Weeknotes 10 July, 2026

One day at a time. That’s been my mantra this week. It may stick. I’ve wished in the past that I’d trademarked “Just do it”, if only Nike hadn’t gotten there first. The contrast of those two statements is not lost on me.

The mantra “one day at a time” stems from a few things. From managing stress to actively slowing down. From channeling deeper focus, to a Lemn Sissay poem that sits on my wall. It was also something my dad once said to me.

Pausing is something I’m working on, too. Unconnected, last week I skipped Weeknotes as I took some time off in Seville. In the queue for a cathedral, a fellow tourist’s T-shirt caught my attention. It read, “Learning to pause. Still figuring it out”. I did track down the T-shirt – it may find its way into a frame next to the poem.

Back at work, it’s been a mix of planning and executing. Kinda a blend of “one day at a time” and “just do it”. Each day, I’ve given myself a goal: complete one thing. In an average week, with a full self-driven to-do list, I complete much more than a single thing a day. What’s been different about this is my intention. And also the result – I’ve got to the end of the week feeling accomplished and less stressed. Exercise every morning has had a big part in that, too. And of course, the incredible summer weather right here in the UK.