Design the perfect week

Ali Abdaal and his guests offer insightful advice for designing the perfect week. Here are key points from two discussions:

1. Mapping Your Ideal Week:

   • Ali suggests creating an "ideal week calendar" using tools like Google Calendar. This includes scheduling activities that are personally important, such as going to the gym, having family dinners, and date nights. Even if the exact schedule isn't always followed, it provides a framework for balancing priorities and making adjustments 1.
   • Dr. Julie Smith emphasizes the importance of aiming towards this ideal while being flexible and expressing gratitude for what is achieved. The ideal week might change over time, and it can also include steps toward long-term goals, like taking a night course for a career change 1.

2. Ideal Week Exercise:

   • Ali recounts how a structured exercise helped him. This involved identifying key weekly tasks, such as strategic thinking about the business, reviewing metrics, and scheduling one-on-one meetings 2.
   • Eric Partaker stresses the significance of scheduling all aspects of life, not just work. This involves blocking calendar time for workouts, social activities, leisure, and focus work. Grouping similar activities and optimizing the schedule can lead to better outcomes and overall well-being 2.

Steps to Design the Perfect Week:

1. Create an Ideal Week Calendar:

   • Use a tool like Google Calendar.
   • Schedule important activities such as workouts, family time, and social events.

2. Be Flexible:

   • Aim towards your ideal but be prepared to adjust.
   • Reflect and rebalance if certain activities (like gym visits) are lacking.

3. Schedule Everything:

   • Include work tasks, personal projects, and leisure time.
   • Set specific time blocks for focus work and regular tasks.

4. Optimize:

   • Group similar activities together to enhance productivity.
   • Continuously adjust based on what worked and what didn’t.

By following these steps, you can create a balanced and productive week that aligns with your goals and values.