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You’re reading A Year of Mental Health, a 3x/week newsletter on purposeful productivity. If you find it helpful, click the “like” button at the top or bottom and share the post with someone who might benefit from it. 💚
Last week I announced NeuroDiversion, a 3-day celebration of unique minds in Austin, Texas next month. Join the waiting list to be the first to learn more!
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Long ago, I started a habit of putting my running shoes and workout clothes by the hotel room door whenever I was traveling. That way, even if I was tired in the morning, waking up in a different time zone and faraway city, I’d have a plan. The shoes and clothes were right there!
All I had to do was get out the door—and as every runner knows, sometimes that’s half the challenge right then.
We make choices in favor of our future self when we eat well, set aside savings or retirement accounts, work ahead on certain tasks, and pre-plan.
Here are some additional strategies to benefit your future self:
Create "future self" folder: Set up a digital or physical folder where you store important information, ideas, or resources that might be useful in the future. This could include articles to read later, potential project ideas, or just notes on things you might want to do sometime.
Schedule a body doubling session: this involves working alongside someone to boost focus and motivation. To schedule, contact a friend or use an app like Focusmate to find a partner. Set a date, time, and duration for your session. Decide if you'll meet in person or virtually, and establish any ground rules (e.g., quiet work, scheduled breaks).
Create a "decision-free" day: Plan one day a week where all meals and activities are pre-decided. This reduces decision fatigue for your future self and provides a predictable structure. Experiment with different days of the week to find what works best for your schedule.
Implement a "two-minute rule": If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. This prevents small tasks from accumulating and overwhelming your future self.
Set up a "comfort box": Prepare a box with items that help during stressful times. It might include noise-cancelling headphones, your favorite tea, a fidget or stress ball, or something else. Your future self will appreciate this ready-made self-care kit.
Establish a "power-down" routine: Create a consistent evening routine that signals to your body and mind that it's time to wind down. This might include activities like setting out clothes for the next day, reviewing your schedule, and avoiding screens for an hour before bed. This routine can help improve sleep quality and reduce morning stress for your future self.
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Side note: you can’t always make choices in favor of your future self. I’m finishing this post late at night on an airplane, the night before it will be published. In an ideal world, the post would have been done sooner! I guess there’s always next time….
Anything you’d add to the list? How can you look out for your future self?
See also
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