Today is my birthday (yes, I know I keep saying). Given this, and the fact it is also a Sunday, you might be surprised to learn that I am at work.
Not too much, just some writing and checking to see that the discount code I set up for today is functioning properly. Nevertheless, Sunday is a working day for me, and I don’t see why my birthday should change that.
Another thing I am going to do that I know a lot of people don’t do on their birthday is train.
Again, Sunday is a training day. A “heavy” training day, in fact, featuring a three-ish mile run first thing in the morning and a lifting session a few hours later, and I see no reason to skip either of those things.
Maybe it’s because I spent the balance of my early 20s working rotating shifts that made me see Christmas, birthdays, and suchlike as just another day. To be celebrated, for sure. Just not necessarily when everyone else is.
Or maybe I’m just a loser with no life.
Who knows?
Whatever the case, there is a pertinent point and it is this:
A concept I often share with clients is the “on/off switch”.
Meaning, most go through life in one of two modes – “on” or “off”.
They’re typically “on” only in the working week, and when they are, everything goes broadly to plan. They train, eat right, sleep well, and do all the other things they know they ought to be doing.
And then the weekend (or days off for any shift workers reading this) roll around and they turn “off”. Training, if scheduled, gets missed, dietary dalliances abound, late nights and lie ins are staples, and life in general goes a little bit to shyte as temptations to sloth, gluttony, and greed are indulged.
Same applies to holidays, birthdays, and pretty much any time they’re out of their “usual” routine, in my experience.
Obviously the solution is not to try and stay “on” all time. That would be dumb because you’d quickly find yourself burned out, hurting, and without any friends or meaning.
Much better, in my view, to ditch the idea of the “on/off switch” altogether in favour of a more relaxed attitude to life that allows you to do the needful while leaving ample room to live a little.
Them’s my thoughts on the matter for you to do with as you will.
Now, for the last time, to celebrate my birthday, I am having a bumper sale on a selection of my books.
All of the books listed at the below URL are available for 70% off until 23:59 tonight (19th).
It is a discount so extreme it brings some of the titles to almost within range of “regular” book price.
Almost.
To claim the discount, enter the code MORTAL at the checkout (in the box where it says “have coupon code?”).
Remember: The sale ends at 23:59, which is just a few hours hence as of this sending. So if you’ve had your eye on one or more of the listed books and you’d like them for a fraction of what they usually sell for, I would get a wriggle on if I was you.
See what’s on sale here:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/birthday/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman