In 30 seconds
The easiest way to build a habit is to attach it to one you already have. Pick one fixed moment in your day, such as starting your computer, lunch or logging off, and do your check-in there. Start with one moment, keep it to a few minutes and add more only once it feels easy. Connecting your calendar saves time, because your meetings appear on their own.
Why anchoring works
Much of our day runs on autopilot. These routines don't take thought or effort, which makes them the perfect anchor. When your check-in follows something you do anyway, you don't need to remember it. It simply becomes the next step.
Three moments that work well
Start of your workday. Sign in when your computer starts, before the first email. Add today's activities or sync your calendar, and note how you are starting the day.
Lunch break. Mark the morning's activities. Notice what gave you energy and what drained you, and add a journal entry if something stood out.
End of the day. Mark what is left and close the day with How was your day? It is a good way to leave the workday behind with a clear head.
Start with one of these. Add a second once the first feels natural.
Make it easier for yourself
Connect your calendar. Your meetings appear as activities, so you only need to mark them.
Turn on email reminders at a time that suits you.
Use the Untagged filter to see quickly what you haven't marked yet.
What to expect
After a few weeks, most people notice more calm and control during the day, more clarity in difficult moments and a better sense of what they need. The goal is not perfection. It is presence.