I resolved to be a bit kinder on myself today — returning to my original notion that when a task is done matters less than whether it's done.
Of course, I needed to reconcile this with the equally important imperative of building routine.
So a bit of fudge would be required, e.g. consider a routine target achieved, if completed at roughly the right time.
I should accept that other people's needs, and other contingencies, will probably throw-out my schedule a bit — on most days.
In particular, I should resist the urge to treat such detours as 'defeats'. Because that turns the process of returning to the main path into a battle of wills — which chimp demoralisation usually wins.
Review
Got up at c. 0745, but not really going until 0830. Mostly, due to unavoidable and urgent maintenance tasks, e.g. sorting and washing clothes, etc.
It's proving impossible to do all the routine items before session 1 and after session 4 — and it's proving impossible to do some tasks.
Early physical exercise just doesn't happen. The outside world almost always interupts the core working day. While declining will-power and concentration after 3pm, becomes catastrophic when sleeping, eating and physical exercise patterns are out of whack.
I think I need to reduce both the routine and task checklists for the coming week, but not merge them — even though I want to do that.
I think they need to stay separate, because they really are distinct domains — apples vs. organges.
Whatever else goes, 4 components of the routine must remain — and be stuck to:
- A minimum of 7½ hours sleep
- Sleeping and waking as early as feasible
- Evenly-spaced eating
- One hour's worth of daily physical exercise
Priorities for revising the task list:
- Remove non-critical rarely done items
- Reduce the burden/blocks to doing criticial ones
- Halve the total number
Routine Checklist
Legend
- Ticks — right activity on time
- Crosses — not done to schedule
- Hyphens — not applicable to currrent routine configuration
| Task | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0730 - Wake | - | - | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 0745 - Exercise | - | - | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 0815 - Break (-fast) | - | - | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 0830 - Set-up | - | - | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 0845 - Session 1 | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1015 - Break | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1030 - Session 2 | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1200 - Dinner | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1245 - Session 3 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1415 - Break | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1430 - Session 4 | - | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1600 — Break | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| 1630 - Exercise | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 1745 - Break | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 1800 - Tea | - | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 1845 - Maintenance | - | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 1945 - Break | - | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 2000 - Relax | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 2200 - Review, | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 2230 - Bed | - | - | - | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Learning Tasks Checklist
| Task | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speak read press aloud | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Speak read fiction aloud | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Speak non-fiction | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listen & speak phrases | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listen & speak sentences | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listen & speak answer Qs | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listen & sing - a song | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Aural comprehension test | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Reading comprehension | - | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
| Grammar exercise | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Conjugate cue verbs | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Listen to radio news | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Write radio news sum. | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Listen to fiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listen to non-fiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Read press | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Write press translation | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Read fiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Read non-fiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Write stop positions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listen to my speech | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | Write 'issues' notes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Physical exercise | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Watch subbed drama | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Watch subbed film | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Watch no-sub docu | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Research lang. acquisition | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Review this checklist | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |