Given how much I love my morning and evening routines, and using reminders to track what needs to be done through the day, I need to be aware that I don’t get swept up in the completion of tasks and miss the everyday opportunities to linger in the moment and enjoy what is happening around me. Whilst routines and habits set us up to have great days, weeks, and years, they are only the beginning. Not everything that brings joy in life is a routine, nor should every interaction be one. These are just two examples of ways we can have better weeks on top of the already great ones we are afforded.
The below list is in addition to what we might deem the basics. We still need routines of sorts to set us up each day, or wind down and close out our days. We still need to eat healthy and exercise. We still need to lift and move. We still need to spent time with those we love. So, with that being said, here are a few additional ideas on how to have a better week. I originally talked about this on episode five of Practical Knowledge. Whilst it was an in the moment reflection, it’s important to loop back and spend some time expanding these out in the written format – both to provide a reference point, and to give space to confirm and crystallise these ideas. Talking can be great for muling over things and exploring them, and writing is great for confirming what it is you believe and expressing these ideas in a unique way. Without further ado, let’s get started.
READ DIFFERENT BOOKS
I geek out on history, philosophy, self-development, and also sci-fi and fantasy fiction. It’s no surprise then that this is exclusively what I read. We haven’t limited time, after all, so why not spent it reading the genres you love? I thought so. And whilst I might have a great time, it also limits the information or experiences that we expose ourselves too. It’s a fine line, for sure, as you don’t want to cast your net so wide that it becomes overwhelming, or that it’s only once a year you dive into the next epic fantasy. Rather, you need to vary it up occasionally and go into a field that is next to where you are. Give a modern day action thriller a try. Then return to your fantasy. Read someone’s perspective on philosophy that you don’t agree with, then read the latest article on Stoicism.
Currently I am working my way through both Doing Nothing by Jenny Odell, and Temple by Matthew Reilly.
DO SOMETHING TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE
Paying attention to the little things goes a long way. Remember them. Then doing something to help someone else. This can be really simple actions, yet still impactful and meaningful, such as checking in after a Dr’s appointment if they mentioned they were nervous, or suggesting to play a board game they’ve mentioned, or buying some flowers so it’s ready on the table for when they walk in if hey’ve told you their day has been challenging. If someone’s looking for a new book, make some recommendations, or better yet, drop over a book for them to borrow. Little things can go a long way. Do the big things too. Help a friend move if they’ve asked for help and you are available. Block out time in advance so you can attend important events. Having better weeks means helping others.
ENGAGE IN CONTINUAL EDUCATION
At some point each week, take some time to engage in continual education. This can include a number of different formats. Start or continue reading a book, take a course on LinkedIn learning, watch a YouTube video on a topic, or just schedule in some time to think through a problem, issue, or idea. As we get busier and busier in our day, no one is going to actively tell us to take the time or book it in for us. Expose yourself to new ideas. Give yourself the time to explore ideas further. Learn more about what interests you. This will help you in your career and personal life too. If you like talking to people about ancient history, you’ll have ore topics to cover, or can share in greater detail a story or event.
SPEND TIME IN NATURE
Nature is the great equaliser. It’s a place where I’ve often been able to clear my head, think things through, work hard, enjoy scenery, and listen to the sounds around me – whether it be the animals or the thoughts of whomever I am with. It leaves us feeling refreshed. It provides us with a lot of different options too – we can take a gradual walk if we want to pay attention to what’s around us, or we can instead opt for a scramble to give ourselves a workout. Time in nature is time well spent.
SIT SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE AND TAKE IN YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Sit on a bench, on the ground at the park, on some stairs – look at what’s going on around you – and practice drawing yourself into the present and what’s happening around you. Even 10 minutes does wonders, and is a great way to take a break from whatever it was that you were doing (for me, hunched over my keyboard whilst working from home).
PUT YOUR PHONE IN ANOTHER ROOM AND DISCONNECT FOR A WHILE
I’ve found for me that being disconnected helps with with my focus, and general enjoyment. It removes the need to having to use my phone, check email constantly, reply when a message comes in. Rather, I can focus on the task at hand and let myself think deeply. If I’m in a conversation, then I’m not even tempted to look at what is coming through. Emergencies can and do happen, so I do program my do not disturb so family can get through if they call.
CHECK THE EVENTS SITE FOR YOUR CITY
We do like to focus on events and hobbies that we enjoy, which means that in some sense, a lot of what we do becomes a routine. We climb, play boardgames, watch our favourite shows, catchup with friends and families. Nothing wrong with that and we enjoy every minute. It does mean though that there are events and interesting things out there which we miss out on. For us it’s finding a balance. There is a lot of joy in missing out to focus on what we want to do. On the other hand, it’s good to check the events site to see what is going on, as there may be events that spark your interest. For example, next week we are going to a comedy club to listen to some up and coming local comedians. It’s not something we do so without the events site, we would not have been aware.
WRITE
At first, sitting down and putting words onto a page is hard. Really hard!. Your mind is racing, you don’t know what to write, after three sentences you want to close the page and go and do something else. Building my writing habit has been a challenge for me, and has been very rewarding at the same time. Not that I am anywhere near expert level with what I write. Rather, learning to be still with my thoughts and put them onto a page means you have to focus in your mind on what you actually mean. When you speak it’s easy to meander your way through a topic and think it through. When you write, you are putting down what you believe. You have to explain it. Provide detail. Your position can be different to what you say. So write. Learn more about yourself.
LAUGH
Laugh. Every day. It connects you with others, builds memories, relieves stress, and makes memorable days. Tell a bad dad joke. Watch a Netflix special. Try a trick a fail. Laugh. As much as you can
So here we have it, ten ideas for a better week. Not that I’m perfect at these, far from it. I miss by a country mile some times. We all will. At that’s okay. We’ll do some of these some weeks, more the next, none the week after. It ebbs and flows, like life.