Tranquility by Tuesday: The 9 Rules

Tranquility by Tuesday is based on the results of a study of 150 people who learned nine time management rules over nine weeks. Each week, participants answered questions about how they planned to implement the rule, and then answered questions a week later about what worked and what didn’t. Through the study I measured how satisfied they were with their time on various dimensions.

Since I’ve referenced the nine rules in various places, I wanted to create a post listing the nine rules. That way I can keep linking to them! Here they are:

1. Give yourself a bedtime. Go to sleep at about the same time every night unless you have a good reason not to.

2. Plan on Fridays. Think through your weeks, holistically, before you’re in them.

3. Move by 3 p.m. Do some form of physical activity for ten minutes in the first half of every day.

4. Three times a week is a habit. Things don’t have to happen daily to become part of your identity, and “often” can be more doable than “always.”

5. Create a back-up slot. Make a resilient schedule where your priorities still happen, even when life doesn’t go as planned.

6. One big adventure, one little adventure. Each week, do at least two things that will be worth remembering.

7. Take one night for you. Commit to an activity you love that is separate from work and household responsibilities.

8. Batch the little things. Keep most of your schedule clear from unimportant tasks.

9. Effortful before effortless. Do active leisure activities before passive ones whenever time opens up.