Management Tip of the Day: Keep a Work Diary

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile JANUARY 10, 2013 Keep a Work Diary What's the best way to use the last 10 minutes of your day? Take this short time to reflect on your workday: what invigorated you, what frustrated you, and what you plan to do next. Then write down 100 words about it. Depending on what you choose to write, the exercise may serve to motivate you as you keep a record of your "small wins," incremental steps toward meaningful goals. Or it may help you to plan if you use it as a tool for drafting your next steps. You may find that writing fuels your personal growth. The diary can also be a way of working through your difficult events, helping you gain new perspectives on them. On frustrating days, it can serve as a reminder that you've made it through days that (at the time) seemed even worse. Today's Management Tip was adapted from the HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done. Buy the book and learn more about prioritizing your workload » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Ebook Now Available Is your workload slowing you — and your career — down? Learn how to get the right work done. Whether you're a new professional or an experienced one, this guide will help you prioritize and stay focused, work less but accomplish more and stop bad habits and develop good ones. Not only will you end each day knowing you made progress — your improved productivity will also set you apart from the pack. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS 3 Ways to Get People to Change What You Really Want from an Informational Interview Forget Self-Esteem. You Need Self-Compassion. Create Dramatic Tension to Persuade Your Audience Put Mundane Decisions on Autopilot Know the Impression Your Body Language Makes Proactively Manage Your Digital Reputation Help Your Team Mind Their Manners Make the Job More Like a Game Keep Your Network Active All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's 10 Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2013 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)