How I structure a week

Containers are my best friend / Issue 1,155

Oh, hi friends!

I’ve been using the word “container” a lot lately.

A chunky new Google Doc is a great container for your newsletter ideas! 

Send your editor story ideas before your call — that’ll create a little container for the conversation.

If your day feels too wide open, shrink the day’s container.

All of this container talk is another way of saying “create a boundary.” 

(Not surprisingly, this is the theme behind my next journal!)

Create a structure, a vessel, something. 

You can break it or move it, but setting those boundaries first — that can really change how a day feels. Especially at the start of a week.

Inspired by Julie Bestry telling me about her “Admin Monday,” I went through my upcoming weeks and thought carefully about what I wanted to do and when. 

Here’s what I came up with (and added to my Google Calendar, so now you know it’s official):

• Monday: Podcast Day

The only day I’ll record episodes, edit episodes, and release episodes. What a nifty container.

• Tuesday: Consult/Money Day

For holding my Launch the Plane sessions, writing and pitching freelance articles, and editing folks’ book proposals.

• Wednesday: Idea Generation/Reading Day

Creative melting pot day!

• Thursday: Creative Writing Day

Space reserved for writing and revising my next musical and book idea.

• Friday: Consult/Money Day

Same as Tuesday, except I’ll also check on invoices $$$.

• Saturday: Reading/Idea Generation Day

Same as Wednesday, heavy on the “reading.”

• Sunday: Creative Writing Day

Same as Thursday! Write, write, write!

That’s not to say that projects and demands won’t bleed in and out of the other days, but this structure is one kind of container that is working for me right now. (It can — and will — change!)

Your week will look very different, but I wanted to share in case these themes or general ~container~ advice might be helpful.

It definitely helped my project-addled brain.

Let me know if it helps yours!