Nobody Thinks I Am Working Today

Nobody thinks I am working today, because Monday 31st May 2021 is a Bank Holiday.

Even when you are freelance there’s an assumption that you take Bank Holidays. Some do, some don’t, some can’t.

I like to work because nobody thinks I am working.

The days you spend pleasure-working like this reveal far more about your ideal focus patterns than any number of lifestyle productivity hack experiments could.

The days you don’t have a sense of being watched, or pursued by some kind of relentless deadlines or expectations.

The days you are motivated but, without realising, set your own rhythm.

My day began at 8 with some chatting, then a cup of coffee and reading, some chores before a wake-up walk across the meadow where I live in Oxford.

Only at 11:30am did I sit down at my desk to work. I got a lot of really kind and interesting emails on Friday which I had been mulling what to say over the weekend.

Lunch about 2, followed by a walk to buy vegetables. As we were walking home Isla spotted a 5 month year old puppy she just had to meet. She ran off to meet her and now they’re going to be walking buddies.

3pm back finishing off one facilitation plan, and on to designing a workshop proposal.

6:30pm we both finish calls and start to make dinner, a roasted tomato pasta sauce, before a final walk in the evening sun, seeing who we bump into.

Around 8:30pm I am back at my desk, collating reading materials for future workshop participants. I could be a lot faster, but it’s very fun to revisit old articles and your notes to see where your ideas have moved on, and where old wisdom still holds. At 10:30pm I start to write. I feel great.

If you lived a day of pleasure working, your day would probably look very different. It’s your rhythm, after all.

But if you have one, pay attention afterwards to how it flowed and how energised and excited to focus you felt. Maybe there’s something to learn there for yourself.