Hi ,
Reminder: Forward Focus Hour starts today at 1pm ET. If you'd like to join us to plan your week, break down tasks, and set yourself up for success, you still can. Visit https://stephaniewasylyk.com/happysquirrel and use code ACORNS for $15 off.
I'm always trying
to fix things.
I don't know if I've always been like that, but as I get older I simply refuse to tolerate things that could be smoother, better, or more enjoyable. It can be absolutely annoying to be around me when I'm on one of my rampages of improvement, but I know it's also inspiring and motivating, so people put up with it. It
might even be why you follow me.
We're not talking about not eating food I don't like (but seriously, why steam broccoli when it's better literally any other way), or tasks that just need to be done. We're not even talking about political dissatisfaction (even on a day like today).
It's more like the things people just assume will always be bad in their life, so they don't do anything about it.
For example, I refuse to accept that just because I have a small child, getting out the door in the morning has to be a nightmare (we're on day
3 of no fights and leaving the house on time!). I refuse to accept that Christmas has to be exhausting (I would have nailed it this year if I hadn't gotten sick!). When it comes to work, I want to figure out how to have the most impact while working the fewest hours, and I certainly want to do it by working with good clients.
The little
things all add up, and if you don't enjoy the little things, it will be really hard to enjoy the big things. Or to make the impact on the world you want to make.
So I try to fix it. More often than not, I can't solve it the first go. Or it takes time. Or I may neglect to take into account what other people want. Or it works
once but never again. But it doesn't mean I stop trying. It's a constant state of reflection, revision, and experimentation.
I share this for a few reasons:
- People assume I'm naturally good at this. Maybe in some ways I am, but
it's more like once I've opened my eyes to the possibility, I can't unsee it. So I make it happen (with lots of mistakes along the way). It's more of a relentless stubbornness, really.
- It takes work to make things better. It also takes a mindset shift to WANT to make things better.
One practice I have to make my weeks more enjoyable is weekly planning.
I should say, I don't believe in a perfect schedule. No matter how many times I change it, it's never going to be perfect, and it might never work two weeks in a row. And that's okay.
But every week I go through my calendar and look to see how I can have a smoother week.
Busy Wednesday? Schedule in a longer lunch. Partner out of town? Schedule in an extra day off to compensate. Know I'm not gonna be in the mood to write on a
Monday morning? Schedule a backup day. Got a tight deadline? Make sure I have time to work on it.
Every week is a dance, not something that magically works out by ignoring it.
Which is
how the Forward Focus Hour experiment came to be. I thought I would invite you along to get some support planning your weeks. I can help you break down your tasks, look at your energy levels, assess existing commitments, and see if together we can make it better. But I want you to know there's no right way to do it...it's about growing the muscle, seeing what happens, and trying something different the next week. It's about learning how you work best, and
going with that.
If you fly by the seat of your pants every week, maybe let's give it a go together. We start today, Monday Jan. 20 at 1pm ET, and we'll be experimenting for the next 6 weeks. No need to come to all of them, but I'll be there when you are.
Happy Monday!
You've got this,
Stephanie
Wasylyk