The dos and don’ts of should

• Think about the moral obligations or ethical considerations when it comes to doing the right thing: you should• Think about what feels right to do as opposed to what you think should do. After a tough week, if you really want a Saturday sleep-in even though guilt dictates you should get up early to do chores, sometimes being kind to yourself is the better option.• Weigh up the cost to self if you do or don’t do what you think you should do.• Ask yourself if these “shoulds” are your expectations or others’ expectations of you.• Evaluate whether something is a good should (constructive) or a bad should (destructive). “I should pay my credit card rather than splurge on that handbag” — self-restraint vs self-gratification.• Consider your passions, values and what really drives you. Is what you’re doing actually matching your values? Do you want to lose weight because you should or because you’d love to get back into your favourite jeans?• Should yourself only if something really matters to you.