This is an observation I regularly have during everyday life.
Some days feel like I have all the time in the world. I manage what I set out to do, I move, create, read, learn. These are fulfilling days. Then, in the evening, I have this feeling of “being done”. I can properly wind down.
But then there are days where I feel like the exact opposite. Not enough time for anything. A todo list that won’t shrink, no matter what I do.
Much of this comes down to perception and intentionality. I don’t do more on the days that feel good. I just do the right things in an intentional way.
No day is perfect and it’s a constant up and down, but for the next couple of days, I want to start paying attention again to these particular things.
These activities correlate with me feeling like I don’t have enough time:
- Social media usage.
- Checking news apps multiple times a day.
- Consuming audiovisual content (mainly YouTube).
- Putting too much on my todo list and then procrastinating.
On the other hand, these behaviors increase my chance of having a good, fulfilling day enormously:
- Planning an intentional activity in the morning before taking my phone out of airplane mode: Walking, meditating, stretching, …
- Taking a break to read.
- Writing a blog post.
- Focusing on the next step I have to take for one of my side projects.
- Listening to long-form content (audiobook or podcast).
- Exercising.
- Spending uninterrupted time with family and friends.
- Having a shutdown ritual in the evening.
When I re-read this list, one pattern is clear: Using my phone less is the biggest leverage I have.
The only thing I have to do is replace it with better, simple activities: Moving my body, creating something, socializing or consuming long-form content.
This post’s purpose is to serve as a reminder to myself.
But I hope it’s also a small check-in for you to make sure that, today in the evening, you’ll feel like you’ve had a good day.