The Daily Closeout

Most days, I rush out of the office at least 5 minutes late with a messy desk and nothing close to inbox zero. I then spend the commute trying to answer emails while my train is above ground because if there's one thing I hate more than unfinished business it's MY flexible scheduling interfering with my colleagues' productivity.

For the last few weeks I've tried a new daily closeout routine that's helping me end the day on a high note, set me up for a smooth landing tomorrow and ease the transition to home life (also known as the second shift). 

This routine is largely based on Daniel Pink's latest book When: The Scientific Secrets to Perfect Timing. I'm a big Dan Pink Fan, if you haven't read his work, give it a read (or listen on Audible, because I know you're multi-tasking even as you read this blog post). 

I block the last five minutes of my day on my calendar and do three things:

1. Thank Someone. There is an entire body of research on gratitude and happiness, but at the end of the day I feel good if I can thank someone who helped me along my daily struggle bus. Good karma. Warm fuzzies. Whatever, it works. And I need ALL the help I can get. 
2. Offer Help. This may sound counter-intuitive; if you're trying to wrap up your day why do you offer time or help to another? It doesn't need to be right that minute, but building a culture of trust and collaboration is key to my team's and organization's success. I need to know where people are stuck and this exercise has helped me identify sticky situations before they really go off the rails. The offer is genuine. I want to help. They need to know that.
3. The Tomorrow Plan. I look for places where I might get hung up and try to resolve them before 5pm and not at 10pm when everyone is at home or responding to work emails while watching The Crown. Do all meetings have locations or call in numbers? Did I budget my calendar for travel time? Allow for lunch? The last thing my office needs is a Hangry Jenn. 

Is it helping? Too early to help. But a five minute investment in a strong daily wrap up is sure to have a positive return.