How to Have a Good

Day

Who has never had a bad day? In this work, author

Caroline Webb uses discoveries in the area of behavioral
science, psychology, and neuroscience to help us
overcome or at least reduce the stress and difficulties that
generate bad days for many of us. By better understanding
brain function and our decision-making process, Webb
explains how to apply that knowledge in our day-to-day
life to learn how to deal with challenging situations. Do
you want to learn how to turn a bad day into a good day?
Want to find out how some actions can motivate you and
help you work better? Come with us!

Turn a Bad Day Into a Good Day

Most of us can imagine one of those good days at work,

where we are at our best. We are full of ideas, we can
handle any problem and even get along with that co-
worker.

Of course, not every day can be that good. But by

following some of the advice here, you'll be able to turn
almost every day into at least a good day.
Discover Scientific Advances That Have Changed

Everything

Certain advances in science have given us very important

insights into how we can create a better day.

Some of these advances are:

Our brain is based on two systems. The brain works in

parallel with two opposing systems. The deliberate system
is our conscious, slow and rational thinking. The
automatic system is the subconscious, fast and instinctive.
For example, the deliberate system calculates a tip of 15%
while the automatic system makes you run before a car
hits you when crossing a street.

Our mind and body are interconnected in ways we cannot

understand. For example, we knew that happiness leads
us to smile, but we did not know that smiling (regardless
of how you feel) will make you happier.

The axis of discovery-defense is another perception. We

are constantly moving on an axis, anchored at one end by
a defensive perspective, waiting for an attack at any
moment. While on the other end, we are anchored by a
state of discovery, looking for rewarding experiences.

In addition to the above scientific findings, there are

seven important concepts for you to have a good day:
 Priorities: Defining the intentional direction of your
day.
 Productivity: using your daytime in the best way.
 Relationships: maintaining productive and positive
interactions.
 Thinking: Making good choices, being creative and
smart.
 Influence: maximizing the impact of what you say or do.
 Resilience: overcoming obstacles and hassles.
 Energy: generating enthusiasm and satisfaction.

Define Your Intentions, Organize, And Make

Plans

Have you ever caught yourself wishing the end of a day

and feeling like it was a total waste? Here are some tips to
help you minimize this feeling.

First, make clear your intentions for each day. Try to

eliminate any activity you know that hinders you from
reaching your goals.

For example, one of the author's clients, Martin, is the

Strategic Director of an aircraft manufacturer. He noted
that whenever he felt overwhelmed with his daily chores,
he ended up doing distracting habits, like checking new
sites.
Therefore, to increase your productivity, identify those
distracting habits that hinder you, and focus on avoiding
them. Keep your eyes on everyday goals.

Second, organize your goals using positive languages.

Goals put in this way can also be called positive goal-
setting. That is, goals that affirm the positive outcome you
want to achieve, such as "making my product irresistible".
The opposite would be avoidable goals, such as "stop
losing customers".

There is research that advocates the benefits of this

strategy. A 1997 study found that students using positive
goals setting improved their performance, while others
using avoidable goals worsened.

Third, make a plan "then when .." to prepare for obstacles

that may appear on the way to your goals.

Notice the author, Caroline Webb, for example. When she

set up her own consulting firm and no longer had a boss
waiting for her at work at 9 am, she was tempted to sleep
and throw away her mornings.

Then she committed to a "then when" plan to overcome

this obstacle. "When I wake up, I'll go for a quick walk
first, and then I'll check my e-mails. This little rule helped
her get out of bed and face her every day in a good mood."
Keep Focused And Organized

Calendars filled with tasks at work make it much easier to

feel overwhelmed. Let's think of some ways to handle
these situations.

First, the physical. Stand on a couch or office chair for a

few minutes. Keep your focus on your breathing until you
have calmed down enough to think clearly.

So, to sort out the chaos, make a plan and decide where to
start.

First, write down everything you need to do in the coming

days or weeks. Mark the most important tasks and take
action to complete this task today, no matter the size of it.

Let's observe Angela as a case study. Angela was a lawyer

who wanted to run for office at her firm. However, the
task of "getting ready for the election" had always seemed
very scary. These words gave her anxiety, so she avoided
the task and procrastinated.

What eventually worked for her was to separate the task

into smaller steps, splitting into things like "having a
conversation with my boss about my idea."

After separating the big task into small, manageable steps,

"preparation for election" became much less heavy and
she was able to deal with the situation.
Another essential prerequisite to focus on is the scheduled
breaks at least every one and a half hours.

The focus on the day decreases with the passage of time

and needs to be recharged periodically. In 90 minutes, our
brains go from highly focused to inattentive. That's why
we end up messing around with the cell phone or surfing a
social network when we're forced to concentrate longer.

When famous psychologist K. Anders Ericsson studied

people at the top of their fields, such as famous guitarists,
athletes, and chess players, he discovered that these
people also practiced in blocks of 90 minutes or less, with
small pauses between blocks.

Improve Your Relationships And Interact Often

Getting along with the people around you is essential to

having a better day. Here are some tips on how to improve
your relationships.

First, build a relationship when you interact with someone

at work. Do not just bump into someone in the office
kitchen. Engage in conversations and ask honest
questions like "what are you going to do on holiday?".

Find things in common or shared areas of interest, show

genuine curiosity about your co-workers and anyone else
you meet. Creating this sense of connection is important
because it creates a culture of trust and collaboration in
the workplace.

Highlighting common interests is also important when

you are looking for a job. That is because employers are
more likely to hire someone who is similar to them.

We will observe a study conducted by sociologist Lauren

Rivera of Northwestern University. She asked the
recruiting managers about her latest hires. The finding
was that 74% of respondents admitted to having some
things in common with new hires, whether based on
interests such as sports, technology or something else.
That indicates that managers prefer to hire and be close to
people who have things in common with them.

To have a good day, it is also important to resolve any

tension with your co-workers, as this can put an end to
your enthusiasm.

The best way to deal with this is to be open. Explain to

your colleague what you are feeling and why. Do this in a
polite but firm manner.

For example, Simon is a real estate agent who was

bothered by a client who made promises to him but rarely
met. Instead of ignoring his frustration, Simon was
sincere and communicated what he felt. "I'm confused
because I've received positive feedback from you, but we
have not kept up with the project. Do you mind telling me
what made you dissatisfied and what can I improve next
time? "

This approach helped his client understand his feelings

without being overwhelmed and defensive. So they ended
up having a discussion about what the customer really
wanted.

Use a Problems Tree To Help In The Resolution

Do you struggle when making difficult decisions because

you feel overwhelmed? The next time you feel this way, try
these simple steps:

First, develop a versatile routine that helps you make

decisions in all situations.

The routine can be as simple as asking yourself a set of

questions like "what are the potential alternatives and
drawbacks of that choice?" Or "what would be the worst
case and what are my options if that happens?".

Peggy is an advertising art director who has developed a

routine that works well for her. The trick is to always
invite colleagues to give feedback on your current job.
Although she does not always agree with them, feedbacks
help her understand the potential issues in her
campaigns, thereby improving her decisions.
Remember that good advice can come from anyone, not
just from experts. Once Peggy received valuable feedback
from someone who worked with customer service. The
person had the knowledge and suggested that customers
were not understanding the campaign, and Peggy was able
to adjust the campaign after that.

Another tip to optimize your problem-solving skills is to

break a complex problem into a "problem tree".

Start by noting the central problem. Let's imagine that

your business is low profits, so your central problem could
be: "How do I improve my profits?"

This question is now the trunk of the tree. Now, write

down the two possible options that form the branches of
the tree. In that case, they would either increase revenues
or reduce costs.

So think of concrete actions that would help you make

those choices. For example, you could fire employees to
lower costs or launch a new product to increase revenue.

These suggestions can generate more branches in the

problem tree until eventually, you have mapped out many
possible actions to solve your problem.

Involve Your Public In Your Presentations

Have you ever given a presentation and realized that most
people were not listening? To avoid this problem in the
future, follow these simple techniques.

First, remember that your audience will be much more

receptive if they are involved and feel that they have
chosen something to learn with.

For example, Emma organizes training programs on new

pedagogical techniques for teachers. In the past, it was
difficult to get any participant to deviate from their own
old methods. So it was hard to get anyone to listen to her
during the training sessions.

So Emma tried a new kind of meeting, where ten teachers

present their own methods in different positions at the
table. Participants were then free to walk into the room
and stop at positions they were interested in.

Emma's strategy gave teachers more freedom regarding

what to learn, which made them much more enthusiastic
about training.

Second, make your presentation interesting by

incorporating videos or posters that grab the public's
attention. Make sure you use a whiteboard if you have one
available. People will internalize your message if you draw
and write in real time instead of just using prepared
slides.
An experiment at Stanford University has shown that
people remember 9% more of graphics that are created in
front of them, compared to the graphics that they see
ready in a slide, for example.

And also make sure you fluidly use simple, short phrases
to grab the audience's attention. Also, remember to
emphasize why your audience should care about what you
have to say.

Remind Yourself of Difficulty Problems You Have

Already Solved and Be Motivated

It's Monday, you're tired and already waiting for the

weekend. But you have a meeting in the morning with an
unsatisfied customer. What do you do?

First, keep calm and distance from the situation. Imagine

it's not you, but a friend who has to face the customer.
What advice would you give him? You can also talk to
yourself in second person to gain some distant
perspective.

Then think about a past situation that you solved well and
ask yourself which features helped you do it. Maybe it was
your dexterity, your fear, or your friends who supported
you. All this can probably help you too in the current
situation.
For example, Jacquie works in the public relations
department of a university. Once, an earthquake wiped
out the university's energy and water supply. But instead
of seeing it as a disaster, Jacquie turned the earthquake
into a positive PR story.

The college managed to keep the graduation ceremony in

the middle of some destroyed buildings, a story that the
national media covered as an example of perseverance
and community. Thanks to Jacquie's attitude and her
media handling skills.

Thinking about how she handled this situation still helps

Jacquie when she faces new problems.

In challenging times, turning a bad situation into positive

thoughts is another way to inject some energy and
improve your day.

Try some of these tricks next time you're in a complicated

situation. Begin by identifying mental, physical, and
temporal patterns and how they affect your energy. For
example, you may always feel lethargic after lunch.

Then find out how to increase your energy in these

phases. It may be that waking up and having a cup of tea
helps you, or having a five-minute conversation with a
coworker, or even taking a quick walk down the street.
You can also try an exercise of gratitude. Think of three
things that happened in your day to thank. Do it even if
it's small things, like remembering to take the umbrella or
having forgotten it and running like a child in the rain!
Even small thoughts can make a big difference.

It is common to feel exhausted at times, but developing

positive routines and learning from the past can help you
have a better day. Self-awareness will also help you
understand how you can recharge your energies in your
day and turn it into a good day.

Final Notes:

We will always have good days and bad days that are
beyond our control. Despite this, we can take some action
to control our minds and bodies, and make sure we have a
better day even in bad circumstances. Using the tips
outlined above, you can start encouraging yourself and
transforming situations that were previously not favorable
into great opportunities.

12min tip: Keeping focus, rendering more, and

producing better are quite common goals. Also, they are
so important that we have a whole productivity category
here at 12'. See all the microbooks we have there!