
Everyone is looking for a good “life hack,” something that makes life easier and better. Here is one that definitely does both: it’s what I call “Decide on the Daily.” It’s short for “decide how to get the things done that you deal with on a daily basis.” Here is what it means in practice.
The “Dailies”
Think of the things that you have to do or make decisions about every day. A short list probably includes having to figure out when to get up in the morning, what to eat, when to exercise, when the most productive time is to get work done, and when is the best time to go to bed. These are the things that you have to do every single day, no matter what.
The Unique
You make a thousand decisions about other things every day, things that are not “daily decisions.” They are unique in that you have to decide for the first time that day how you are going to handle something at work or in your personal life. This unique stuff is what you want your life to be about.
Save Your Energy
Put simply, you do not want to waste precious mental and physical time and energy making decisions about things that are routine and not unique.
For example, you should not be getting up in the morning and wondering what you are going to be having for breakfast. That is a daily decision that you can make and prepare for, decide once and be done with, giving you time and energy to devote to other more important things.
A Boost for Anti-Depressants

If you are battling depression, then deciding on the dailies is especially important, as your energy is at a premium…as in, you don’t have extra energy to waste. Trying to decide between oatmeal and eggs in the morning could paralyze you and you might just head back to bed.
Simplify Your Life
Think of anything you have to make a decision about during the day, every single day. See if you can make the decision now and prepare to make it happen easily this week.
Buy your oatmeal, get out your workout shoes, turn off notifications from 9-11 AM so you can get your real work done, and head for bed by 10 PM…if that’s what you have decided works the best for you.
Simplify your life and watch what happens when you have energy for other things!
Dr. Anita Sanz, PhD, Psychologist
You Have Reached Your Destination
Many of you will be able to actually hear the GPS system’s voice in your head when you read the…
How to Deal With Change
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming This is a time of year when…
How to Catch More Zzzzz’s
Elusive Sleep Insomnia for many people has become a frustrating fact of life. 30% of the population suffers from it,…
A Season of Change
A Magical Time of Transition Have you ever walked out of your front door on an Autumn morning and you…
What Psychotherapy CAN’T Do For You
Getting a Jump on Seasonal Depression
If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, then that first cool hint of air untinged by the humidity of summer doesn’t…
This Stress Is Killing Me!
An interesting study just released this week showed that all other factors being equal, people who believed that stress was having an…
Stop freaking out!
Finding the balance is what we are all trying to do… whether we are talking about the balance between work…
Coping with Morning Depression
For those who suffer from depression, mornings are often the worst time. Once the day gets started, a person’s mood…
A Life Planner For Better Mental Health
Most people think using a life planner just helps you to remember dentist appointments and when your kid has soccer…
I Just Can’t Get Over It
Being able to heal past wounds and move on to live a happy, healthy life is a goal of many…
How To Cope with Things Outside of Your Control
Imagine the following scenario: You are in a large, beautiful interior space with everything you need to accomplish any task…
Mothers are People, Too…
Happy Mother’s Day! “If it’s not one thing, it’s your Mother!” There’s a saying in psychotherapy that goes “If it’s…
Mental Health Symptoms To Not Ignore
There are hundreds of symptoms that can indicate a mental health issue is developing, but it can be difficult to…
- Well Being (59)
- Life Hacks (20)
- The Big Picture (9)
- Health (10)
- Relationships (13)
- Holidays (7)
- Therapy (43)
- Anxiety (11)
- Depression (16)
- On The Couch (16)
- Life Planning (5)