I want to try and take full advantage of my wife having more free time once she switches to part time work next month and has a baby. I want to try to optimize our time with a young kid – all the adults I’ve ever spoken too – pretty much unanimously – always say that’s their favorite time in their entire life – that time when they had little kids – My wife and I both have our parents to enjoy it with as well so I just want to make sure we don’t take that for granted and we really enjoy it, my plan to do that is to follow this outline loosely – Not exactly. Not every single day – but to follow it on most days because this is the best way that I can think of to live life, I’ve given it a lot of thought and read a lot of books on the subject. It’s totally subjective but at the current moment I think this is the best way to structure day to day life.
Daily Ritual
- 10:30 – 11:30: Go to bed somewhere in this time range.
- 7:30 – 8:30: Wake up somewhere in this time range.
- Note: I’ve tracked this extensively with the fitbit. I get the best sleep far and away going to bed and waking up in the ranges above. I don’t have to stick to this perfectly, if I miss a day no problem just get back to this path as quick as I can 🙂
- #1: Reward drink + relaxing walk w/Ellen to plan our day.
- Choose my, up to 5 hour time block, reserved for uninterrupted completely focused work. This time doesn’t have to be early and it doesn’t need to be late. Don’t think judgmental thoughts about whatever time I choose, who cares what everyone else says about when “successful” people work.  I have worked extremely hard to set my life up so that I have the luxury of being able to choose when I will complete work tasks – enjoy this luxury, don’t judge yourself for it. Just remember; I’m happiest when I get a great workout in early + when I complete important and challenging work. It’s fine to enjoy the work – and to occasionally spend some leisure time working – but try not to fixate solely on work, choose a small window of time – work hard during that window – then completely turn that off – as much as you can – And aim your powerful focus towards whatever activity(s) you choose to do for the rest of the day…. social, family, adventure, sports… whatever!
- Note: Having this flexibility feels like the key for me, I can try to set strict limits like – were always going to get up at 6:00 a.m. and do 3 hours of work – but that’s not realistic for my life anymore. My sister might text and have a fun activity to do with the kids, or my parents my call and have a random chore they need help with – I just get pulled in many different directions + I actually enjoy not having a super structured day, I enjoy a more freeform choose your own adventure vs a strict rigid structure, if I wanted a strict rigid structure I’d work a corporate job.
- Choose my, up to 5 hour time block, reserved for uninterrupted completely focused work. This time doesn’t have to be early and it doesn’t need to be late. Don’t think judgmental thoughts about whatever time I choose, who cares what everyone else says about when “successful” people work.  I have worked extremely hard to set my life up so that I have the luxury of being able to choose when I will complete work tasks – enjoy this luxury, don’t judge yourself for it. Just remember; I’m happiest when I get a great workout in early + when I complete important and challenging work. It’s fine to enjoy the work – and to occasionally spend some leisure time working – but try not to fixate solely on work, choose a small window of time – work hard during that window – then completely turn that off – as much as you can – And aim your powerful focus towards whatever activity(s) you choose to do for the rest of the day…. social, family, adventure, sports… whatever!
- #2: Brush teeth + Choose Workout On Tablet -> Workout
- #3: Cold shower to cool down then Breakfast
- Questions:
- What Time will I complete my focused work today:
- Note: While working put phone in DND + if working in office put DND sign on door.
- What Time will I go to bed today:Â
- Fill out my Workout & Happiness Journal
- What Time will I complete my focused work today: