Why I Use a Logbook at the End of My Workday

Track your progress. Count your wins.

It feels like a grind, sometimes. Work, that is.

Every day I sit down to my computer and bang out articles, landing pages, and blog posts for all manner of freelance clients. Sometimes there’s a book design project.

Even personal creative projects can seem like a grind, whether they’re t-shirt designs for my Redbubble store, a short story, or a watercolor.

It’s not like I’m not rewarded for any of this work. I earn enough to cover the mortgage and pay some bills. That’s better than it used to be. And it’s not like I don’t enjoy everything I do.

I very much do.

But there are times when it feels like there aren’t enough hours in my waking day, and I’ve learned the hard way not to ignore the need for a night of healthy, restorative sleep.

I often feel I’m always behind, but I’m actually not.

I’m actually reasonably productive. I just don’t give myself enough credit. And I, admittedly, let work anxiety get the better of me.

Has this ever happened to you?

From time to time, I bet it has.

The good news for me — and possibly you — is I’ve found a nice little exercise that I’ve now turned into a daily ritual that forces me to sit back, take stock in my progress and my accomplishments, and feel good about what I’ve managed to get done in a day.

A simple ritual

I’ve written elsewhere about how I’ve taken to using a traditional paper planner despite living in this digital age of wonders. I wrote that piece back in January of this year. I’m still using that method and the act of writing out my work schedule by hand and enjoying the tactile sensation of physical paper. As part of my morning routine, it’s done a decent job getting my day off to a decent start.

But what about the end of the day?

A couple of months ago, I came across some handsome looking little notebooks at a local bookstore. I picked some up — not yet knowing what I’d use them for.

Last month, I decided to take one out and write down each finished article, each finished design project, and each finished creative project at the end of my workday.

After that, I listed, by hand, each work in progress and a few short words about how it was going. That entry might say something like “waiting on client email” or “This sucks. Trying again tomorrow.”

You see, during the day, I’d be consulting my little planner and checking off or crossing off items as they were completed. But by logging them at the end of the day, I was turning it into a calming ritual where I looked back on the day and focused on the mostly positive things (accomplishments), and reflected lightly on my works-in-progress.

The result is that I felt calmer and, more importantly, satisfied.

Satisfied.

Beat that with a stick.

The morning alternative

Plans don’t always go my way, and routines get disrupted from time to time.

There are days when I can’t take a few minutes for my end-of-day ritual because there’s some family or work crisis happening that needs my attention.

That’s okay.

I add it to the next morning’s routine.

You have to be flexible from time to time.

Before I begin my morning routine that includes a review of my planner (and morning podcast, coffee, and exercise), I sit down with my logbook and record the previous day’s accomplishments and works-in-progress.

I take a nice deep breath and look at the list. It could be small, it could be lengthy. Either way, it is measurable.

And I immediately feel better about my productivity, my progress, and that I’m maintaining my forward momentum.

Then I get on with the day.

I bring this up because if you’d like to try keeping a progress logbook, you should also know that you don’t have to make it an evening ritual. You can incorporate it into your morning routine just fine.

I prefer evenings

It’s been a month since I’ve initiated this practice, and my little notebook is starting to fill out nicely. I feel less overwhelmed. I feel more positive.

All things being equal, I prefer the evening for my logbook ritual. The computer has been shut off, I’ve opened the logbook and laid it in front of me. It serves as a pleasant, mindful transition from work-life to home-life. It closes the book on work for that day, and I can concentrate on being with my family instead.

And maybe watch a little TV without twitching.

If you find yourself sometimes at odds with your personal sense of productivity and feeling overwhelmed, try creating a little logbook of your own.

Page one, item one can read: “Started log book. Took a deep breath and exhaled. Hey! This feels pretty good!”

Enjoy.

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