DAY5 *It's not because it's the end of the world that we should let ourselves go*

To me it really helps to visualise time to try and be more realistic with what I plan to do.

In this post I share the tips I've learned recently to do just that.

Sure life can't be all planned, as much as I try, and every one might have his take on where to put the balance. Like, I guess you hadn't expected to be confined for months when you figured your new year's resolution right ?

But I do think that visualising helps appreciating what can and can't be done.

And save a lot of disappointment and frustration to you and around you.

Maybe the point in planning is not to fit everything to be productive.

Maybe the point is just to feel good about yourself at the end of the day.

And to remember the distinction between what you have to do and what you actually enjoy doing.

Because it's a bit of a bummer when what you like become what you should have done don't you think ?

I like visualising, I like drawing, I like planning, and I like to try and understand what's going on.

Which maybe makes sense when I seem to have ADHD and work on planning technical project, who knows.

In any case, here's what I've discovered help me a lot, and I'll be very happy if it can help you too :)

Part I - Introduction, Good morning, and how I see my day

Part II - Yeah, I do like visualising and maybe I can see long term too

And if you'd like to share your way to plan your day, I'll be super happy to get inspired and re-post ! So feel free to send that at info[a]mohaprojet.com or lepetitaiku[a]hotmail.com

Part I - Introduction, Good morning, and how I see my day

A long time ago, long before our times, I think it was last winter or last year maybe, it came to my attention that I could not do everything and maybe quite the opposite and so I started working on it.

Today I'd like to share with you how I start my day and try to have more realistic expectations with what I can actually do.

In my mind there's a lot of dots connecting and firing all the time, and usually I really want things to work out as nice and easy as possible for everyone so I try to take as much as I can into account.. but in life things tend to be pretty complex - especially like people or technology that haven't been invented yet - so it rarely works as expected. And then there's something showing up in sight and it reminds me of this other thing I should have done ,or someone I would want to share it with but I can't, and then the day ends and I feel I've been pretty shitty at it. It's a bit tiring.

The issue with tired is that then my brain is not quite reliable and he gets super sensitive. He also thinks if I could just keep up and solve this one thing then it would all work out and we could rest later. But it never really comes, does it ? And as a Dutch MP stumbled on lately, sometimes you can't keep going anymore.

The same way I figured maybe I had to learn my limits and be a bit more reasonable.

I've learned a lot, since.

It turns out I actually do a lot and I like to do a lot more.

What has helped me most is to get some basic structure in place.

It starts in the morning visualising my day, and it finishes at night re-playing it.

In between, we can't control everything, so let's see that later if there's time.

Let's start calmly.

Good morning !

I discovered I love my small routines in the morning.

The day might go to hell, at least I have that, and it's rarely a good start if you think you're already late is it ?

So I ignore my phone, I take my shower, open the curtains, do some little sport and meditate and then I take a good breakfast. I don't think you should mess with someone's breakfast.

When I'm eating I look at my to-do list and my calendar and I set up my goals for the day.

I try to pick only 3-5 items and it should cover all my days today (me-day, work-day, friend-day & co).

I have to start with the ones that really must be done today, even if they are not cool.

If there's room I add some more, but only if it makes sense.

In between there's all the logistic, the food, the rest, the relaxation, and so forth.

And I should consider how I will be once I finish my tasks (exhausted ? energised ? happy ? not ?).

I like drawing and it always helps me to visualise things. Especially when all borders are blurred like in Corona Time.

Before I had my routine and just checked my to-do by the day, but now I'm always home I'm using a template like that the below

- On top what I must do

- In the bottom what I'd like to do

- In the middle I put the appointments and the relaxation times.

Then I go for a 5-10min walk and I try to think how that looks like.

Maybe I realise something's bigger than I thought.

Maybe I forgot something.

Maybe I should first check with Olivia when she has time for example.

So when I'm back I can put things a bit more together.

During the day, a lot will change. And that's ok.

Today just 20min after I made this my doctor moved the call, and it didn't work out with Olivia.

And then I spent a lot longer than expected on the blog, and it's 5pm and I'm getting a little behind.

Well yes, I never said I was actually good at this, I still have a lot to learn.

But at least I've got something to keep track of, and I get a better feel what works or not.

And in the evening....

Good night ! Now how does that feel ?

In the end, I try not to push it for ever, I update my lists, dim my lights and go to bed.

And when it comes time to sleep, instead of running my mind over all I haven't done, I play the day back in mind and remember all the cool stuff I've done, take note of what I can do different next time, and sleep on it.

So in the end, a day maybe is just like a book you have to go through.

It's way more enjoyable when the opening is nice to you.

It's better when you can digest the main part.

And at the end of the day, you only remember the conclusion.

The End

Edit: and so in the end it looked like that. Close enough :)

Yeah so that template did not quite work out for me.

It just got messy.

After some thought I just accepted the new reality and realised that before I had a morning home and then a planning at work.

So I tried to combined both and got to that ->

In the top I just set the basics like meetings, appointments, eventual deadline, or the fact I'm off on Wednesday afternoon. Helps me try and appreciate when's the last responsible moment to do my shit.

Then I pick my actual must do and see what's their priority, and how long I expect them to take.

And finally I visualise them along the day like before.

If you like that and don't have white board, you can also just use a piece of glass - like for example your desk if it happens to be made in glass like mine is - and eventually stick a sheet of paper under.

Whiteboard markers you find for 1 euro at Action.

Part II - Yeah, I do like visualising and maybe I can see long term too

Some time ago I started drawing my calendars. In 2017 I took a long roll of paper that I could unroll for each month and then I had my first infinite calendar.

Infinity is maybe over-rated, because I finished it last December.

So I started my second infinite calendar.

I ask myself what the next months might be like.

I make tough decisions. It doesn't fit.

I relax drawing. And inking. And erasing.

I have fun introducing random details. See it ?

I take time reviewing details of my details.

I remember that Rome wasn't finished in a day.

I enjoy seeing future holidays. Hello holidays.

I spend time away from screens. Not now.

I spend time away from issues. No color for that.

I try new things. No one will see that wasn't smart.

I remember that time takes time. Fuck it does.

And well as a friend pointed out, maybe I was more spot on than anticipated and actually anticipated pretty well our days. So on forecast today, expect us to come out of the woods only in May for a steep climb before we have any idea what the future will be made of.

In the meantime, I fear my kayak trip down the Loire in April is pretty fucked now, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I don't know for you, but if anything I find this confinement really is a great time for me to improve on these balance. The more it goes the more I remember I actually enjoy doing what I'm doing and the more I appreciate time. And if the world might end anyway, I guess there's no point rushing.