The Power of a No-Rules Day

The idea of a “No-Rules Day” began one dreary February day when my kids were young. It was winter break, we were trapped at home and I was tired of being the screen, food, and shower police. So, when the kids got up, I announced that it was a “No-Rules Day.” They looked at me, confused. “Does that mean I can have ice cream for breakfast?” my son asked.

“Yup,” I replied. And so, the day began.

And I realized that I needed a No-Rules Day too. So, I didn’t get out of my pajamas. I watched TV with my son and played with my daughter’s massive collection of stuffed animals. I ate what I felt like when I felt like it. I skipped the gym and my walk. I never opened my computer or checked in on social media.

We read books in the hammock, ate when and what we wanted (which, to my surprise, included a pretty healthy dinner for all), and the kids skipped their evening showers. Of the thousands of days I’ve spent parenting my two kids, I remember every detail of our first No-Rules Day together.

No-Rules Days have now become a thing. Something we do a few times a year. They are days when I’m not pushing, not striving, not asking myself “What can I do today to chase my goals”—days when I skip the gym, don’t live by my calendar and sometimes, don’t even get out of my pajamas. They are days when I simply do whatever I feel like doing.

You need these days and I promise you, the harder you work, the sweeter your No-Rules Days will be. Not because you are exhausted—because the hard work of chasing your dreams is the kind of work that fuels your spirit. But it is work. Lots and lots of work. You might not feel like taking a day off. You might worry that if you take a day off, you will lose momentum. I get it, I really do. The more engaged you are in the work you are doing—whatever that work is—the harder it is to walk away, even for a day. 

But you will reap incredible benefits from making No-Rules Days part of your practice. No-Rules Days will fire up your energy and creativity. Improve your sleep. Increase your productivity. And, No-Rules Days are great for absolutely no other reason than that they are fun. And I promise—eating ice cream for breakfast or watching too much TV once in a while is not going to do anyone any harm.

When was the last time you had a No-Rules Day where you really did what you wanted, when you wanted? If it has been a while—and I suspect that it has—put one on your calendar