Putting structure around your life | #002
Three simple actions are the basis for long-term happiness
Work-life balance is all you need to get happier, they say. Turns out that over the last 50 years, that's not the case. While average annual working hours have been falling, general happiness is in a steady decline as well, even adjusted for the COVID-dip:
So why is that? Because we're overwhelmed by the modern lifestyle:
24/7 availability of cheap dopamine (TV, food, porn, etc.)
Global competition, intensified by social media
Exponential technical development
The Problem
While we spend less time at our jobs, companies are spending gazillions of $$$ to win your attention for the rest of the day. And it works. Because it’s gotten so easy for them.
Millions of services and products are at your fingertips. AI even picks the best ones for you. No need to go through the top 100 movies, books, or restaurants to find something interesting. Netflix, Amazon, and Co. already know the shows you can’t resist.
The result? We consume much more information than what's healthy for a human brain. And worse: because there's so much exciting stuff, we prefer short-form content to keep up with everything. Brave New World, huh?
You think of all your new tech devices as superpower gadgets. I mean, wow, look at all these features.
But when we take a step back: it's not you controlling the device. It controls you. Probably more than you'd like to admit. (I'm no exception here!)
So you're drowning in REACTION MODE, and over time, that takes a toll on your happiness and mental health. You’re starting to feel like losing control over your life.
But what's the solution? Giving your life structure. Taking back control. Simple as that. It's the foundational step towards a fulfilling life.
It's also the first step in my 5-steps plan for personal growth.
Three Actions to structure your Life
It doesn’t need to be complex. I'll show you my favorite version.
The idea is to divide your life into different areas. These life areas build the core layer around your life’s vision. They describe a long-term interest or responsibility in your life and are often related to timeless categories like Health, Social, Work, or Money.
Life areas are nothing new, but they are still the most effective way to live a well-balanced and intentional life. It helps you to focus. By intention. Not by your boss, friends, or family.
Without this long-term focus, you're just chasing the latest trends, falling victim to shiny object syndrome, and will probably get frustrated.
Action 1: Take some quiet time and think about all aspects of your life. What are your responsibilities? What are your interests? Think of being a husband, mother, son, etc. Define significant life areas to get a well-rounded overview of your life.
Classic examples of this would be:
Health-related: Fitness, Food, Mental health, Sports
Social-related: Family, Friends, Community service
Work-related: Career, Personal Finance
Growth-related: Productivity, Personal projects, Spirituality
To keep life areas simple and manageable, keep it at a maximum of 8-10 areas. A good outcome is if you can categorize >90% of your awake time into these areas.
Once you’ve completed the list, it’s time to write down the ideal state of each.
Action 2: For each area, specifically describe the ideal state. Write down why this area is essential to you and how much time and energy you will invest in this respect.
One thing to note: be realistic. You can’t pursue a demanding career, become a bodybuilder, work on personal projects, AND start a family simultaneously. Trust me, I’ve tried :)
This step alone should give you more perspective on how and where you spend your time and energy.
The last piece is a status-quo assessment. Consider your current situation vs. the ideal state to identify the most significant gaps. Then ask yourself if working on these gaps increases your long-term life satisfaction.
Naturally, these will be areas related to your personal growth.
Action 3: Assess current state vs. ideal state in each area. Use the results to sharpen your focus on the most critical areas for the next 6-12 months.
Picking focus areas is crucial to avoid overambition. It’s not that you shouldn’t spend time and energy on the non-focus areas. But they are in maintenance mode to give you sufficient time to move closer to your ideal state where it’s most crucial.
Conclusion
That’s it. You’ve put a structure around your life. It’s the first step in the 5-step plan to personal growth and requires three simple actions:
Define your life areas
Describe the ideal state for each area
Assess current situation vs. ideal and set focus
Use this clarity to create goals in each focus area in the next step. We’ll gradually move from very high-level to actionable tasks. This was the highest level. The next edition covers the second layer: goal setting.
Thanks for reading, and keep on building!