I have started bookending my day: getting up early to anticipate the day, and then taking the time to complete an evening review.  

Morning is a challenge. I am not a morning person. So, I always have an internal debate about getting up or staying in bed. I just want to stay in bed.  

But when I get up, I know I made the right choice.  

It is quieter. There is nothing scheduled, no phone calls, no urgent emails. I have time to reflect, to think, to anticipate the day. I am more industrious – going to the gym or writing. It allows me to own the day, getting the most important things done first. 

I also have more time. I am not rushed, feeling pressured to get out the door. Instead, I prepare for the day, setting goals and intentions. I also think about how and where I can improve.  

It never feels natural to get up early, but it does feel like I started the day off right.  

Then, in the evening, I take time to complete an evening review. This is where I reflect on the day. I do this by journaling, through discussion with my husband, or by taking a walk. 

During this time, I consider the goals I set for myself in the morning. I reflect on where things went right in my day and where I missed the mark. I check to see if I did all I was capable of doing or if I missed an opportunity. I analyze my habits to see if I could have done something more efficiently or if I should have taken more time. I also think about my interactions with others, considering where I could have been more patient, where I could have used a gentler tone, or where I should have pushed a little more.  

We often do not look back on our day. Instead, we focus or anticipate our next steps. But our future plans are based on our past, and improvement is unlikely without self-reflection. Likewise, success is unlikely without a thoughtful plan of action. 

As Ryan Holiday says, “Beauty and great pleasures are found in the beginnings and endings, the seed being planted, the fruit at harvest, the rise and fall of the sun.” 

We too can reap greater rewards from the day by spending time at the beginning and end of it with intentional planning and thoughtful reflection.  

Improvement and increased success are likely. You can’t help but improve.  

As a challenge this week, I encourage you to try bookending your day. It only takes a few minutes to do. See what happens.