High note

Work.

This one word sums up an entire orchestra of feelings that makes us who we are at seven in the morning. It can inspire, stimulate, drag, tire, or frustrate us. It’s a combination of things that happen daily, usually between 8am and 5pm, sometimes more hours, rarely less. We know, and fear, that it isn’t the mountain ahead that wears us out – it’s the grain of sand in our shoes that we walk in daily. We have an awful a lot of sandy shoes these days.

To ease our mornings, an activity the day before is key.

Tracking our progress is the single largest day-to-day motivator on the job, says Daniel Pink in “When: the scientific secrets of perfect timing”. Yet we don’t track our progress because we rush out of work or we hit submit, never taking the time to properly “cool-down”.

Instead of fleeing, we’re better off reserving the final five minutes of work for a few small deliberate actions that bring the day to a fulfilling close. Write down what you accomplished since morning for 2 minutes, and the 2 other minutes are for making a general plan for the following day. This will help you close the door on today and energize you for tomorrow. Write it your way, as a cartoon sketch, a number of icons, a song recorded on voice note, or any other way that helps you enjoy this task more than dread it. This will help you end, and start, your day on a high note.

For an added wellbeing bonus, the last minute is one of gratitude. Send one person who was part of your today’s accomplishments a thank you note for being there.