I once read a great quote on the whiteboard at a client’s conference room – “_What cannot be measured, cannot be managed_”. Anything that needs to be managed should have at least one quantifiable aspect. If you are running a business you have your bottom line to manage and for that you need all sorts of growth numbers. The same is true for our personal lives. And yet most of us don’t think of our personal lives in the way we see our jobs and businesses. Though there are some aspects of our personal life that we do quantify and manage, like finances we do not try to quantify soft qualities like knowledge, satisfaction, expectations and a combined personal growth. Maybe it is because we think these factors cannot be measured or maybe we are ignorant of the fact that these aspects of our lives can be managed as well. In both the cases we continue to live our lives and by the time we realize that something went wrong it is too late. I feel that quantifying our lives is key step in better managing it as it helps in identifying and fixing the inefficient areas and concentrating on our strength. I follow a system of daily introspection in which at the end of the day I ask myself a set of questions and based on the response I rate how the day went. This system not only helps me in quantifying the success/failure of a day but it also motivates me to work hard as at the end of the day I have to answer to myself. Also a positive outcome mostly leads to a good night’s sleep.
When I say “a system”, I don’t mean an elaborate questionnaire with many subjective questions. That would be counter-productive. The idea is to have a set of questions that can be answered with a simple yes/no. You can keep a journal if you want (I don’t). Just to give you an idea, I will share with you the questions I ask myself. You can use the same if you want, skip a few or add your own.
Did I add any value to myself today? – It could be anything from gaining a new skill to reading a good book.
Did I start something new today? – It is helpful in deciding that my life is not stuck in a cycle were I do not do anything new.
Did I finish doing something today? – Again, if you don’t finish what you started you are in trouble.
Would the Akhil from (1,3 & 5) years back be happy to see me where I am? – Am I on the track I set 1,3 and 5 years back.
Do I have an action plan for tomorrow? – I hate to be unaware of what I will be doing tomorrow.
This system has worked for me for a very long time and has helped me through the thick and thin of my life. It has driven me to do something constructive on the days I was down and low and helped me identify false accomplishments. I am sure such a system can help you too.
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I have helped many startups in building their products and I would be happy to have a chat with you about your idea. Catch me on twitter at @akhilrex
