Daily Themes

I wrote a few weeks back about my daily themes.

Pah! What a load of rubbish they were.

Actually, no. They've been going alright.

As a reminder:

Monday - Write

Tuesday - Sell

Wednesday - Manage

Thursday - Record

Friday - Think

Saturday - Play

Sunday - Rest

Each daily theme is an intention, not a command. Within each day, I maintain mastery of my own time. I read every day, for example. Like everybody else - I have things that need to get done, and they invariably arise at the most awkward of times. However, a few weeks in, and I'm getting into the swing of things.

Meetings. Whether online or in person, I try to schedule these for Tuesday and Wednesday. Meetings tend, when you get down to it, to be about management or sales, but even if they're not, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are when I'm available for other people. In fairness, Thursday I'm either on a golf course, or in headphones, but I am available at least to some people. Monday and Friday I try to reserve for myself.

Monday is for writing. The novel, for the blog, for Nero's - any sort of writing. Assignments for my studies count too. I start the day with the desk in standing mode, and try to get straight into the actual craft. Avoiding e-mail, social and the like. Later in the day, I wind the desk down, and work from my chair.

Tuesday is for selling. Where on Mondays, my notifications are switched off, Tuesday, the grumpy old writer is banished, and I lean into my gregarious side. Calling people, meeting them and yes, selling them things from time to time. New stock for Nero's, new clients in consultancy, new ideas for marketing. I'm at my "corporate" computer, and will check e-mails, Slacks, MS Teams, Discords, LinkedIn, Twitter. I have a regular Zoom at 1030.

Wednesday, I'm all about the admin. I reconcile the accounts of both companies. Deal with any payments and all of that good stuff. I'll set up calls and meetings with colleagues and contacts. I'm trying to keep all the cogs oiled and things running properly. This is when I'll create and schedule social posts for Nero's, check blog posts and mailer texts. As on Tuesday, I'll be into all the mail accounts and other distraction machines.

Thursday morning, I play golf with a couple of friends. Both are older than me, and apart from enjoying their company, I try to learn from their experience. After golf, I have lunch, and record Writer Interrupted, the audio version of posts like this one, that members can access if they wish. Later, I record Stationery Adjacent with Justin, a weekly podcast. Once a month, the evening is set aside for a chat with my friend TJ, and we record that too, publishing it under the 1857 banner.

Friday is my day for thinking. Away from the corporate machine, back to my thinking machine. (The MacBook Air) First, I start my notes for the next week's podcasts. Then, I log into Obsidian to review my current notes. I may need to add some more from my notebooks, index cards or digital notes apps (Drafts, usually) and I will certainly need to review highlights that I have made in Kindle, which have been magically transported to Obsidian by Readwise. I'll probably do some reading for my studies, and may watch a coursework video. In reviewing everything, I may disappear down a rabbit hole, but at the end of Friday, I try to make sure that I have gone through what's on the agenda for the next week. It helps me feel in control.

Saturday is again golf, this time as part of a group called "The Pretenders". Mostly this consists of me contributing money towards someone else's winnings, but it satisfies my need for a bit of competition, and there's even a couple of sneaky beers at the end.

Sunday, we may go out, we may stay in, but the order of the day is to chill.

Coming to each day with an intention gets me out of the blocks faster. My first work session runs from about 0700 until 1000, and I am usually able to complete this one, distraction-free. Then, I'll cast my eye quickly over the comms channels to make sure there are no fires burning (there rarely are) and get the dogs out for a walk. The stroll will get gradually earlier as the temperatures increase, but at the moment I time them around showers and the colder hours.

Back for another hour or two, until it's lunch time.

Lunch is somewhere between ninety minutes and two hours, most of which is spent back in the office, a dog each side of me on the couch and a blanket over all of us.

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