How to go to bed each night feeling like you got shit done

I used to end my days feeling drained, wondering what I got done. Most productivity advice focuses on fitting more stuff into your day. They are about tasks — not energy.

I do something different now. While my to do list is never shorter at the end of the day, I go to bed every night feeling like I'm accomplishing a lot and crushing my goals.

Every day needs a highlight.

You're going to tackle a bunch of tasks every day, but there's one task buried in that list that's more important than the rest. If you want to spend your days feeling like you're getting shit done, you have to identify it — and get it done.

Here's how I do it, step by step — and it takes less than five minutes:

1/ What's the most important thing I'll do today?

It's not important because other people say it is, or because it's supposed to be. It's more important because it's the task that will make me feel the best to get done.

On a random weekday for me, it might be publishing a video or putting on a stellar workshop. On a Saturday, it might be visiting a new winery in Napa with my wife.

What's it for you? Imagine lying in bed at the end of the day. What's the one thing you you can get done today that will make that reflection feel good? That's your highlight.

2/ Intentionally make space for it.

This is the easy part. If you pick a highlight that takes less than a couple of hours, you can use any one of the usual productivity tricks — calendar blocking, distraction-free time, etc. The key is to plan in advance exactly how you're going to make time for it.

3/ Reflect on what worked — and what didn't.

I don't always succeed, but I learn from my failures — and successes. I end each day by reflecting on what worked for me (and what didn't), picking my highlight, and then making time for it. Today will end well, and tomorrow is going to be another great day.

(Shoutout to Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky for introducing me to this concept)