5 Lessons learned from daily check-ins

**I’ve discovered some old posts that I saved as drafts for one reason or another, this is a post that I originally wrote on June 25, 2018. I thought it was worth sharing since I’m launching my 4X System this week! ;)**

After a mediocre start to the year, I decided that I needed to step things up so I could feel good about the first half of the year. I’m almost 60 days into this experiment and here is what I’ve learned so far:

1. Writing your goals down on a daily basis has an impact

   I’ve been using my Level Up Journal for this experiment and it asks me to set my main goal(s) for the next 90 days and each day asks me to state what that goal is. I love the daily reminder of what I’m working towards. As I write down the things I want to do each day, I’m reminded of where these activities are supposed to lead me.

2. Setting daily intentions helped you maintain focus

   Writing down the 2-3 things I plan to achieve each day makes it clear where I should be focusing my energy. I never start my day wondering what I should do today. I write the next day’s intentions the night before to make sure that I start my day with focus and clarity. Unplanned things might come up, but I know what important tasks require my time each day.

3. There’s always time for gratitude

   There’s space in the journal for positive thoughts and gratitude. I appreciate the daily reminder to give thanks for life’s blessings. Regardless of how unproductive my day might have seemed, there is always something to be grateful for. This really helps to shift perspective when I’ve had a rough day. What’s pretty cool is that even the rough days have been productive days so far!

4. Reflect, review, revise

   Each day there’s a page dedicated to reflecting on the day I’ve had. It asks what good things happened today, which allows me to celebrate my wins. It also prompts me to review what didn’t work so well and asks me what I plan to do differently to make sure I don’t run into the same obstacles again. I’ve seen patterns in the answers I give in this section each day and it serves as a reminder of the areas I still need to work on if I want to increase my productivity and effectiveness.

5. Time is never the issue

   I’ve been amazed at what I have achieved in less than 2 months! Some of these things are tasks that have been on my to-do list for months. It wasn’t that I miraculously found more time or discovered my Fairy Godmother to help out with the work. The difference was that I took the time each day to plan out my days and review my progress. As I celebrated the small wins, it challenged me to see what else is possible. Getting clear on what wasn’t working helped me to make adjustments as necessary.

I’ve found a tool that works to help me stay focused and on track with my goals. After these first 90 days are over, I plan to do it all over again, with goals that stretch me even further and help me make this year one of my most productive yet! Would you like to join me?

I’m launching my 4X System on Monday, November 2nd! When you register you’ll get your own copy of the Level Up Journal as well as a Productivity Planner! You can learn more when you visit https://eyd4xsystem.paperform.co/ ♥