The 30-Second Summary:
- Daily: Spend 10 mins at EOD to set your "Big Two" for tomorrow
- Weekly: Review Friday afternoon to log wins and prepare for the upcoming week
- Why: Move from "busy" to "productive" & find more meaning in your work
Connecting today’s lessons to tomorrow’s tasks turns work into progress. All it takes is your phone and a Post-It note. Start small. This daily habit naturally scales into a weekly ritual with long-term results.
The 10-Minute Daily Handoff
- Reclaim 10 minutes. End your day early to clear your head and prep for tomorrow by handing off to-do's to your future self.
- Identify the 'Big Two.' List the two non-negotiable tasks for tomorrow. If it isn't essential, it isn't on the list.
- Aim for results. Verify each item. Ensure every task has a clear purpose and a defined outcome.²
- Make it visible. Place your note where you’ll see it first. Whether it’s on your laptop, your phone, or your monitor, ensure it’s the first thing you encounter tomorrow morning.
- Let it go. Making this list at the end of the work day will help you let go of work when you get home. Don’t worry, that Post-It note will be there in the morning, especially if you use Super Sticky Post-its.
Example to-do list
Two items. Total focus. By narrowing your daily scope to the two most critical tasks, you eliminate the friction of choice. Knowing exactly what must be completed before you head home makes it easier to maintain deep focus throughout the day
“Of all the events that have the power to excite people and engage them in their work, the single most important is making progress — even if that progress is a small win.” Teresa Amabile³
The Weekly Audit: Mapping Your Progress
- Look Back: Audit your calendar, sent emails, and recent files.
- Document: Record what you did, what you achieved, and what you learned.
- Bridge: Draft next week’s goals while the current week is fresh.
Example Weekly Reflection (individual contributor)
April 1–5
- Lunar Rover: Presented at design review. Outcome: Feedback received to iterate on data reports for better visibility of soil composition and mapping responses.
- Rocket boots: Added three how-to videos to the help section. Status: videos instrumented for analytics
- Offsite: Identified date (Wednesday Feb 12) and sent attendance survey. Next step: awaiting final count prior to purchasing passes
- Went to see Temple Grandin speaking on different types of brains. It made me think about how much my work is influenced by the way I see the world, literally. Temple Grandin on YouTube
Audit your output. Pay attention to three different signals to identify where you need to improve your work approach.
Signal 1: The list feels thin. you’re likely over-indexed on 'shallow work' like emails and meetings. Use this as a signal to realign your priorities toward measurable outcomes.
Signal 2: Lack of outcomes. If you have a tough time writing down what you accomplished, try to think incrementally about your work. Did you fix a bug? Choose a color palette? Resolve a nagging motion design issue? Those all count as progress.
Signal 3: Stalled learning. If you aren't learning, your inputs are too narrow. Diversify. Read a physical magazine outside your field or attend a talk. Cross-pollination sparks innovation.
Reflection takes less time than a mindless scroll than Linkedin or Instagram, but yields a much higher ROI: more focus, more pride in your progress, and a clearer path forward.
Tools:
- Daily: Keep it simple. Use Super Sticky Post-its for daily lists.
- Weekly: Make it findable. Use a cloud-based tool like Google Docs, Notion, or Notes - just make sure you can access it on the devices you use the most.
Citations & Inspiration
- Power of Self-Reflection through Epistemic Writing, William S. Brown, College Teaching , Vol. 46, №4 (Fall, 1998) , pp. 135–138 [source]
- Will it be Cheerios or Life Today, Robert C. Pozen and Justin Fox, September 27, 2010 [source]
- Why progress matters: 6 questions for Harvard’s Teresa Amabile, Daniel Pink and Teresa Amabile (August 9, 2011) [source]
- Effects of VDT and paper presentation on consumption and production of information: Psychological and physiological factors, Erik Wästlund, Henrik Reinikka, Torsten Norlander, Trevor Archer, Computers in Human Behavior Volume 21, Issue 2, March 2005, Pages 377–394 [source]
- Social Media Use, Statista [source]