The Happy Half-Hour
A way to better manage your time in as little as 30 minutes a day
Greetings of the day! I’m coming at you yet again with some more insightful stuff. You don’t mind if I get all philosophical on you every now and then, right? I guess you did sign up for it. There’ll be another media rant very soon, I promise. Besides, reading this post could ironically save you some time. Allow me to explain…
Continuing on from my last post, I’m of the belief that there’s no such thing as ‘free time’. Time and energy are our most valuable resources and both are finite, so we must be careful how we spend them. We’re technically dying our entire lives, killing braincells and chasing highs as we count down to the big sleep. Having an anxiety attack yet? Don’t worry, I’ve got something you can try that just might help you maximise the time you have left to live a little more comfortably.
Before Look Behind You! I was working on another non-fiction book called The Happy Half-Hour. I’m known in my circle as an efficient and organised man who still manages to do what I want between work and my side hustles. Weird flex, I know, yet it got me wondering why it wasn’t a common trait. People often say to me ‘I don’t know how you do it’, or ‘I wish I could be that productive’. Well, guess what: you can! With a simple method that I created for myself a few years ago, you can make better use of your time and find calm in the process. It probably sounds like I’m trying to sell you something (I’m a salesperson by day, after all), but I only want as many people to give it a try as possible. I think it’s quite helpful in an age where things happen quicker than ever, yet we never seem to have enough time because we’re paralysed by an overwhelming number of choices and demands.
I love routines. Without them, I would be late for everything and forget to put the bins out once a week. The idea is that you repeat a habit until the behaviour becomes automatic. You no longer have to think about it as you live your life, thus freeing up more precious time and mental power for what really matters. That’s why I always get my clothes ready before a shower and take a peanut butter sandwich to work for lunch every day. It may sound pedantic and obsessive compulsive, and possibly even explain why I’m still single, but it’s one less decision that I need to make. I go to gym on the same days each week, visit the local markets once a fortnight and re-evaluate my finances every three months. Wash, rinse, repeat.
As the name suggests, The Happy Half-Hour method is comprised of 5 minutes of planning, 10 minutes of writing and 15 minutes of reading. This productivity technique is called blocking and has proved very useful to me in the workplace as well. The half-hour can be split into two or three occasions (I usually write in the morning then plan and read before bed), but I recommend trying it out with a single session first. Of course, you can take as long as you need for each exercise, this is just what I’ve found works best for me. Perhaps you can relate to the classic ‘one more chapter’ stunt that turns into repeating the same lines with heavy eyelids as midnight approaches. Planning could entail working out the steps towards a goal, how much you’ll need to save for a holiday, or simply setting tasks for the day ahead. Writing could range from stream of consciousness journalling, a short story, a poem, a list of dot points on a certain topic, or the recollection of a particular memory. Reading could be of a book, a comic, a news article, or a blog like this.
My typical half-hour consists of a journal entry inspired by my social media feeds or emails, a to-do list for the next day or potential blog ideas, and a chapter or two of the book I’m reading. To maintain and monitor these routines, I have several notebooks that I use regularly for different purposes. A Bullet Journal (which is essentially a diary and journal in one that also helps track goals), a regular journal that I write general thoughts in every morning, a long-term goal planner, and two for lyrics and poetry. You don’t have to keep them separate, that’s just the perfectionist in me. You could even jot everything down in a memo on your phone if you want to, although I find that writing with pen and paper is more intentional and also helps to avoid distractions. As you get more comfortable with it, you can double the times for a whole Happy Hour, or you might prefer to start with an hour then cut it down for efficiency. Have fun with it!
Over time, I’ve found that this simple routine has kept me accountable and efficient without disrupting my daily schedule. Planning prepares me for tomorrow, reading eases me into sleep and writing stimulates me early in the day. As a result, I’ve noticed a significant decrease in my stress levels, the self-awareness has saved me some heartbreak and I’m finally getting through all those books gathering dust on the shelf. The Happy Half-Hour is tried and true, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Give it a go and let me know the results! Just remember, there’s no such thing as free time, so make the most of yours.