Podcaster followed ‘Kevin’s Rule’ ever since he heard of it — and it'll transform your work-life balance

Most of our fantasies and dreams often get pushed away under hectic schedules and responsibilities. Podcaster and dad Jesse Itzler (@jesseitzler) felt this too and revealed one solid way to turn things around. In a post shared on January 2, Itzler revealed how “Kevin’s Rule,” a practice he learned from his friend Kevin, transformed his perspective on work-life balance. He mentioned that his friend is one of the happiest people he knows, and he credited the achievement to this one rule he has been following. The podcaster couldn’t help but hop onto it too and changed his life for the better. The rule? One mini-adventure every alternate month.

Itzler opened by sharing an experience with Kevin. The duo had taken their kids and hiked on Mount Washington recently. Initially, it seemed out of the blue, even “ridiculous,” as the podcaster said. However, when he asked him how he could make time for something so dreamy, he received a response that left him impressed. “How often do you do this?” he asked Kevin, only to learn that his longtime friend has been practising this fiery energy ever since he graduated from college. It’s a rule he follows. “Every other month, I do one thing that I normally wouldn’t have done,” the friend revealed. He further explained he takes one day every alternate month to go on a “mini adventure.” 

It doesn’t have to be great — it could be as simple as going to watch a match, or just fishing, or even something grand like hiking up Mount Washington. It seems crazy at first thought, but when you ponder it, it makes sense. “If you can’t take one day out of every 8 weeks for yourself, one day, your work-life balance is out of whack,” Kevin remarked. In his caption, Itzler noted that if a person were to do just six mini adventures, one every two months, they would have accomplished something brilliant. “If you do that simple rule from age 30 to 70, you will have banked 240 mini adventures that you otherwise wouldn’t have done. That’s how you build a great life résumé,” he wrote. 

When you think of it from that perspective, it seems like the perfect investment to make for quality of life. “It compounds an insane value,” the podcaster added. Sharing with Outside Magazine, author Alastair Humphreys, who wrote “Microadventures” and coined the term, agrees that there are many perks to such outings. He noted that a microadventure is “a shorter, simpler, cheaper, more local, more accessible version of what you deem to be an adventure. And it's something that you can squeeze in around the margins of real life.” He explained how people don’t have the time and resources to plan big holidays, and that hinders their quality of life. Microadventures are a great way to beat it. “It's like having an espresso. It's just a short shot of adventure,” he remarked.

The author pointed out that it is good for physical and mental health in many ways. “It offers the opportunity for a lifetime of living adventurously just a little bit every day. And I think that's a positive thing. If more people can start to do that,” he said. In another video, Itzler revealed the top three things he follows and encourages others to follow to live a good life. He highlighted a Japanese ritual, Misogi — doing one big thing that defines your year, every year; Kevin’s Rule; and adding a “winning habit” every quarter of the year. He has been meticulously following through, and the internet can’t wait to kickstart the practice. @you_know_its_x added, “Every 3 months I take a little or big trip. It is a must. The brain needs that reset.” @angelicadarby remarked, “I've been doing this type of stuff for the past 4 years, and it does make life way more fun.” 

You can follow Jesse Itzler (@jesseitzler) on Instagram for more content on work-life balance and lifestyle. 

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