Wednesday 13 May 2026 in 2026

This morning I left home at 8 a.m. to be at the shopping centre right when it opened at 9. I had a list for the holiday: a lightweight jacket for cooler evenings, some new socks, and a pair of summer-weight trousers. After that, I browsed Waterstones, picking up a word search puzzle book and a deck of cards, though I’ll need to brush up on actual card games. Lastly, I chose a book—The Three-Body Problem—so we’ll see how that reads. I’m mostly ready for the trip. Work stretched late again tonight and before I realised it, it was 10 p.m. and I was still sitting at my desk eating a cheese and tomato toastie between tasks. My schedule expands and contracts according to mood rather than any real structure. Some days I work intensely right into the evening, other days I stop after a few hours and tell myself that’s enough. I know there is a certain freedom in being able to work this way, but I wonder if I would feel steadier with more discipline and clearer boundaries around my time.