Photo by froodmat

5 Powerful Reasons to Make Reflection a Daily Habit, and How to Do It

It’s New Year’s Eve (where I live), and I’ve been doing a lot of reflection over the last year. It’s the perfect time of year to look back and reflect on what you’ve done right this year, to learn from what you’ve done.

And on further reflection, this habit of reflection is something that I’ve developed pretty strongly this year.

It’s actually one of the secrets to my success.

At least once a day, and more often several times a day, I reflect on my day, on my life, on what I’ve been doing right, and what isn’t working. I reflect on every aspect of my life, and from this habit of reflection, I am able to continuously improve.

Reflection is what gave me the topic of this post, and the tips that are to follow. Reflection is what gives me the content of every post I write here on Zen Habits.

I highly recommend that, if you haven’t yet, you develop the daily habit of reflection, in your own way. It could have profound changes on your life.

Here are but a few:

1. It helps you learn from your mistakes. If we don’t reflect on our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them. And that’s not very smart. However, if we reflect on those mistakes, figure out what went wrong, see how we can prevent them in the future, we can use our mistakes to get better. Mistakes, then, are a valuable learning tool, instead of something to feel embarrassed or upset about. Reflection is an important way to do that.

2. It gives you great ideas. Like I said, every single post idea that I have for Zen Habits (or other blogs I write for) comes from reflection. Basically, I reflect on things that I’m doing or that are going on in my life. If things aren’t going well, I learn stuff I can share with others. If I reflect on something that’s a success for me, I think about how I got that success, and share that too. I’ve had hundreds of great ideas this year from reflection.

3. It helps you help others. The ideas I get for posts are not just things I feel like writing about … they’re ways that I can share what I’ve learned to help others going through the same things. And this year, I’ve learned just how powerful that is. I began the year with the hope that some of the things I’ve learned in the past couple years can help others … and I’m ending the year with the profound realization of how such simple little tips can change people’s lives. I’ve had hundreds of emails from readers who tell me how little tips, like how to wake up early, or how to start the exercise habit, have changed their lives. That’s incredible. I’m overjoyed if I help people or inspire them.

4. It makes you happier. If you reflect on the things you did right, on your successes, that allows you to celebrate every little success. It allows you to realize how much you’ve done right, the good things you’ve done in your life. Without reflection, it’s too easy to forget these things, and focus instead on our failures.

5. It gives you perspective. Often we are caught up in the troubles or busy-ness of our daily lives. A mistake or a high-pressure project or something like that can seem like it means all the world. It can overwhelm us sometimes. But if we take a minute to step back, and reflect on these problems, and how in the grand scheme of things they don’t mean all that much, it can calm us down and lower our stress levels. We gain perspective, and that’s a good thing.

How to Make Reflection a Daily Habit
If reflection isn’t something you feel you do enough, consider making it a habit. Here are some suggestions for doing that:

1. Start a one-sentence journal. I picked up this trick from my friend Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project … basically, it’s the easy way to start the journaling habit. If you’ve tried and failed at journaling in the past, try the one-sentence journal. It’s a habit that you’ll love, especially when you look back on a year’s worth of entries.

2. Focus on doing it at the same time, every day. No exceptions. Even if you don’t start a one-sentence journal, get into the reflection habit by taking just a few minutes at the end of every day to reflect on your day. Journaling helps crystalize those reflections. Either way, whether you write it down or not, make reflection a daily habit. Write down your goal: what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, and where. Then focus on doing it every single day, same time, same place, no exceptions whatsoever. If you have a trigger (such as, “right after I brush my teeth”), this will help establish the habit. Otherwise, sign up for an online service that sends you a daily reminder at the same time each day.

3. Exercise. One of my favorite times to reflect (other than at the end of the day or while driving) is during one of my runs. I like to take that time to think about my life, and my work. Some of my best post ideas come during runs. If you don’t run or have some other form of daily exercise, consider just taking a walk and using that time for reflection. Make a daily appointment and don’t miss it!

4. Think about your day, your work, your life. In that order. I like to take a look back on my day, to think about what I did right and wrong, what could be improved. Then I take a look at my work, to see how things are going there. Then I step even further back and take a look at my life as a whole. It’s a three-step system that leads to a lot of improvement over time.

5. Write about it publicly. If you post your reflections on a blog, or a forum you belong to, or just on a LiveJournal account viewable to friends … you’re holding yourself accountable to a group of people. Your reflections are shared with others, and once people start to read them and expect them, you’ll feel that positive public pressure to keep it up. That’s what has happened with this blog, and it’s been a great thing for me.

Have you reflected on the past year yet? What are some of the highlights for you? How do you use reflection in your daily life? Let us know in the comments or continue the discussion in the Zen Habits forums.

5 Powerful Reasons to Make Reflection a Daily Habit, and How to Do It

And on further reflection, this habit of reflection is something that I’ve developed pretty strongly this year.

It’s actually one of the secrets to my success.

Reflection is what gave me the topic of this post, and the tips that are to follow. Reflection is what gives me the content of every post I write here on Zen Habits.

I highly recommend that, if you haven’t yet, you develop the daily habit of reflection, in your own way. It could have profound changes on your life.

Here are but a few:

How to Make Reflection a Daily Habit
If reflection isn’t something you feel you do enough, consider making it a habit. Here are some suggestions for doing that:

Spewed into the world on 30 December 2007 in Habits |
Print |
Awesome Archives

Brilliant comments (45)

Ben Says:

December 30th, 2007, 23:36 pm

I used to be so lukewarm towards journaling now I couldn’t imagine going through a day without it. The process of getting your thoughts out of you and onto a page is essential to personal success.

Mina @ [The Monkey Pod] Says:

December 30th, 2007, 23:52 pm

Great post.

I like the idea of daily reflections, particularly a one sentence journal. Whether the daily reflection is in a form of prayer, journal entries, or whatever it may be, perhaps we all should have a mantra of some sort — a song in our heart, a dance in our soul that encourages us to strive for the greatness within.

Adam Kamerer - JoyChaser.com Says:

December 31st, 2007, 0:08 am

I like to use the moments before I fall asleep to reflect on my day; I don’t write it down, but I sort of record it mentally. I’ve found that turning off the lights and listening to some purely non-lyrical music while I think and reflect helps.

Peter Says:

December 31st, 2007, 1:58 am

Completely agree with the importance of making reflection a daily habit. Blogging and the one sentence journal are two habits that I had picked up this year - they have both helped me tremendously to put things in perspective and map out the direction I want my life to take.

Damien Says:

December 31st, 2007, 2:17 am

Journaling is a must for thinking types. Whether its online or not, you gotta make time for it. Great reminder.

pavs Says:

December 31st, 2007, 2:25 am

Absolutely awesome post. I have marked 2008 as the year of my personal development. This will definately give me a boost up in the right direction. Thank you very much Leo. :)

Jason Evans Says:

December 31st, 2007, 2:26 am

I started regular journalling almost a year ago and it has been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. I tried keeping a journal in the past, but they were all in spiral notebooks and it was all too easy to stop writing, tear out the pages, and then use the notebook for something else. I’ve found that writing regularly becomes much easier with a dedicated journal. If I ever need more motivation than the pleasure of writing and reflecting itself, I just think of how much my future kids or grandchildren will appreciate having something to remember me by. I lost both my parents by the age of 18, and I wish that they had kept a journal of their own so that I could have had the chance to know them better as individuals, and not just as my parents. I would highly recommend journalling to anyone and it would be a great New Years resolution for anyone willing to make the commitment.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

December 31st, 2007, 2:29 am

Journaling has worked out pretty well for me. I’ve kept one since I was 14 and reading over some of those entries now makes me realize just how much I’ve grown. I can’t recommend it highly enough! And Happy New Year to all Zen Habits supporters!

Kenneth - Guy From Success Blog Says:

December 31st, 2007, 3:39 am

Yup, instead of people writing dairy. Blogging is one of the good way to make reflection in life.

For me, sometimes when I realize I did a mistake. I would hold in mind and think over and over again on how I will behave the next time when the same things happened

Warren Says:

December 31st, 2007, 4:37 am

I kept a journal for a while but being that I am a writer, I often wrote too much and the task became overwhelming. The one sentence entry is a good idea I think I will try in 2008!

Tess Says:

December 31st, 2007, 5:50 am

I like this idea of a one-sentence journal and I think that will become my January habit.
One of the things I value about Benedictine spirituality (which is precious to me) is that built in to the rhythms of the day is an office (a service, in the chapel if you’re part of a community or by yourself if not) at the end of the day called Compline, in which we reflect on the day just gone and settle into the night to come.
Leo, since I found your blog a few months ago, what you’ve written has been enormously helpful. I’ve recommended it to several friends, and no-one has failed to be enthusiastic. So a big thank you.
And happy 2008 to all ZH readers!

Sandra Says:

December 31st, 2007, 6:20 am

Sounds like a good idea. One comment re: Adam Kamerer’s method, though, is that if you tend to be a worrier or have trouble sleeping, that is *not* a very good time or method for reflection; it is actually much more recommended that you write down any thoughts/worries that might keep you up before you turn in for the night.

Tabatha Says:

December 31st, 2007, 6:42 am

i have been keeping a journal since 2000, and i don’t know what i would do without it. i seriously think it is the only thing that keeps me sane. i don’t know if i could just do one sentence but i think i have a habit of writing to much so i think cutting it down would be a good idea. I’ve tried to get other people in journaling, people i thought would be good at it, and benefit from it, but it hasn’t always worked out that way, but i don’t think i could ever give it up. whenever i didn’t have computer access i would scribble in a note book just to get things out.

Andrew Mason Says:

December 31st, 2007, 7:43 am

I have found keeping a journal quite hard. However, great post and it is something that will be looked at for the future.

I have enough on my plate looking forward and dealign with all the tasks involved in running 5 companies, a house, wife, and four kids :)

Happy New year!

Keala Says:

December 31st, 2007, 8:15 am

I used to be very good at this. Seems that lately I have put it off.

Thanks for this post. I must start this daily reflections again. That journaling helps tremendously.

Kavit Haria Says:

December 31st, 2007, 8:18 am

I have been journalling for years now and it is the best tool I can recommend to use whether regularly or irregularly. Absolutely phenomenal.

Michelle Dawn Says:

December 31st, 2007, 8:31 am

I absolutely love the one sentence journal idea. What a great way to start 2008!

kali Says:

December 31st, 2007, 10:00 am

a very wise post, leo.

i agree with the journaling part and there seems to be lots of enthusiasm for it from your readers.

for myself i would like to emphasize the ‘thinking’ part - sit very still in a quiet place (eg. try sitting crosslegged on your pillow first thing in the morning) and ‘watch’ yourself breathing….. the brain/consciousness is like an iceberg - at any given time only one eighth of it is above the surface and accessible to awareness. practising meditation/reflection (with patience and quiet- as you would if you were birdwatching….) will allow glimpses of the other 7/8

leo how about a post later on about ‘the zen of meditation’: you are so good at demystifying …..

Mrs Mom Says:

December 31st, 2007, 10:22 am

Our yearly reflection brought about a startling revelation for my husband and I- while there were some very rough spots, such as a second knee surgery and the fall out from that, overall 2007 was fantastic. It also allowed us to plot our 2008 goals easier, and we added in a “review” in six months to check our progress.

As an equine lameness rehabilitator, daily reflection is CRUCIAL. It allows me to track the progress of each horse in my care, and note what may need to be changed or adjusted in order for that particular horse to heal. It also marks progess, and allows me to make note of treatments that are particullarly effective.

And as a Mom of two very young and very busy boys, daily reflection takes on a life of its own. Our boys, ages 2 and 3, and I sit each night before bedtime and we talk about the day we have had. I thought it would be too much for a 3 year old mind to comprehend, but lo and behold, they both enjoy it! An added bonus is they fall asleep faster and seem to be sleeping better.

I am sorry for any typos here- my 2 year old is snuggled up on my lap, helping!

Happy New Year All!

Andrew Brunelle Says:

December 31st, 2007, 10:39 am

I reflect quite a bit all the time. I even reflect on my reflections. Sometimes I go even more levels deep. I keep a journal on LIveJournal, a blog on my website, located in the link where my name is, and I write quite a bit when I am out in the world. It keeps me on track to where I need to be. We all need to check ourselves before we wreck ourselves. I would also open you all up to the idea of automatic writing, where you write from your subconscious solely and you have no idea what is coming out of you, but when you go back and read it, it is usually some profound suff. Peace.

Cory Huff Says:

December 31st, 2007, 11:02 am

I often reflect on my relationship with my wife. I know that the only way that I can reach her is by making myself a little better each day, so I tend to think on how I could be better, and what have I done to make her happy. It’s made our relationship golden.

I’m a big fan of journaling, but blogging has made me much less of a journaler because I end up writing down my thoughts there.

In reflection, I’ve noticed that in 2007 I focused too much on money and not enough on other goals. In 2008 I hope to achieve other goals and allow the money to just flow to me without stressing.

Lance.Hill Says:

December 31st, 2007, 11:45 am

This is a great post! I’ve never been much of a journaling type. Seems I have kept them on a few trips to arizona ad such but never really got into it. One of my goals for this next year is to start keeping a journal of accounts and reflections. I think this will help me immensely as I will be able to look back on things in the day/week/year.

I’ve recently started a blog and I think this will also help me to reflect and keep me more accountable for the things I want to do. Being in business, you always need others to stand behind you and push you towards your goals.

I think I am going to convince my girlfriend to do this with me so we can hold each other accountable. Thanks for a great post.

Sally Says:

December 31st, 2007, 12:47 pm

re the one sentence journal, others seem to have been able to access the full article but I can’t get the link to work. Could someone please explain the concept more fully for me ?

Margi Says:

December 31st, 2007, 12:53 pm

As always, I enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas. I’ve sent your blog to several friends and they really like it too.

I love the idea of a one sentence journal so much that I created a LiveJournal account. It is for friends’ eyes only at this point. I’m excited to have something to do every day!

This also goes along with a gift I received this year. I have been into the ideas behind The Secret since I first watched the movie in 2006. I realize there is a lot of “hokey-ness” about the show, and I realize it’s a lot of slick marketing. However, the basic principles and the things I took from the movie go hand in hand with this blog and others like it. In keeping with my interests, I received The Secret’s “gratitude book” as a gift this year. I already wrote in it three things I was grateful for this morning as I left for work: my health, my husband, and my job.

Thanks, Leo, and here’s to a great 2008 for you and all ZH readers!

Hunter Nuttall Says:

December 31st, 2007, 13:29 pm

Frequent reflection is important, and making it a daily habit is a great idea. I’ve never understood why most people need to wait until New Year’s before they can reflect on their life. Having said that, Happy New Year!

DevKm Says:

December 31st, 2007, 14:28 pm

2008 is 5 minutes away, am glad I found this blog. Thanks a ton for all the good stuff packed in. Happy New Year … !

Khurt L Williams Says:

December 31st, 2007, 14:56 pm

In the past I have attempted to keep a journal; what my wife calls the blue notebook. This year I will recommit to keep that journal and continuing to use it through out the year.

Liara Covert Says:

December 31st, 2007, 15:17 pm

Life is so much more meaningful when we choose to self-reflect and decide to learn from our past experiences. May 2008 and beyond bring you new reasons to love yourself, others, and also cherish everything that happens.

Mrs. Micah Says:

December 31st, 2007, 15:19 pm

One thing I love to do is take walks with my husband and reflect on things together. Sometimes we just discuss ideas, or we may reflect on our plans for life or a blog post I can’t seem to write or his dissertation ideas…it’s very nice and helps us feel connected. :)

Mark Says:

December 31st, 2007, 15:39 pm

In the last year or so I have really become consistent on daily reflection. Prior to that I didn’t really do any. It seemed like one day a switch was thrown and I started. I use my workouts (biking,running) to do most of the reflecting but my blog is a new outlet that I am learning to use effectively.

My wife and I also take walks and just discuss things that are happening. Getting out of the house to do that really seems to help clarify things.

GrannyGamer Says:

December 31st, 2007, 15:50 pm

Great idea! I tend to do all my reflection on New Year’s eve and it’s depressing because I always realize I haven’t made progress on any of last year’s ‘resolutions.’

Hopefully, by making reflection — and one-sentence journaling (great idea!) — a part of my daily life, maybe I’ll keep my goals in the front of my mind and actually take steps to achieve them.

Liz Says:

December 31st, 2007, 17:15 pm

Thanks, Leo, for all of the wonderful posts. I am constantly finding inspiration and self-improvement tools on your site. I am so positive heading into 2008. I feel like it’s finally going to be MY year when I make the changes in my life that I need to make.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Angel Says:

December 31st, 2007, 17:54 pm

Hey, thanks for this post, really it made me understand a lot of things xD

Sally Says:

December 31st, 2007, 18:48 pm

Well, I suppose I am reflecting upon why no one has considered responding to my genuine request for information concerning this concept of the “one sentence journal” !

Dr. Kirk Laman Says:

December 31st, 2007, 21:39 pm

Great post. I’ve used journaling to help people improve their health. I love the idea of the one-sentence journal- so fabulous I had to write about it.

http://blog.drkirklaman.com/2007/12/31/one-sentence-journaling-a-way-to-improve-your-heart-health/

Trixi Says:

December 31st, 2007, 22:35 pm

@ SALLY: Here’s the URL for the link that has been eluding you (perhaps you can copy & paste it into your browser)
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2007/08/why-i-started-k.html

Just in case it doesn’t work for you (the url, that is): the concept is that you aim to write one sentence per day ~ something significantly notable for you, perhaps, or just an observation or reflection of some sort on a *nothing special* day. This doesn’t mean you are limited to only one sentence ~ you can certainly write more if time and inclination allow. But you commit only to writing that one sentence on a daily basis.

Craig A. DeLarge Says:

December 31st, 2007, 23:14 pm

This is a very useful and timely post. The last few years I have begun reflecting more myself. I halffound it very useful as part of a growing yoga and meditation practice. It has not only helped me in my personal growth, but has given me insights from my experience that have blessed me to help others in my roles as a manager and coach. In fact, this coming year I intend to do an even better job of journaling my reflections as I have adopted Dragon Naturally Speaking 9 as a way of getting my thoughts down while resting my hands from use of the keyboard. This will greatly help the repetitive stress in my hands. I highly recommend it!

Maura Says:

January 1st, 2008, 2:11 am

I often get too caught up in reflecting and forget the doing part of life. The one sentence journal is a wonderful solution - though I will give myself permission to exceed the limitation from time to time :)

Happy New Year everyone!

riva Says:

January 1st, 2008, 13:36 pm

I ‘ve always been a reflector. Have kept diaries since I was a kid. And I blog at magic-medicine-workshop.blogspot.com with the intention that my experiences and insights will inspire others in their life and creativity.

Aurooba Says:

January 1st, 2008, 18:12 pm

The one sentence journal reminds me of a children’s novel I read once, The Borrowers, where one of the main characters used to write down a single sentence that described the day for each day of the year, because they were poor and couldn’t afford more journals, she split each pages into tiny ‘pages’ which had only space for one sentence.

Exercising is the best time, I find to reflect. It not only acts as the act of reflection but a sort of way to meditate and look at your life in an indifferent way. It calms me and makes me ready for whatever it is that I have to do next.

kymly Says:

January 2nd, 2008, 5:56 am

motherhood and “wifehood” takes up most of my day, but I find that trying to find time to reflect - either through blogging, taking the time to be alone in my room for a short span of time, or even while cleaning the bathroom - no matter how short in a day, helps me be calmer in my world where diapers rule, and my husband has the power of the remote. Great post!

Opus Vir Says:

January 2nd, 2008, 10:07 am

I have been doing a single sentence blog for a couple of months now and it has helped to reflect on the days events. Very useful post, thank you.

Henry Says:

January 2nd, 2008, 14:40 pm

I use to pray every evening, thus I reflect while I pray. And when I’m in the Bathroom, I just look into the mirror and think to myself “How was the day?”.
(If there are any Grammar-Mistakes I beg your pardon, I don’t speak English very well ;))

Vince Chiaro Says:

January 5th, 2008, 16:06 pm

This is good advice. I often find myself reflecting, usually when I have a lot of time alone (like when my wife is out of town). Since I don’t have television to plop down in front of I tend to think a lot during those times. And I find it very rewarding.

My biggest problem is that I’ve historically failed to write this stuff down post-reflection. I’ll babble on to my wife about what I figured out during a moment of self-reflection and then a week later I find myself asking her “What was it that I learned about myself that was so important last week?” It’s painful to not remember this stuff and in 2008 I plan to blog about more of it — perhaps even a sentence a day.

Roopesh Says:

July 8th, 2008, 14:04 pm

Awesome post!! I stumbled upon your blog recently and am grateful for that.The tips on how to make reflecting a daily habit are easy yet powerful. I have decided to start my one line journal from today onwards. Hope I can keep the momentum going forward. Also plan on posting reg this on my blog .
Also this is the first comment I have ever posted.
Keep up the good work!

Incoming (15)

advertise

Uncopyright