Daily Wins: Write 3 items you want to accomplish today on a sticky note.
Do you ever feel like it’s all too much? Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.
PROJECT OF THE WEEK
Daily Wins: Write 3 items you want to accomplish today on a sticky note.
While this idea may be simple, it can have a profound impact on both your productivity and your sense of accomplishment.
The task of writing down what we want to accomplish, allows us focus our attention and forces us to prioritize.
When deciding on what to choose for your "Daily Wins", your best choices are often tasks that are already on your calendar. The goal of this task is not to add items to your current list, but rather to help you see what you need to do to consider your day a success.
There are two options for when to do this task. Many find it helpful to write this out the night before when they are winding down their day. Others prefer to do it in the morning.
Getting Started
Start by writing down 1 "Win" that is important and 2 "Wins" that are simple to accomplish, but also necessary.
A few examples:
Pay monthly bills
Order light bulbs on Amazon
Book plane tickets for Florida trip.
Create a presentation for Smith client
Write birthday cards for next month
Return voicemail from Grandma
Email proposal to Smith client
Do laundry (sheets & towels)
Put laundry away
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Set an alarm: Use your phone alarm and have it repeat daily, as you are forming this new habit. Make sure to label the alarm; for example, "Write Down Daily Wins."
You may want to keep the alarm, even after the new habit feels formed. Otherwise, it's easy to get out of the habit, following a vacation, travel, or as your morning & evening routine shifts.
Use your calendar: When writing down your "Daily Wins", take a look at your calendar to see when you have time to complete each "Win". If you think the "Win" will take 10 minutes or less, you probably don't need to schedule it on your calendar. If you expect the "Win" to take more than 10 minutes, I would recommend adding it to your calendar at the time you want to complete it. For the "Win" that is important, it is likely that this will always need a scheduled time. For the "Wins" that you expect to take 10 minutes or less, I would recommend adding them to the "All Day" portion of your calendar.
Follow-through: it may be that three wins are a little too much to start. One option is to start with one daily win. It's always better to plan small and follow through.
It could also be that your day is already over-scheduled. If you check your calendar and realize there is no extra time in your day, then it would be better to either not add any "Daily Wins" or add one or two quick "Daily Wins".
For example, if you plan your week around scheduling all your client meetings on Mondays and Tuesdays, it would make sense not to schedule any additional important tasks on those days.
However, if you find that many of your days are over-scheduled and this is preventing you from accomplishing tasks that are important, but not urgent, I would recommend reviewing your schedule, seeing what can be eliminated, and proactively holding times on your calendar for what's important to you.
Remember, important tasks and activities may be work-related, but they could also be your daughter's soccer game, opening a retirement account, or spending a long weekend with friends.
A Note from Happy Spaces
The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:
Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.
We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.
Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®
Sincerely,
Sarah Weingarten
Meet Sarah
Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.