Short weeks should be easier; so why do they feel endless?
Two weeks ago, it was Memorial Day weekend, a short week. Last week, I was in Kentucky for a charity event, which made for another short week. This week, I’m in Montreal with my mastermind group, and I have yet another abbreviated schedule. You’d think all these shorter weeks would feel lighter, maybe even give you room to breathe. Instead, they’ve felt like marathons disguised as sprints. Why is that?!
Here’s what I think I’ve figured out: it’s not the number of hours that makes us feel stretched; it’s how densely packed they are. Unfortunately, the work doesn’t magically diminish when you lose a day; it’s just condensed into a smaller amount of time. We try to fit the same amount of work into fewer days and suddenly find ourselves exhausted by what should have been a pause to refresh.
A shorter timeframe, the same amount of work, and the mental gymnastics it takes to sort out how to get it all done or to multitask, is exhausting. Sorting out how to accommodate all the tasks and meetings needed can feel like playing calendar Jenga while someone is shaking the table! Add to this, your usual rhythm is disrupted, which makes time feel distorted and is disconcerting. Tuesday acts like Monday; Thursday masquerades as a fake Friday, and you’re never quite sure what day it is.
Travel weeks add their own layer of beautiful chaos. I love being out in the world, connecting with people, getting inspired by new places and faces. But being “on” in unfamiliar settings takes energy you don’t always account for; hotel-room productivity hits differently than your usual groove, and even when the pace feels different, the effort is still real. And that is before we get to the reality that when you are traveling, it is usually in addition to, and not instead of, your regular work.
All that said, I’m learning to appreciate that these packed weeks, for all their chaos, are usually full of the good stuff. Conversations that matter, surprising moments, and work that energizes instead of drains. They’re tiring, sure. But they’re also signs of a full life, one where you get to do things that matter with people you care about and can accomplish interesting things.
So maybe the idea isn’t to make short weeks feel shorter. Perhaps it should be letting go of the expectation that they should feel shorter. Sometimes life packs a lot in, but buried in the blur of rescheduled meetings and scrambled routines are little moments of joy, connection, and real progress. You may just have to squint a little to see them through the beautiful chaos. 😊
If your “short” week has felt like it needed overtime pay, you’re not alone. Some of the best stories come from the weeks that didn’t go quite as planned.
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” —John Lennon
What’s your secret for staying grounded when the calendar goes sideways? I’d love to hear how you handle the beautiful blur of a packed short week.
Have a great weekend,
Vijay