Bring a Friend, Make a Memory [Weekend Wrap 92]
Hey Reader,
Welcome to the first weekend of June and the (still unofficial) start of summer! This month on To-Do’s Day (sends on Tuesday) I’ll share how to stay focused and productive even when the scales of work/life balance tip decidedly into the life category.
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💡 One Big Idea: Bring a Friend (or a Ben)
The Nashville sunrise/sunset rhythm is what made me a super-early morning person, even before kids! In the summer, the sun is up at 5:30am, and in the winter, it is down at 4:30pm. I wake up and get as much sunlight in the day as I can.
My son, Ben, seems to have inherited this from me. I know you shouldn’t be bummed out when your kids wake up, but my heart does sink a little when I’ve gone through the effort of an early morning, am all set to read/write/exercise… then I hear those little four year old feet patter across the floor.
Then I decided to take advantage of this and make a memory instead. Now, Ben and I wake up, go to our gym, and do a little obstacle course together! Sandbag carries, box jumps, rope climbs, bar hangs, and more. Whatever looks fun to him, we do together.
My plan this summer is not only to make this a 2-3x a week event with the boys but to get a group of men/dads together for a hike. I know I’m better and more at peace when I spend time outside, so why not bring a friend and make a memory of it?
As I’ve tracked my time and happiness more the past few months it’s highlighted how much better I am at work and life when I add in these three elements:
- Exercise
- Nature
- Friendships
Adding all three together, what I call “happy stacking,” is having a fun day, outside, playing a game or going for a hike, with friends and family, with a cold drink at the end (or during).
That’s a good life, right there 🍻
👀 One Video to Watch: Ted Lasso, of course
[No Spoilers]
The final episode of Ted Lasso, Season 3, aired this week and it was great. It’s one of my favorite all-time shows, up with Seinfeld, The Office, and Parks & Recreation. The heart, the writing, the sports, the mental health theme, the way they talk about tough subjects without pulling punches or being preachy, it’s dang near a perfect show in my book.
This video from Nerdstalgic talks about what makes the comedic writing so good and different than The Office, P&R, 30 Rock, and Scrubs. It’s how they keep the characters in the moment and allow the jokes to ruminate, sometimes for entire seasons, before the payoff.
Additional Ted Lasso Notes
- Is this the end? Maybe. But it was never about Ted to begin with.
- Brett Goldstein wasn’t supposed to be Roy Kent. He asked to read.
- Ted’s fantastic pocket sweater is a Todd Snyder x Champion collab.
📰 One Article I Read: Summer Planning
To give you a head start on the To-Do’s Day topic this month, check out this article from Productive Flourishing. They are very thoughtful, intentional creators of productivity content and I always leave their articles feeling calm and inspired.
Productive Flourishing Summer Recommendations
- Break down your project and extend the timeline
- Use project themes to better manage your energy
- Reduce the number of projects you’re committed to
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Have a great weekend,
Matt Ragland
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