There’s no guarantee that tomorrow will be an easy day, but there are a few things you can do today to stack the odds in your favor. I’ve come to believe that these little moments of delayed gratification are one of the primary inputs to a successful and happy life.
When you take two minutes today to make tomorrow better, what you’re really doing is acting kindly toward your future self. You’re saying, “Future self, I want you to have a great day, and I’m willing to help you out.” How great is it to have your favorite person (you) looking out for you each and every day?
The beauty of these small gestures is not the time they save you, but the little snowball of momentum they give you at the start of a new day. When you feel good, you do good—then you keep doing well as you make good choices that compound on themselves. The list that follows is just a starting point for inspiration—a few things that have been particularly helpful to my wife or me.
7 Actions for an Easier Tomorrow
There’s nothing particularly magical about this list. In fact, if you’re like me, you’ll probably think that it isn’t bold enough and that the actions are too small to really matter. That’s the mindset of someone who waits around for the perfect idea before taking action. Once you try these, you might never go back.
1. Review Tomorrow’s Calendar
Take a look and see what’s on the schedule. Just being aware of what’s going on and where you need to be will eliminate any surprises. Make sure you have enough time between activities, with a little buffer so you can smell the roses along the way.
2. Write a List of Priorities
I’m not one for detailed plans or extensive to-do lists. If that’s your preference, go for it. All you really need is to write down the important things you need to get done. The special sauce here isn’t in being comprehensive—it’s in deciding what’s most important, which only takes a couple of minutes.
3. Lay Out Your Next Day’s Clothes
Laying out your clothes doesn’t really save you time. You’re either going to do it in the evening or in the morning. But there’s something nice about waking up and seeing your clothes already picked out and folded with care, just ready to be put on. If you have an exercise outfit, lay that out with your sneakers to nudge you in that direction.
4. Tidy Your Main Living Area
You can get most of the benefits of a tidy house by spending just two minutes cleaning up the main room. For most of us, that’s either the kitchen or the living room. If that happens to be the only orderly sanctuary in your house, you may enjoy it all the more—and be inspired to tackle another room.
5. Prep Your Coffee Maker Before Bed
I don’t drink coffee, but my wife swears by this little trick. Every night after she brushes her teeth, she heads to the kitchen and gets everything prepped for her morning French press. Then when she wakes up, she’s only a few minutes away from a warm drink.
6. Stage Items That Need to Go by the Front Door
The theme that ties all of these habits together is that it’s much easier to finish something that’s already started than to start from a standstill. If you can stack those overdue library books or Amazon return boxes right next to the front door, you’ll probably feel compelled to get them where they need to go. Those two minutes of effort today significantly increase your odds of finishing the job tomorrow.
7. Do a Quick Brain Dump of Any Loose Thoughts
One common source of anxiety or distraction is having loose thoughts flying around your brain when you’re trying to go about your day. Since you’re too busy to fully stop and think about them, they end up nagging at you all day long. Simply knowing that you’ll make time to process random thoughts can bring about relief—telling your brain that it doesn’t have to worry so much.
These two-minute habits are so powerful, in my experience, that simply picking one at random and trying it out will probably make you a believer. They show that the hard part is simply getting started—once you’re in motion and have some momentum, it’s easy to keep going forward. So don’t overthink your habits. Just start stacking a few small ones and see where they take you.
