Make a Ritual
Set your intention by creating a daily ritual, ideally in the morning, to focus your mind before starting your day.
THE IDEA
Creating a ritual or setting your intention should be your first step. Choose a time – in the morning, if possible – when you can take five minutes to set your intention. This can be immediately after you wake up or before you go out to school.
When to use it
Students can use a morning ritual to prepare for a day of learning and exams.
Professionals can set an intention before a meeting to clarify their goals.
Anyone can use this heuristic to reduce anxiety by focusing on one positive intention.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Morning Intention Setting
Every morning, take five minutes after waking to sit quietly and set an intention for the day. For example, 'I will remain calm during my exam' or 'I will listen actively in class.'
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What time of day works best for you to set a consistent intention?
How does having a ritual change your mindset compared to jumping straight into tasks?
What specific intention could you set tomorrow morning to improve your focus?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)