Get Your Day Crafting Five A Day
- Bruce Stanley
- Jun 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 23
What five things could you craft into every day to help your life flourish? This simple intervention goes to the heart of the Day Crafting philosophy – the good life is more days with time for these activities. The ingredients for a good life are simple; the challenge is intentionally making time for them and giving them our attention.
The critical difference between a languishing life and a flourishing life is fairly prosaic. It might boil down to the Day Crafting systems we have in place to enable good habits and the skilled use of time.
People are drawn to the alternative fantasy path to the good life, believing that a few memorable events, accomplishments, material possessions, or status will lead them there. Worse still, many people have bought into the idea of a happy future, which means postponing happiness, or not even starting the happiness project until the conditions are right, turning happiness into a condition: 'I'll be happy when ...'
To clarify, the challenge you need to become skilled at is: how can you shape the very day you're living?
Give the Five A Day tool a try as a gentle starting point for Day Crafting- just for one day! See how it feels for you. We recognise that good nutritional health comes from consistent daily practices, like incorporating five fruits and vegetables, rather than indulging in junk food for a month and then enjoying a salad just once. The same goes for our wellbeing; it's built through daily habits, not weeks of stress with a rare moment of happiness.
Keep in mind that many of these ideas share some common qualities. They are autonomous, giving you control and the freedom to choose when to do them. They are self-contained, allowing you to be self-reliant while engaging with them. These ideas are versatile and can easily fit into different parts of your day, whether in busy moments or more relaxed ones. They offer both immediate benefits and long-term growth, and you're motivated from within because you want to do them, not because you have to. These qualities are wonderful to keep in mind and can be helpful as you plan your work tasks and other activities throughout your day.
Day Crafting Five A Day
Before you decide on some optional five-a-day activities, it's helpful to remember a few non-negotiables that should be part of your daily routine, like ensuring safety and security, getting good sleep, eating well, and staying active.
The Practice
Here's a fun experiment for you! Pick five enjoyable activities to do either today or tomorrow. No need to add more to your busy schedule—just try adjusting what you're already doing. For example, listen to an inspiring audiobook while you're cooking or commuting. Or you can celebrate some of your unproductive moments, like reducing time spent on social media or TV, to make space for these activities. Many of the ideas below are quick and can even be combined—like hugging a friend, sharing a laugh in the park, and going for a jog—all at once!
What are your five daily activities? You might already have a bunch of ideas for things to do, be, feel, or experience. Feel free to personalise your approach by choosing five activities at random and mixing them up often. You'll enjoy the freshness and novelty each time. This website will help you by generating a random list of five to get you started.
Reading for pleasure.
An active rather than passive leisure activity.
Meaningful connection to someone else.
Meaningful connection to nature.
Laughing.
Watch a really good film with no distractions.
Exercise.
Give someone else your full attention.
Take time to talk to the people who serve you.
Take high quality breaks.
Stretching.
Reawaken a dormant hobby.
Have a hug / share affection.
Get outside.
Get lots of natural light soon after you get up.
Really enjoy good food.
Meditation.
Draw / paint something.
Giving thanks.
Making meaningful progress on a project.
Find a different route with time to stop during it.
Be of service to someone who needs help.
Contact a friend you've not talked to for a long time.
Learn something.
Rest properly.
Set an intention for the day.
Find a way to be generous.
Do all of your work in 5 hours.
Eat out.
Savour sensory input.
Make something.
Tidy up / simplify / go minimal.
Enjoying music, listening to or making.
Challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone.
Get into a flow activity.
Be kind to future you by preparing something in advance.
Get up half hour earlier.
Journal.
Do a random act of kindness.
Wear an outfit that you love.
Make time for yourself.
Be mindful during transitions between activities.
Celebrate at the moment of accomplishing anything.
Disconnect from tech.
Send me any ideas you have not on this list.
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