#64
Setting a daily intention can help you focus your energy on the right things.
Where your attention goes is where your energy flows.
So let’s say your goal for the working week ahead is to “be a better leader”. Each day you can set an intention that helps you progress with that goal:
Monday: “Today I will listen with more empathy.”
Tuesday: “Today I will ask more questions.”
Wednesday: “Today I will connect with new people.”
Thursday: “Today I will invest in learning.”
Friday: “Today I will make time to reflect on the areas where I can improve.”
A daily intention helps you create an anchor that brings you to the present moment and aligns your efforts throughout the day.
You can repeat daily intentions if you feel like one day is not enough for a specific task or if your agenda follows a similar pattern 2-3 days in a row.
The great thing about daily intentions is that you can set them at any point of the day.
Morning: When you set a daily intention in the morning, you can adjust your to-do list to match what you wish to focus on in the next few hours.
Lunch: You can use your lunch break to understand where you wish to focus your energy in the afternoon. Breaking the day in two halves will help you direct your attention with more clarity in the second half, especially if you have a busy morning that is bound to be disruptive to your flow.
Ad hoc: While this may be a more unconventional option, you can set an intention before entering specific meetings, so that you can try different means of communication. Some people prefer a more direct approach which names exactly what needs to be done, and others like to spend time brainstorming different options before they committing to action points.
Working smarter starts with you. Every day is an opportunity to try new ways of doing things and expand your understanding of the world (internally and externally).
