Latest news with #routine
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Tim Dowling: the dog has seen my mother-in-law's ghost – or possibly just a bug
The new dog is now a year old, and her bedtime habits are firmly established: when I retire for the night I invariably find the dog already lying on my side of the bed, her chin resting on my pillow. At this point I usually push her off, whereupon she will retreat to her own – perfectly nice – bed, or sleep on the bare floorboards, depending on the night-time temperature. At around five the dog will leap back on to the bed and tunnel under the duvet head-first, stretching out between my wife and me, leaving only her back legs sticking out the top. That's how things remain until one of us decides to get up. It's not ideal, but it's a routine. The daytime routine is looser. The general rhythm is well established – eat, walk, sleep, walk, eat – but there are random moments when the dog seems to require additional, unspecified engagement, when she sits down next to me on the sofa, places a gentle paw on my forearm and gives me a look that says: we need to talk. 'I'm just watching this,' I say, pointing at the television. The dog turns to look at the screen, and then slowly rolls her eyes back toward me. It's easy to read too much into a dog's expression, but at times like these I sense deep wells of frustration. Maybe, I think, she just wants me to change the channel to a show with dogs in it. The next day in the park the dog is lively but obedient, off the lead but never straying out of sight, playful with other dogs but willing to take no for an answer. She behaves perfectly right up until the end, when we encounter a woman in a long coat with two dogs of her own. Shortly after we pass by, my dog suddenly stops, turns and hares off after them. I whistle and call her name, but the dog ignores me and follows the woman – a complete stranger – in the other direction, all the while staring up at her with a look of true devotion. 'Well, we had some good times,' I say, twirling my lead. Eventually the woman is obliged to stop and head back towards me. We meet halfway, my dog still fixated on the woman, who smiles at me and shrugs. 'It's because I have …' I don't quite hear the last word – something like 'spraahtz' – which in the discomfort of the moment I take to be a foreign term for a powerful form of canine magnetism, perhaps as practised in remote parts of Belgium, or maybe Poland. Then the woman reaches out and hands me a tiny dead fish. 'Oh, sprats,' I say. 'They love them,' she says. That evening my wife, my oldest son and I are watching television, while the dog sits next to me and stares at my ear. 'So the take-home message is: we need to get some sprats,' I say. 'I've seen them in the pet store,' my wife says. 'Apparently they can't get enough of them,' I say. 'Be quiet,' she says. 'I'm trying to follow this.' Suddenly the dog barks once, leaps from the sofa, slides across the coffee table and lands on the other side. 'What was that for?' says the oldest one. The dog sits and looks up, staring at nothing with fearsome concentration. 'What is it?' my wife says. 'It's like she's witnessing some kind of apparition,' I say. Perhaps an apparition holding a little dead fish. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion 'Have you seen a ghost?' my wife says. 'Is it my mother?' The dog stares, unflinching. 'Actually I think she might just be watching a bug,' I say. 'If it's my mother, give me your paw,' my wife says. The dog takes two steps forward, and places its right paw into my wife's outstretched hand. 'It is my mother!' my wife shouts. The oldest one and I exchange a brief glance as if to say: bit weird. 'Give me your paw again if she misses me,' my wife says. The dog obliges. 'That dog only knows one trick,' the oldest one says. 'And that's it.' 'A tiny hovering insect,' I say. 'Or a baby spider floating on the draught from the windows.' 'Thank you for the message from beyond,' my wife says. 'Now go lie down, I'm trying to watch this.' The dog climbs on to the sofa and curls up next to me, wearing a look of profound dissatisfaction. We watch the telly in silence for a moment. 'So yeah, sprats,' I say. 'Oh my God,' my wife says. 'We'll have to rewind!'
Wall Street Journal
4 days ago
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
Colonoscopy Prep Is Worse Than IKEA
I'm on day three of my colonoscopy preparation. You read that right. Day three. Had this been knee surgery, I would have been in and out the same day. This is a routine colonoscopy—the kind you're supposed to get every 10 years. Last time, the preparation was minimal: Start drinking a gallon of laxative solution at 6:00 the night before the surgery and try to finish it within two hours.
Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Overwhelmed At Work? 5 Steps To A More Sustainable Workload
I find myself working before 9am and after 5pm on my own stuff because when I'm at work it's too hard to concentrate. I'm frequently interrupted by my colleagues, and a big part of my job is being available to others -- I oversee a bunch of things -- so I need to be available. How do I make a more sustainable routine? - Editor Working overtime should be an exception and not the default if you're going to have any semblance of personal and professional balance. While many jobs entail managing or collaborating with others, if you find that it's a full-time job to attend to your colleagues, you need to assert stronger boundaries or you're just working on their schedule, not yours. Finally, if you're fitting in your own work at the margins of your day, you're probably not giving your best energy to it. Improving balance, setting boundaries, and assigning the most energetic part of your day to your most important work will help you make your workload more sustainable. Here are five steps to take now: Pick one good habit at a time to adopt for better sleep, exercise, diet and stress management (e.g., sticking to a bedtime routine, hitting X steps each week, eating at least one fruit per day, meditating in the morning). Starting with self-care allows you to flex your change muscle and introduce something new to your routine without disrupting your work. At the same time, you're building a stronger foundation that will make it easier to disrupt your work for the better. You have to be your biggest advocate against burnout. Experiment with reducing your availability to interruptions by following specific practices that signal to others you shouldn't be disturbed. This can be as simple as hanging a sign on your door (or cubicle) that says, 'Do not disturb', 'Please don't interrupt' or 'Working on deadline'. If you're worried that's not friendly enough, you can add a specific time for people to come back (e.g., 'Check back in 30 minutes'). If you have an office with multiple spaces, make it a habit to leave your regular workspace and go somewhere away from your colleagues. Block your online calendar so meetings can't be scheduled at all times of day. Whatever you decide to carve out uninterrupted time, start with 30 minutes three times a week and work up to dedicated blocks of focused time every day. Interruptions from colleagues might be the key reason this editor's other work is spilling into overtime. However, they also might have a To Do list that is unrealistic and could be pared down. To pare down your task list and still protect your job, get clear on what your manager prioritizes from you. Some projects or clients are more important than others, and some ongoing tasks count more than others. For this editor, it might be publishing a certain number of stories on a set cadence, submitting a status report on audience analytics or moving forward on a long-term research assignment. These tasks should get the dedicated blocks of focused times, and other tasks (e.g., filing more than the minimum of stories) fall off. At some point, you can take on more because ad hoc projects finish or you get more efficient with your output, but don't work overtime until you know it's on something that matters. You may prefer some aspects of your job more than others, or it may be easier to do some tasks more than others. Unfortunately, if you default to what you like or what's comfortable, you might neglect what matters most. That includes your manager's top priorities, as well as your own. Your manager's top priorities may not 100% line up with yours. You may be interested in a promotion and need to take on tasks outside your current job or focus on work that gives you more visibility beyond your manager. You may be developing a skill (e.g., AI) that is currently a small part of your job. You may have a personal interest in exploring other departments or areas of the company outside your current role. To keep your own career moving, use some of your focused time for your top priorities, not just your manager's. If your best efforts to bring routine to your workday are still met with interruptions, you'll need to schedule your interactions more deliberately. This could be a 15-minute weekly check-in with your manager, when before they used to drop by for an update. It could be you proactively walking around to check on colleagues and offer your help at set times you choose. Or block off specific 'office hours' each day for questions and requests. It may take time for people to realize you're on a new work cadence, but if you stick to it, they'll realize this is how you work and will jump on the new routine. Improve your time management, and you improve your career.
Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Gen Z morning rituals: doom-scroll, supplements, workout …
Age: 29Length of routine: 60 minutes I rarely stay over at my boyfriend's flat. Not because his bed is uncomfortable but because when I'm at his place, I can't do my six-step skincare routine in the morning, or my lengthy bedtime ritual (unless I remember to bring a giant bag full of lotions and potions with me to his flat). I know, I know. But my obsession with my skincare and my sleep regime are par for the course for my age group. Some 63 per cent of those aged between 13 and 28 said their whole day can be 'thrown off' if their everyday habits are messed with, according to a study by Costa Coffee. Without fail, my boyfriend is snoring within ten
Forbes
13-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
3 Ways To Snap Out Of Sleepwalking Through Life — By A Psychologist
Here's how you can shake off the cobwebs, stop hitting the snooze button on life and start living ... More with your eyes wide open. Our culture is rife with stories where people grow dispassionate and jaded with lives and routines they intentionally created for their own security and comfort. It's a story we hear frequently — you wake up, go through your daily routine and before you know it, another day has passed without anything meaningful to show for it. Many people find themselves stuck in a routine that feels more like a never-ending loop than a fulfilling journey. It's as if life is happening around you, but you're not really living it — you're just existing. This sense of being on autopilot can be unsettling, leaving you with a nagging feeling that there's more to life than what you're currently experiencing. The good news is that you don't have to stay in this state of inertia. It's entirely possible to break free from this pattern and start living your life with greater intention and awareness. Here are three strategies that can help you reconnect with your true self and reignite your passion for life. One powerful way to snap out of autopilot mode and reclaim control over your life is to create a personal manifesto — a written declaration of your core beliefs, values and intentions for how you want to live. This manifesto is more than just a list of goals; it's a reflection of what you stand for, the principles that guide you and what you aim to contribute to the world. The process begins with deep self-reflection. Ask yourself probing questions: You might even draw inspiration from Japanese philosophies such as Ikigai and Wabi-Sabi. To ensure that your manifesto remains a central part of your life, display it somewhere visible — on your desk, in your journal or as a background on your phone. Seeing it daily will serve as a constant reminder of your intentions, helping you stay focused and intentional rather than drifting aimlessly. While routine can offer comfort and stability, it often dulls your senses and traps you in a state of mental inertia. To counteract this, dedicate one day each month to your inner curiosity — a day devoted entirely to exploration and discovery, where you consciously step out of your comfort zone and immerse yourself in new, unfamiliar experiences. Consider indulging in a new culinary adventure. If cooking isn't your thing, attend a pottery workshop. If you prefer intellectual challenges, try a crash course in a foreign language. The goal isn't necessarily to master the subject but to engage your brain in a new way, sparking curiosity and expanding your horizons. Similarly, consider picking up a hobby that's completely outside your usual interests. If you've never painted, try a beginner's art class; if you've never gardened, spend a day with your hands in the soil. These activities can reignite your passion for learning and foster a sense of wonder. The essence of a successful 'curiosity day' lies in approaching it with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Let go of any preconceived notions or expectations, and fully embrace whatever new experiences come your way. Researcher and psychologist William Whitecross at the Australian National University supports this approach, suggesting that while uncertainty can be daunting, we are not inherently wired to respond with fear or anger. 'There is a part of our mind that wants to approach the unknown and learn about it. You just need to tap into it,' he says. Another way to stop sleepwalking through life is to broaden your social horizon. Sticking to familiar social circles and routines can limit our perspective and growth. Adopting a 'one new connection' rule can help you intentionally expand your social network and infuse new energy into your life. Here's how it works — each month, make a deliberate effort to connect with at least one new person. This could be someone you encounter at work, in your community or even online within a group that aligns with your interests. Approach these interactions with genuine curiosity and an open heart, focusing on learning from others' experiences and viewpoints. To make the most of this approach, try to engage in meaningful conversations and show genuine interest in the other person's story. Ask questions, share your own experiences and seek common ground. By seeking these new connections, you not only enrich your social life but also invigorate your overall sense of purpose and involvement in the world. Curious whether you're ready to stop drifting and start living? Take the research-backed Openness To Experience Scale to find out.
