We all have so much going on in our lives. So it can be tempting to focus solely on the present and neglect how to make future You happy. I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic, and I’ve got a few tips for what you can do today, for the You tomorrow.
Write things down
I know, I know, this seems like a no-brainer. But let’s make the assumption that future You will not remember where you store your passports or the entire list of Spring time chores that need to get done. Or when your last mammogram was. Or… well, you get the picture. This is where a tickler file comes in great handy- whether it’s digital or paper based. (You know I love my paper!)
Future Amy gets frustrated when she has to recreate or find things. So I try to create some systems for easily capturing information that Amy will need. Here are a few recent examples:
- List of annual Spring yard and household maintenance chores (placed in the April month tickler folder)
- Tips and tricks for next year’s taxes, learned the hard way from this year
- A packing list
You guys, that last one, a standard packing list was a game changer. No longer did I have to try to remember all the toiletries that I need to bring somewhere. And even better- specialized packing lists by destination/event. So my Work Trip list doesn’t include a swimsuit 🙂 And my Beach Trip list skips the laptop. That sort of thing.
Play the tape forward
This is an old (and very effective) tactic from the recovery community. When you are thinking about doing something somewhat questionable- say, eating that super-sized ice cream sundae- “play the tape forward.”
So how might you use this tactic? Instead of focusing on the short term pleasures of an action- play the tape forward to the end. So you decided to come down hard on your child about something. Maybe it gets the desired result in the short term, but at what cost? If you play it forward, you can speculate that perhaps your child will start to resent you, they may ignore you. Eventually, in 15 years, your relationship is so much smaller than it could have been.
No one will be perfect at this, but especially for important areas of your life, playing the tape forward can be immensely powerful.
Build in “waiting periods” before you act
This one has been so helpful in trying to be more thoughtful about spending. I have a tendency to go all-in with a new project or activity. By building in a period of waiting, considering, I am more likely to make better long term decisions. A lot of things are no brainers- eating well, sleeping, exercising. But for other things, where a commitment may take up a lot of time or money, future You will be very grateful that you paused.
It’s not all about future You
Of course we can’t just focus on future You. Much of the time, we should be living in the present. And one day, there will no longer be a future Any of Us. But I am trying to find pleasure in the activities that will make future Amy happy, today. I love my paper and pens- writing things down is something I love to do, today. There can be satisfaction in delayed gratification- a pleasurable sense of anticipation. A waiting period can be nice! Do you have any tips for doing things today to benefit the future? Let us know in the comments…
