💭 November: Enough

How do you want to feel at the end of today?

I’m writing this on my scary first day back after a wonderful week off work.

We surprised our kids with a trip to Disneyland Paris. And it was everything I’d hoped for. Sugared-up smiles, sore feet, and the hands-in-the-air on rollercoasters that made the months of planning worth it.

But as every post-vacation human knows, the return can feel … squirrelly. There are inboxes to tame, priorities to reshuffle, and the looming sense that you’re already behind.

I’m typically pretty rubbish at getting back into the work groove. I treat everything as urgent by default, simply because I wasn’t there when it landed in my inbox. (This is not a true reflection of task urgency … FYI.)

But this time, I wanted so bad for it to be different. I wanted a calm and efficient return. So, this time, before opening a single tab, I asked myself:

“What would make me feel satisfied at the end of today?”

My answer was surprisingly simple. Reach inbox zero on Twist, email, and Todoist.

I didn’t need to power through every task that had built up during my week off. I just needed to close the day with clarity – all caught up, all organized, all ready for the remaining two-day week ahead.

I now realize I reverse-engineered my satisfaction.

I knew what “a good day” looked like, so I stopped when I got there. No endless expectations of myself, or guilt when I didn’t complete every task that awaited me.

⏪ Reverse engineering your satisfaction

Most people plan their days by what needs to be done.

But what if you switched your focus to how you want to feel?

Ask yourself:

• What would make me close my laptop tonight feeling genuinely accomplished?

• What’s one thing that, if I finished it, would make the rest of the week easier?

• What’s on my list right now that would give me a full-body sigh to no longer worry about?

Maybe it’s finally outlining that presentation you’ve been pretending isn’t due next week.

Maybe it’s sending that difficult email reply you’ve rewritten in your head a dozen times.

Maybe it’s cleaning up your Todoist so you’re not greeted by 46 overdue tasks every morning.

Whatever it is, be hyper-specific and decide it early. Write it down. Then build your day around it.

If you don’t define “done,” you’ll just keep running – faster, busier, tireder – but not happier. Real satisfaction isn’t about how much you squeeze in; it’s that quiet “yep, I did what I said I was going to do” feeling at the end of the day.

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could."

Ralph Waldo Emerson – Collected Works, 1903

Eat the frog 🐸

If reverse engineering your satisfaction feels hard to define, start simple:

Pick one thing that would make you feel accomplished at the end of your day, then do it first.

That’s the essence of the “Eat the Frog” method, and it pairs perfectly with this mindset. We made a video about it that quickly became one of our most popular (don’t mind my weird face). If you haven’t watched it yet, this is your sign. 🎬

---

Here’s to knowing what your target looks like – before the day even begins.

And here’s to ending each one with that rare, precious feeling of peace that only comes from progress you chose on purpose.

See you in December! I’ll be the one clutching a hot chocolate and the comforting illusion that I’ve got it all under control. ☕

Naomi (🫶 real human) and the Todoist team

---