What is the main message of How To Have A Good Day?

The main message of How To Have A Good Day is to use behavioral science to have better, more productive days.

Who is the author of How To Have A Good Day?

The author of How To Have A Good Day is Caroline Webb.

Personal Development

How To Have A Good Day Book Summary - How To Have A Good Day Book explained in key points

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How To Have A Good Day summary

Name: How To Have A Good Day
Rating: 4.1 (192 reviews)
Author: Caroline Webb

Caroline Webb

Think Bigger, Feel Better and Transform Your Working Life

4.1 (192 ratings)

15 mins

Brief summary

How To Have A Good Day by Caroline Webb is a guide to improve everyday work performances. It explains how to be more productive, efficient and happier at work. Webb’s strategies include prioritizing your tasks, dealing with challenging people, and boosting your energy levels.

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Table of Contents

How To Have A Good Day
Summary of 6 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 6

What’s in it for me? Turn every day into a good day.

Most of us can probably picture one of those great days at work when we’re at the top of our game: we’re bubbling over with ideas, can handle any problem and even get along with that one especially surly coworker.

Of course, not every day can be as smooth sailing as this. But if you follow the advice offered in these blinks, you can turn almost every day into at least a good day; you’ll feel good about yourself because you get things done, focus without too much effort and bravely withstand the urge to procrastinate.

On top of that, you’ll feel comfortable among your colleagues and, when giving a presentation, you’ll find that your audience really listens to you. Sound good? Then let’s get started!

In these blinks, you’ll learn

why thinking about a past catastrophe can boost our confidence today;
how the schedules of top violinists, master chess players and elite athletes are alike; and
why your interest in sports could earn you a job in a totally unrelated field.

To have a more productive day, start by clearly laying out your intentions and goals.

Have you ever found yourself nearing the end of a day and feeling as if it had been completely wasted? Here are a few tips to help minimize that feeling.

First, clearly set out your intentions for each day and try to eliminate any activities you know tend to distract you from achieving them.

For instance, one of the author’s clients, Martin, is the strategy director of an aircraft manufacturer. He noticed that whenever he felt overwhelmed with his daily tasks, he would turn by default to distracting habits like checking news websites.

So, to increase productivity, identify what those distracting habits are for you and put extra focus on avoiding them. Keep your sights on the day’s goals.

Second, frame your goals in positive language. Goals framed positively can also be called approach goals – that is, goals that state the positive outcome you’re hoping to achieve, such as “make my product irresistible.” The contrast to this would be an avoidance goal, like “stop losing customers.”

There is research to back up the benefits of this strategy: a 1997 study found that students using approach goals improved their performance, whereas the opposite was true for those using avoidance goals.

Third, make a when-then plan to prepare for obstacles that could come between you and your goals.

Take the author, who is not naturally an early bird. When she founded her own consulting business and no longer had a boss expecting her at work at nine in the morning, she was tempted to sleep in and while away her mornings.

So she committed to a when-then plan to overcome this obstacle: when I wake up, first I’ll take a short walk, then I’ll check my e-mails. This little rule helps get her out of bed and face each day in a good mood.

Manage overload, beat procrastination and stay focused by making a plan and scheduling enough breaks.

Crammed calendars and full to-do lists at work make it easy to feel overwhelmed. Let’s look at some of the ways to deal with these situations.

First, the physical: lean back on a couch, exercise ball or even your office chair for a few minutes and focus on your breath until you’ve calmed down enough to think clearly.

Surround yourself with pleasant relationships by building rapport with the people you meet and resolving tensions directly.

Getting along with the people around you is essential for getting the best out of your day. Here’s how to kick-start those relationships!

First, build rapport when you interact with someone at work. Don’t just awkwardly slip by them in the office kitchen when you’re both reaching for a mug – engage them and ask open questions like, “how are you spending your holidays?”

Address decisions systematically by using thinking routines and breaking down complex problems into an issue tree.

Do you struggle with making difficult decisions because they make you feel overwhelmed? The next time you feel this way, try these simple steps:

First, develop a versatile routine that helps you reach sound decisions in all manner of situations.

To get your message across, involve your audience and make your presentation memorable.

Have you ever been giving a presentation, only to look around and see that most of the audience wasn’t actually listening? To avoid this in the future, just follow these simple techniques.

First, remember that your audience will be much more receptive if you involve them and make them feel as if they’re choosing what to learn.

Build your confidence by thinking of problems you overcame in the past and boost your energy with positive thoughts.

It’s Monday, you’re tired and longing for the weekend already – but you’ve got a meeting with a dissatisfied customer first thing in the morning. What do you do?

First, keep your cool by taking some distance from the situation. Imagine it’s not you but a friend who has to face the client. What advice would you give? You can take this even further by talking to yourself in the second person to gain a more distant perspective.

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What is How To Have A Good Day about?

How to Have a Good Day (2016) explains how you can make the most of your working day, with advice based on recent findings in the fields of psychology, economics and neuroscience. These blinks will teach you how to navigate the challenges of the modern workplace like a pro and boost your energy level during nerve-racking or tiring days.

How To Have A Good Day Review

How To Have A Good Day (2016) offers practical strategies for maximizing productivity and well-being in our daily lives. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It provides research-backed techniques that can be implemented immediately, helping us achieve better outcomes in our personal and professional lives.
With relatable examples and easy-to-understand explanations, the book offers actionable steps for improving our decision-making, communication, and focus.
By presenting a holistic approach to success and fulfillment, the book is anything but boring, capturing our attention from start to finish.

Best quote from How To Have A Good Day

We can exert more control and start to enjoy more well-planned luck. And as a result, we can all have many more good days.

—Caroline Webb

Who should read How To Have A Good Day?

Professionals who want to be more productive and efficient
Procrastinators
Anyone who wants to have a greater impact at his or her workplace

About the Author

Caroline Webb is a management consultant who worked for McKinsey for 12 years before launching her own company, Sevenshift, which specializes in helping clients increase their productivity, energy and enthusiasm. Her work has been featured in the New York Times and Forbes.

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Personal Development Mindfulness & Happiness

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