A serious guide to being unserious

Not everything needs to be optimized.

Some things need to be enjoyed.

Here is my very serious guide to being slightly more unserious.

Rule 1: Treat convenience like a suspicious stranger

If something promises to save you time, it will usually charge interest later.

This applies to:

• Skip the walk because it is raining
• “Quick” changes in production
• Eating cereal for dinner three nights in a row

Sometimes convenience is fine. Just do not pretend it is free.

Rule 2: Make at least one thing each week that cannot be monetized

A tiny loop of music.

A paragraph of writing that goes nowhere.

A photo that is only for you.

It is surprisingly good for the nervous system.

Rule 3: Have a default joke

When in doubt, I reach for:

“I am not saying this will work, but I am saying it will be memorable.”

It buys time. It also lowers the stakes.

Rule 4: Build tiny rituals

Tea. A short walk. A notebook page. A playlist.

The point is not productivity. The point is a little stability.

Rule 5: End the day with something human

A call. A book. A dog walk. A real conversation.

The internet will still be there tomorrow, doing whatever it does.

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If you want, reply with your best “unserious rule” and I will steal it.