This Daily Practice Has Transformed My (Work) Life
The Copywriter Column #94
Want to know the habit I attribute to improving my focus, productivity, and growth as a contributor at my day job, and really, in my everyday life?
It takes less than 10 minutes at the beginning and end of my workday.
“It” = two simple journal entries.
The first is called Daily Intentions and the second is called Daily Review.
Daily Intentions
Comprised of 5 questions, these help me establish my outlook, attitude, and intentions for the day.
What is my mood? How can I change it right now?
How am I going to show up today and what do I want to be known for?
Today, I am looking forward to:
What difficulties am I likely to encounter today and how will I respond?
What one thing do I most need to get done today? What do I need to say no to in order to make that happen?
I thought I’d break down why these are helpful for me:
Your mood is one of the easiest things to fix. It boils down to decision. I can decide to be happy or I can decide to be sad. To be perfectly honest, you do NOT need a reason to be happy.
So if I’m feeling tired or anxious or depressed, I shift my physical body. I might drop and do a round of push-ups, sit up straight, or funny enough, I’ll smile and laugh. It feels so goofy! But it changes my attitude every time.This question brings me back to the things that I value and ensures I’m aligning myself with my highest and best self.
Our days are crammed full of goodness, we just have to look for it – even more powerful is we anticipate it!
This question has single-handedly changed the way I respond to EVERYTHING. You’ve heard the saying, “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.” This question is the embodiment of that.
When you encounter a difficulty you’ve already rehearsed your response to, it takes the thinking (and the pressure) out of it. I cannot recommend adopting this question into a daily practice enough.Productivity is all about trade-offs. If I can identify my highest priority and build the rest of the day around it, I’m far more likely to accomplish it.
Daily Review
Also 5 questions, these help me reflect on my day and make a plan for doing more of what works and improving what doesn’t.
What are 5 things I am grateful for today?
What happened that went well? Why did it go well?
What happened that didn’t go according to plan? Why do I think that happened?
How did I react? Why did I react that way?
In what ways did I show up for and encourage my team? How can I do better tomorrow?
Here’s why this particular set of questions is helpful for me:
Ending your day steeped in stress? Nothing can transform your perspective faster than identifying what you’re grateful for. Some days are easier to identify what I’m thankful for than others, but this is a great practice to adopt.
This question helps me identify the good things that happened and discover ways to make it happen more often than not.
Similarly, this question helps me identify areas I can improve and grow. The “why do I think that happened?” question is particularly insightful for shifting my behavior and habits to better accommodate a growth mindset.
A follow-up to the previous question, this helps me go deeper with the way I react to various situations (whether good or bad), and identify key triggers.
One of my biggest priorities at the agency is ensuring my copy team feels encouraged, supported, seen, and heard. This is just a way to put focus on doing that better. If I can improve 1% every day – fantastic.
Do I always want to sit down and answer these questions?
No. Sometimes, especially at the end of the day, I’d rather close my laptop and give my brain a break.
But answering these, even half-heartedly, literally takes less than 10 minutes, and the compounding effect over time is noticeable.
(Hence the reason I’m recognizing it as a great growth tool).
YOUR TURN: What’s something you do consistently that helps your growth?
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