[11/18] I will do a Day Review for 18 weekdays

Observations

In the Curiosity Collective, my pact was I will Write Entries in my Curiosity Log for 5 Days, which I persisted through all 4 weeks. I also posted the results of my daily trials using Plus Minus Next

I read Tiny Experiments at launch, and decided to join the Ness Labs community to continue with my curiosity, mindfulness, productivity, learning, and more tiny experiments.

Curiosity Log

I log thoughts, feelings, questions, and actions throughout the day; this includes diabetes health data, activities, focus sessions, and events. Since I was curious about what I actually do every day, and I started it in the Curiosity Collective, it seemed appropriate to have a separate Curiosity Log note for each day in my Obsidian notes rather than using my Day note. That has allowed me to just focus on my curiosity for my field notes on my experiment. Eventually, I will probably merge its contents (and template) into my Day Log.

Logging all day

So far, I have revamped my morning incrementally through this process, and that's getting pretty good now. However, I find that my logging decreases as the day progresses. It starts off great, and then gets less later in the afternoon and evening. Also, I have been struggling with plan and review practices at the start and end of each day and other time horizons (week, month, quarter, and year).

Periodic routines

Recently I have finally started enhancing my Day Plan and Day Review templates, especially integrating Plus Minus Next that I feel will help, but I need to use them through many trials so I can refine them over time based on what I discover and learn. I feel good when I can include plan and review activities in my day, and it's frustrating when I don't have those structural bookends.

So that calls for this tiny Spring experiment!

Questions

I have many questions about what will work the best, which will evolve throughout the experiment, but there are a few key ones that jump out at me.

Consistency

First, how can I ensure that I do plan and review practices every weekday? And then, what should my Day Plan and Day Review templates contain? I have some initial working versions, but I know they are not adequate.

Diabetes reviews

Also, since I have type 1 diabetes, it's very important log and review diabetes health data all the time that I can review and improve my diabetes management. Although I have various devices and apps that help with than, I need a more integrated approach that brings them together for me to review on a periodic basis such as after a meal, day, week, month, quarter, and year.

Health assessment

How am I doing? Am I improving my diabetes management? What changes can I make to make it better? At various times, I had used different notes for all this diabetes health data, that I sometimes called a Diabetes Log or Health Log (to include more than diabetes, like sleep, exercise, workouts, weight, blood pressure, etc.). I'm trying to integrate that health data into my Curiosity Log to see how that works.

Hypothesis

There are many possible ways I could approach these questions, but I think it will be more effective to consider them as I encounter them during my logging. Also, I can add additional questions and actions while I'm logging my thoughts, feelings, and events.

Iterate and adjust

Maybe this, maybe that, but just get started; it isn't necessary for me to identify all these options, alternatives, potential solutions, etc. up front. It's better to do this more like an agile software development project (rather than an old-fashioned sequential waterfall). Each week will be like a sprint, I can make tiny adjustments in each Day Review, integrate them into my maps, views, and templates, so they can be used in the next iteration.

Progress updates

I will provide updates throughout my trials in this experiment in the community and my website as I learn in public. This should be fun! I'm curious what works (and what doesn't).

Pact

So here is my pact for this experiment:

> I will do a Day Review for 18 weekdays.

I chose 18 weekdays so it extends through the month April 7–30. I identified weekdays, but expect that I will also do my Day Review on the weekends too (but I wanted to give myself permission for some breaks. if desired). Let this experiment begin!

Trials

These are the Day Reviews for each day of my experiment.

Day reviews

Feedback

I like to share what I'm thinking and linking in public, and hope it sparks something for you too. Since I'm learning as I go, I would appreciate any comments or suggestions. Please follow my journey. All subscribers will receive my newsletter with new blog posts. Thank you.