Remember Three Good Things That Happened Every Day
When we pulled together weekly updates from our staff last Friday , our editors started walking more to work, raffling off credit card rewards, exploring new podcasts, and investing in artificial sunshine.
This week we are working on a positive attitude, making luxurious sandwiches at home, keeping our kitchen clean and, in some cases, treating ourselves.
What updates have you made this week? Let us know in the comments.
Digitize your gratitude journal
I use the Three Good Deeds app , which may be the easiest way to start keeping a gratitude journal. Every night at 21:00 I am asked: “What went well today?” (This is the only phone notification I tolerate.) Then I enter three good things. My good things were small — a text column, listening to my favorite podcast, lying on the floor in a sled position with my daughter, and pretending we were racing down an ice slope with the Olympians. One day this week, I even wrote “I drank a lot of water.” God my life is boring. But well boring.
Michelle Wu, parenting editor
Improve Your Homemade Sandwich Making Game
I realized that I have the opportunity to make sandwiches at home any time I want. Look, making a sandwich is a hassle, and keeping a bunch of fresh ingredients in the fridge in just the right amount is also a challenge, so my update just remembers it’s worth it. Here’s my favorite sandwich recipe this week: I put two slices of sourdough in the toaster and put on one sliced gouda cheese. When the cheese is completely melted, I spread mayonnaise over another slice and fill the sandwich with salami, maybe a little turkey or salad, and a large handful of sautéed peppers and onions.
Beth Squarecki, health editor
Escape to virtual reality
I bought a Playstation VR bundle last weekend, so goodbye to the real world. If you need me, I will fight monsters, shoot aliens and scare the hell out of my kicks.
Patrick Allan, staff writer
Return to exercise routine with ease
I signed up for a gym and started jogging again this week after a short break (due to knee and ankle problems … hurray getting old) and after a few months I had already scheduled a half marathon. It’s frustrating that I can’t run the distances I could a few months ago, but my body needs a break and I feel really good when I come back to it.
alisia adamchik, staff writer
Free yourself from the tyranny of the clock
My watch was broken and I still have to replace it, so I got rid of the timekeeper. Basically, I’ve found that I don’t have to constantly check the time every minute, and it’s okay not to worry about punctuality. But my wrist feels weird.
Joel Kahn, Sr. video producer
Shoulder bag in case of emergencies
With my favorite pair of backpacks in the repair shop to change the zipper, I was forced to travel with a nice but bulky shoulder bag, wishing that I had a little more width to store everything I usually carry to work. I realized that something was about to change when, during the conversation, I saw my colleague Nick materialize a tiny self-contained nylon bag from his bag. So now I carry a folded bag with my partner’s company name written on it to give me extra weight. When I get my regular bags, I will definitely put one of them in there, just in case I need to do the hard work with the greens from the farmers market.
Patrick Austin, staff writer
Keep yourself cozy while you recover
* Weakly lifts his head out of the patient’s bed * My improvement is a heated blanket! It makes my life cozy and the morning less hostile.
Claire Lowe, Food and Beverage Editor
Don’t let utensils accumulate in the sink
In an effort to improve my overall cleanliness and gradually develop new habits, I try to become the person who washes his dishes as soon as he uses them. Living alone can be tempting to let the sink build up all week, but my apartment is much more attractive (and I’m much more likely to cook) if I keep it clean. And in general, with the exception of one night when I was sick and exhausted, I managed to stick to it pretty easily – it really only takes a couple of extra minutes when you only have a few dishes and not a few days. ”Value. Who knew.
Virginia K. Smith, Editor-in-Chief