“I have a Sunday ritual called “maintenance day”. On maintenance day, I lump all of the boring tasks that most people do throughout the week into one solid block of time on one day. Every Sunday, for straight five or six hours, I do every undesirable task that people typically do during the week. I do the laundry, clean, go grocery shopping, create a meal and workout plan for the week, cut my nails, water my plants, and everything else maintainence-y under the sun.” — Chris Bailey
Group all of your “boring maintenance tasks” together (aka batching) and do them on this day.
Any task that is necessary but not meaningful on its own, including:
- Paying bills and reviewing finances
- Grocery shopping and meal prepping
- Laundry, cleaning, and home organization
- Personal grooming (haircuts, nail care, etc.)
- Digital declutter (downloads folder, inbox zero)
- Reviewing and responding to administrative emails
- Planning workouts and schedules for the coming week
The goal is to clear the decks so the rest of the week can be dedicated to creation, connection, and deep work.
- Batch sequentially, not in parallel. Do one task at a time and finish it before moving on. The point is to reduce mental load, not to rush.
- Pair it with something enjoyable. Listen to a podcast, audiobook, or music you love while you work.
- Protect the other days. When a maintenance impulse arises mid-week, write it down and let it wait until the appointed day. Trust the system.
Divide your days into “Progress” and “Maintenance” ones.
