Tuesday, August 6, 2024

I can’t remember where I first hear the concept of doing things for “your future self” but it really stuck with me and it’s been a huge motivator.

Future does not have to be that distant. It can be your 5:00 p.m. future self. It can be your tomorrow morning future self.

Give your future self the gift of making something easier or taking something off of your plate.

Often in the summer I prep for dinner in the morning. Know yourself. To thine own self be true. I lose energy as the day goes on, so making some of the dinner components in the morning while I’m piddling around makes sense.

I knocked out all 12 hours of professional development last week. Was it painful to give up two valuable summer days? Yes. But, I knew that it would also be really stressful for my future self to have to stay after school for an hour PD and potentially have to do that 12 times! I won’t even mention the brain space deciding which ones I can attend would have taken up. Gotta save this brain for better things, you know?

Was it a bit boring and painful? Yes.

Anything that can be done in 5 minutes or less I go ahead and do. Nagging phone call? Stamp on a letter? Look up information? I am struggling to teach my recent college grads this productivity tip. They put things off like you wouldn’t believe.

I stand over the trashcan/recycling when going through the mail – again that is a 5 minute or less task.

I don’t want to spend my weekends doing chores so I pick a weekday to do my laundry and the towels that are piling up in the mudroom/laundry room.

I run any errands/order anything during the week to help out my weekend self.

I make a batch of Amy McMuffins (English muffin, egg, cheese, Canadian bacon) and freeze along with a batch of breakfast burritos to freeze.

One thing that is really hard for me for some reason is buying in bulk for things other than toilet paper, paper towels, and stuff like that. I realize it is worth it to go ahead and spend out so that I have things on hand.

Do you think of your future self often?

What’s a tip you have in regards to this?

Amy

27 thoughts on “Your Future Self”

  1. I definitely prep dinner in the morning because I too lose momentum as my day goes on. I’m not a procrastinator by nature so I often do things to benefit my future self. If I’ve walked up to get the mail the junk mail doesn’t even make it into the house since I’ll throw that in our dumpster on the way by.

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    1. Thank you! Yes, you are worth it! Your life is crazy busy right now as a working mom of two busy girls, but take some time to do something for your future self, for sure!

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  4. I love this post! I actually do think of my future self often. One thing I said recently to someone that I don’t want to talk about is that future Jenn forgives them for the things they’ve done to me. I’m not there yet, but I know that future me will forgive that terrible thing; and I deserve to walk in forgiveness because the Lord has forgiven me. The person doesn’t deserve the forgiveness, but I deserve to walk in it, which is way better than holding a grudge and being angry for the rest of my life.

    On a lighter note, future me always lays out clothes the night before, for work the next day. I only do that on the days that I work, obviously, because it saves me time. I sometimes will make a lunch the night before as well. I throw things in when I am planning my week; these are things that I think about a lot, and I’m a bit of a time freak, so I am always trying to best manage my time.

    Thanks for sharing this today!

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    1. Such profound words! I agree with you wholeheartedly. You do deserve that.
      I try to have clothes steamed/sprayed with Wrinkle Release and lined up and ready to go depending on my mood.

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  5. This is a great perspective. I feel the same way about PD. I try to get it finished so I don’t have to worry about it during the school year. (Although, now we basically got back a week earlier and do it all together 😵‍💫) I try to do errands during the week on the way home . An errand a day so I don’t clog up my weekend. I try to meal prep but for whatever reason, I hate meal prepping on Sunday. I just don’t want to spend the time doing that on the weekend. Sometimes I do that on Monday night because I usually try to cook something Sunday with leftovers for Monday dinner.

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    1. I guess it’s kinda nice that it’s dictated and done, but also kind of not. I really can’t do errands on the way home anymore because of EO and traffic. I did go back out to the grocery at 7 last night and that was not bad, to be honest. I get that. Monday is for leftovers and then do some prep seems really good to me, too!

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  6. I love this advice/concept! I didn’t think about it that way – your future self can be just hours away. I do try to plan ahead if I can: stuff like pre-order deli meats in the am so I can just grab them, sorting laundry for a load later in the day, etc. I think I needed to hear this today though because I am feeling scatterbrained!

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    1. I didn’t think about it before, either. It really can be that simple. Oh, I’m so glad. I hope your day got better – but sometimes when you have so much to do you don’t even know where to start and spin your wheels.

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  7. #10minutesmatter….. that is my oldest daughter and my mantra. Just 10 minutes can add up and u can get a lot done!! I can clean out a junk drawer- wipe down a fridge. There’s a whole lot!

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  9. I try and think of my future self as much as possible, but sometimes, my current self thinks she’s more important. 🙂 But, one thing I try and think of is getting gas when I don’t absolutely need it (maybe I still have a quarter of a tank or so left), but am not in a rush. This has helped out MANY times when I am in a rush and don’t have time to stop for gas. It’s also really hot here, so if I had to stop when the temp is in the high 90’s that would suck. I try and go at night or early in the morning (or like yesterday when I stopped with my teenage son and he could do it for me!) I read Maria Menunous’ book. It’s part autobiography and part lifestyle tips. In it she said she fills her car up with gas every weekend as part of her routine. Then she doesn’t have to stop during the week when she may be busier. I liked that idea (but have not implemented).

    One day last week I packed my bag for the next day since I had a bunch of energy at night and I knew I’d be super sleepy in the morning. That way I didn’t forget anything either.

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    1. Haha – so funny and so true! Yes to getting gas as a routine on Sunday. I should check that book out.
      Good for you – I have my work bag laid out and notes or anything I need next to it.

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  10. I’ve had a work schedule change so have to get up 2 hrs earlier and have started telling myself to take the shower now (night before) because morning me will not want to and will appreciate the less rushed to get out the door morning routine.

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  11. I love this post and concept! I am always thinking about my future food, ha, ha! I do also think about my clothes for the week, but need to do better in other ways to help my future self.

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  12. This really made me think. I always think of my future self as being years in the future. I never thought about the future just being a few hours away. Love the way you’ve been doing this. I am definitely a 4:00 in the afternoon person! I was that way when I was teaching, too!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Right? It made me think, too. I can do things in the morning for my after school self! Since I go to work later, I often do some laundry in the am.
      You really are a night owl. Your comments come in after I’ve gone to bed, usually. Love it! Live your best retirement life!

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  13. I love this and really need to get better at knocking things off my to-do list. When I dislike something, I procrastinate like crazy, which is silly because it just keeps weighing on my mind! If I just tackled it, it would be over and done with. Well done getting those 12 hours out of the way. We don’t have the option to complete our development days in one go, so it looks like I’m stuck with a few after-work sessions until the end of the year. Ugh.

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