Steal This 1 Daily Trick to Make Time & Joy Daily

Hey everyone, I’m releasing this podcast episode and companion post early because I didn’t want you to miss a special announcement coming Sunday the 18th. Just fill out this quick founding member form, and you’ll get an email straight to your inbox with the first look at Deep Work Days, including a massive discount and exclusive bonuses. Also, while this blog version distills the key insights into a tight why/what/how format, but for the full experience—with all the quirky, vulnerable stories with memorable insights—listen to the pod. I intentionally keep episodes around 20 minutes or less so they fit right into your day.Alright, onto today’s topic! Choosing one daily Highlight has quietly changed how I work, parent, and move through my days. Instead of treating my calendar like an endless to‑do list, I now give myself one tiny green box—a Highlight—that says, “If I do this, today counts.”Why I choose a daily HighlightJake Knapp and John Zeratsky , authors of Make Time, explain that the sweet spot for satisfaction is in activities that sit between long-term goals and tiny tasks. They write, “We believe focusing on activities that fall between long-term goals and short-term tasks is the key to slowing down, bringing satisfaction to your daily life, and helping you make time. Long-term goals point us in a direction, but they can make it hard to enjoy the work along the way. Endless tasks keep us busy, but without a focal point, “they fly by in a forgettable haze.”Their invitation—and now mine—is simple: begin each day by asking, “What do I want the highlight of my day to be?”What a Highlight looks like for meIn my Google Calendar, I pick one activity and color it emerald green, because green means growth to me. Sometimes it is deep focus on a project or lesson I’m creating; other days it is a walk with friends (hello Abby Marin and Leanna), a kids’ concert, or game night.Often, it’s gloriously ordinary. Recently, my Saturday Highlight was cleaning out my fridge, which had been quietly stressing me out for months. No one is clapping for that on the internet, but the wave of peace I feel every time I open the door and can actually see what’s inside is real. That one act removed a layer of background anxiety I hadn’t fully noticed.When the real Highlight surprises meNot every Highlight is planned. I’m currently doing a 28‑day gratitude practice using The Magic by Rhonda Byrne, where each night I review my day and choose the one moment I’m most grateful for. One night, despite having a couple of “calendar highlights,” the moment that broke me open was helping my six‑year‑old with his reading.It was messy and emotionally hard, not a cozy storybook scene. I’ve wondered if he might have a learning disability like me, and that question can make every phonics lesson feel heavy. That night, though, I realized how grateful I was to be in it with him—to be his person in the struggle—and I cried. I usually don’t often feel that kind of gratitude in tough parenting, and I’ve long believed parents who do are unicorns and that I’m an inferior species by comparison. That moment showed me that a Highlight isn’t always pretty; sometimes it’s the moment you stayed present in the mess and loved someone through it, including yourself.How you can start your own Highlight practiceKnapp and Zeratsky suggest beginning each day by asking what you hope will be the “bright spot.” “If, at the end of the day, someone asks you, ‘What was the highlight of your day?’ what do you want your answer to be? When you look back on your day, what activity or accomplishment or moment do you want to savor? That’s your Highlight.”Here’s a simple way to try it:* Look at your day and choose one thing that will make life feel lighter, more joyful, or more meaningful.* Put it on your calendar and mark it visually (green, if you like the growth symbolism as much as I do).* At the end of the day, notice: Was that truly the highlight, or did an unexpected moment steal the show? Let that inform tomorrow’s choice.Deep work, at least for me, isn’t about squeezing more in; it’s about choosing what matters and giving it the best of my attention. One small green block at a time.Experience Highlights in Deep Work DaysIf designing your days around one meaningful Highlight resonates, I invite you to join Deep Work Days, my upcoming micro-course that turns this practice—and other calendar-shaping tools—into a repeatable rhythm for busy leaders like you.​The presell opens Sunday the 18th with founding member pricing (a massive discount) plus exclusive bonuses. Fill out the founding member form today, and you’ll get the invite straight to your inbox on the 18th—before anyone else. One green block at a time, let’s make space for what actually matters. Get full access to Confessions of a Creative Leader at creativeleaderconfessions.substack.com/subscribe