills.

If there’s a new skill I want to learn, I immediately search up the top people in that field. I buy their books and binge watch their videos for hours.

Begin my mapping out your project — braindup every thought and idea you know needs to be added into the project. You will add to this outline as the project develops

Set milestones — divide the project into smaller goals that can be tackled during your peak productive periods or the Barakah Hours as I like to call it.

“What should I work on?”

That’s for you to decide.

However, it ideally should be something that is a vessel for your purpose. The very thing that will break you out of the societal matrix. You aren’t meant to be a hamster stuck on a wheel.

And don’t forget to take care of:

• your health

  • “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.” (Bukhari")

• relationships

  • “Whoever is pleased to have his provision expanded and his life span extended, let him keep good relations with his family.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

3. An Amanāh (Trust) To The People: A Pledge

Set goals with the awareness that Allah is always watching.

When I set a deadline for a project and commit to it, it becomes a promise to Allah and myself.

If I start taking pre-orders and set a date for when a product will be released, now I have to build the product and make sure it gets out as an amanah (divine trust) is placed upon me from the people.

At this point, the quality isn't the focus. It's the commitment. I can always improve on iterations. But guess what? I actually did something with my life.

One thing on procrastination:

It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s part of being human.

Even the most successful people delay and could be called procrastinators. They wait until the eleventh hour to get work done.

But during that last hour, they find themselves in their greatest bursts of inspiration and productivity. Their brains suddenly turn into an idea-generating powerhouse. Sometimes it’s their best work.

They didn’t have a choice.

This is why I set a deadline by Saturday noon for my newsletters.

Sometimes I write my letter to you an hour before it’s scheduled to come out.

And that hour is the one of the most creative hours I have that week.

4. The Timer & Breaks: The Focus Hack

Focus is like a muscle, and success comes to those who exercise it.

By setting intentions, defining projects, and sticking to deadlines — you channel your energy more effectively.

Timeblocks take that one step further, ensuring your Barakah Hours are spent in deep work.

Start a timer for 45-90 minutes.

Work with intention.

Then. take. a. break.

Go on a nature walk, reflect on an ayah in the Qur’an, or simply do nothing.

Rest.

No human has unlimited focus or energy. It needs to be replenished.

I personally prefer to set a timer for 55 minutes for my focus sessions.

This helps me avoid procrastination, builds my day, my life, and my connection with my Creator.

5. Intentional Routines: No Comfort Zones

You have a routine.

Even if you think you have “no routine.”

We talk more about this in The Daily Routine That Transformed My Life.

When you seek to establish a routine, do so with the intention (niyyah) of seeking Allahs’s pleasure and improving your productivity to better serve His creation.

In the beginning, your project will feel uncomfortable. That’s normal. It means you’re growing.

Soon it will flow with ease.

6. The Secret To Doing More: Rest

It is Allāh who made for you the night that you may rest therein and the day giving sight. Indeed, Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the people, but most of them are not grateful. (40:61)

You’ve heard of entreprenuers or students pulling all-nighters.

Investment bankers working until 12am.

With little to no time for rest and reflection.

Doing that is like frying your brain to make sure it stops functioning.

I’ve fallen into this trap many times in the past and regreted it.

Every. Single. Time.

So now I’ve adopted the Prophetic practice of the Qailulah.

Qailulah, or the midday nap, was a tradition of the Prophet, the epitome of productivity in human history.

By capping work hours and allowing your periods of rest, I’m not just idling and doing nothing — I'm rejuvenating through a practice that boosts energy and facilitates subconscious problem-solving.

Breaks lead to greater clarity and creativity in your focused work sessions.

Work during the barakah hours.

Then, shut the laptop or phone.

This will be the hardest part of your day.

I like to do a quick home work-out or start cooking to transition from work-mode to rest.

This allows my brain to start what I call the Creative Synthesis Mode (CSM) — where the brain will start to creatively solve your micro-problems during rest and inactivity. It’s a time of active connection-making and ideation.

So when I do get back to my focused work during the Barakah Hours, I’m more rested and creatively powered to do more with less.

I hope you guys liked this letter.

Until next time habibāti.

مع حبي (with love)

— Saufiyah ♡