10 quick tips to having a great day

There are plenty of different approaches to having a great day. And what is a great day for one person, might not be a great day for another person.

But there are some quick and easy universal things we can all do to dramatically increase the quality of our day, no matter what our definition of a great day is.

With most of these tips, you can spend as little as 5 minutes doing them and you’ll start seeing big results.

Here they are…

1. Plan your day

Take a few minutes and think about what you’d like the outcome of your day to be. Is it to just “get through” another day, or do you want it to be something more?

Next, briefly look over your schedule and your to-do’s and plan your day. You’ll feel more organized and prepared, ready to take on the day!

2. Smile and laugh more

Laughter is good for the heart and good for the soul. It has a way of refocusing, re-energizing, and resetting.

Our son, Jude, is giving us a great demonstration in the photo above!

3. Take photos and review them at the end of the day

This is one of Claudia’s favorite things to do. She says it helps her remember the all the good things that happened that day.

This can be especially helpful if it’s been a rough day!

4. Invest in your closest relationships

In the end, it’s our relationships that really matter. Do something special for your spouse or someone close to you. It doesn’t have to be much. It’ll make their day go better, and it’ll make yours go better as well.

“The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of your relationships.” -Anthony Robbins

5. Check-in with those around you

A lot can happen throughout the course of a day. Communicate with those around you and let them know what you’re thinking. Get everyone on the same page and working together as a unified team.

I’ve learned this is especially important in marriage!  😉

6. Gratitude

With pen and paper, write out a list of 25 things you’re grateful for. This is great to do any time of the day, but I especially like to end my day with this one. It’s been a real game-changer for me.

7. Make progress on an important project

I’ve been guilty of letting the urgent crowd out the important. But whenever I discipline myself to work on the longer-range important projects, I feel like I really accomplished something that day.

8. Write an encouraging note for someone

Take 3 minutes and write a short, encouraging note for someone. It’ll give both them and you a boost. We feel better when we encourage others.

“Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” -Proverbs 11:25

9. Turn your phone off

Most of us never actually power down our phones (me included!). Instagram, texting, and email are always just a touch away.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m in full support of technology and social media, but we need to have boundaries with it.

The few times I’ve actually powered down my phone, it’s been absolutely liberating.

Try it. I dare you!

10. Get up an hour early

There’s a good reason the first hour of the day is sometimes referred to as “the rudder of the day,” or “the golden hour.” It can be the difference between an outstanding day and a simply dreadful day.

Get up a little earlier and spend the time exercising, making progress on an important project, or reading, reflecting, and praying. You’ll experience a dramatic difference.

In closing…

These ten tips are quick and easy (well, with the exception of #10 if you’re not a morning person!), but will have a long-lasting, positive impact on your day.

You’d don’t have to jump in with all ten, but I hope you give at least one of them a try. And if you’d like to add anything, or suggest a tip of your own, just add that into the comment section below.

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Photo by Claudia Good