Summary

The article outlines five introspective questions designed to help readers align their weekly activities with their personal values and energy levels to achieve an "ideal ordinary week."

Abstract

The concept of an "ideal ordinary week" is introduced by Ali Abdaal, a self-improvement enthusiast, which involves planning a week that is both ideal and ordinary. The author suggests that by asking oneself five specific questions, individuals can better decide which activities to include in their week. These questions are centered around energy levels, the necessity of remembering information, the motivation behind decisions, the prioritization of important tasks, and the value of personal relationships. The article emphasizes the importance of choosing activities that give energy rather than take it, quickly finding answers to avoid wasting time, making decisions based on love rather than fear, focusing on important tasks to avoid overwhelm, and investing time in relationships that one truly values.

Opinions

The author believes that energy, not time, should be the primary factor in deciding which activities to pursue.
There is a suggestion that outsourcing knowledge to tools like Notion can free up mental space and increase productivity.
The author posits that decisions made out of love tend to yield better outcomes than those made out of fear.
Regularly asking oneself what the most important task of the day is can lead to a more productive and less overwhelming daily routine.
The value of personal relationships should be assessed by considering whether one would be willing to pay to spend time with a person, indicating that only relationships that are a "hell yes" are worth investing in.
The author reflects on the idea that planning for the mundane aspects of life is just as important, if not more so, than planning for extraordinary events.

5 Questions to Get You Closer to Your “Ideal Ordinary Week”

#3: Is this a love- or fear-based decision?

Ali Abdaal introduced me to the “ideal ordinary week”. He’s a YouTuber who loves self-improvement.

The concept is simple. You look a couple of years into the future and start planning your week. It’s ideal because it’s your choice. It’s ordinary because it’s boring.

Before you start plotting, though, it’s helpful to experiment. Which activities do you want to include?

As my nan used to ask me, how do you know you hate tomatoes if you’ve never tried them?

Here are five questions I’ve used to navigate the taste-testing. I believe they can help you get closer to your ideal ordinary week, as they’ve done for me.

#1: Is this giving or taking energy?

I started coaching by accident.

One of my friends owns an agency. He also hosts a daily room on Clubhouse. Because potential customers flank him on all sides, he turned to me for help.

This was last April. Now, I spend 3–4 hours a week helping his clients launch their podcasts. I get paid to jump on calls during lunch breaks and it’s really fun!

Or at least, it used to be. My friend and talented writer, May, helped me realise the calls are draining me. She told me about her “energy audit”.

“Once a month, I ask myself which activities give me energy and which ones take it away?” — May Pang

The podcasting calls suck my energy. I have to prepare for each one and send follow-up emails. For these reasons, I’m walking away.

Using energy as my reference point, rather than time, makes it easier to decide which activities I should be doing more of. I structure my week around these.

#2: Can I find the answer quickly?

My grandad’s one of my favourite people in the world.

Since the early 2000s, he’s been putting together a scrapbook. It contains random facts about things he’s found interesting.

Olympic world records, breeds of dog, questions from quiz shows — you name it. Looking through it is like looking back in time.

Whenever he shows me the book, I haven’t got the heart to tell him:

“Grandad, I love what you’re doing, but you can find all these facts on Google. Why do you learn them?”

I’m missing the point. I think my grandad gets joy from the act of creation rather than the end result. Still, it gets me thinking. Are there areas in my life where I try to remember things that aren’t important? Can I outsource these thoughts?

This is where my “second brain” comes in. Instead of remembering content ideas, they’re stored in Notion.

By freeing up mental space, I’m able to do more of what matters each week. I also feel more productive. David Allen, the author of Gettings Things Done, has this to say:

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” — David Allen

#3: Is this a love- or fear-based decision?

In May 2020, when I was jobless, I spent £1,000 on an online course. I thought it was a good investment and I’d enjoy the materials. Making money online would also get me closer to my ideal ordinary week.

Seeing my bank balance dwindle made me fearful, though. What if I run out of money? What if I can’t pay my bills? Will I be on the streets?

Of course, these fears were completely unfounded. On the same day I bought the course, I was offered a job. Call it coincidence, call it the Universe — whatever. Time and time again, I’ve found the best outcomes come after conquering my fears.

May told me about this question. To her mind, we should lean into the choices that make our hearts sing and avoid fear-induced decisions.

A love-based decision trumps a fear-based one every single time.

#4: Am I inventing things to avoid the important?

I feel overwhelmed if I have a long to-do list. This happens most days. Rather than chop it down, I prioritise.

Question #4 calls out my bullsh*t. Am I inventing things to avoid the important?

I ask myself this question three times a day. Once at 09:00, once after lunch, and once after dinner.

I tie it to one of my favourite questions:

“What’s the ONE Thing I can do today such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” — Gary Keller, the author of The ONE Thing

By doing this ‘one thing’ early in the morning, I’m able to glide through the rest of my day.

Seven productive days equals an ideal ordinary week.

#5: If I had to pay money to see this person, would I spent it?

As Steven Bartlett points out, time is our most precious resource. We should spend it wisely.

Using my time efficiently is a constant back and forth. Before this question, I wasn’t sure which relationships I should pour energy into. Now, it’s crystal clear.

As well as thinking about money, I ask myself this question popularised by Derek Sivers. It’s helped me free up more of my time for the people who are important.

“Is this a hell yes?” — Derek Sivers

It’s my belief many of us are planning for the highlight reels rather than the day-to-day grind. Sure, that music festival will be epic, but will you be in love with Monday?

“The professional cannot allow the actions of others to define his reality. Tomorrow morning the critic will be gone, but the writer will still be there facing the blank page.” — Steven Pressfield

I’m by no means perfect. My ordinary week isn’t ideal yet. However, with the five questions above, I’m getting closer. You can too.

Here’s a quick summary:

#1: Is this giving or taking energy? A once-a-month audit can help you assess activities.

#2: Can I find the answer quickly? It’s possible to outsource your thoughts using tools like Notion.

#3: Is this a love- or fear-based decision? I’ve found the best outcomes come when I lean into love.

#4: Am I inventing things to avoid the important? Doing the “one thing” before lunch helps me glide through the day.

#5: If I had to spend money to see this person, would I spent it? If the answer’s not “hell yes”, it’s no.

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