It's been a while since I read "Deep Work", and I totally forgot about the day start and end routines. The days I do them are way more structured, but I think I don't hold myself accountable enough for it.
The end of day shutdown routine is non-negotiable—it guarantees a smooth transition from work mode to relaxation.
They also have advice for chaotic days (which, to be honest, are the most days when you have young kids)
On the good days, I take a solid 30 minutes to plan my schedule down to the nitty-gritty. But when chaos strikes on the bad days, I glance at my calendar, block off meeting times, and dive headfirst into urgent tasks. After lunch, I do a quick ‘post-mortem’ assessment, tweak my time blocker, and figure out where to focus my energy for the rest of the day.
I think I'll steal that.