[22/30] Controlling the Itinerary
6:00 Wake up
6:30 Coffee and breakfast
7:00 Push off for the city
8:00 Bus to the port
10:00 Cruise around the island
13:30 Lunch
14:30 Zoo
16:30 Bus back to the city
18:30 Home & cook
20:00 Dinner
21:00 Clean up
22:30 Bed
This was one day on my most recent trip with my mom and my brother. We planned it just the day before. We did a lot but we enjoyed everything and didn’t feel rushed. We even accounted for some periods of rest (time on the bus for quick naps) throughout the day.
It made me wonder how much more I could get done if my days were planned like that more often. Not just go go go, but also have times for rest and other things in-between. Even if I end up deviating from the original plan, at least there is that sense of direction for the day.
It’s why I usually spend my sundays planning for the week and figuring what I need to do for each day. I know that it’s a well established fact that planning in advance increases productivity because we spend less time deliberating what to do. But planning in advance also gives me a direction.
The problem with the usual 9-5, is that, no one works that way. Everything is urgent. And everything is always on fire. Also, not every task is meaningful. Some might be busywork to keep the company running, whether you want to do them or not. In a 9-5, it’s hard to understand the why of things.
Owning your time is different. Every task has a purpose, even if they are the ones that you don’t want to do (like balancing the books), they all still serve your own purpose and when you can see that clarity, it motivates you. At least it does for me.
I am by no means a control freak but life feels better when I can control the itinerary. I can fill it with things that matter and pace it the way I want. I think that is what it truly means to own your time.