Definition
Setting daily intentions is dedicating a space of time that you use every day to establish what you would like to achieve, modify, observe, etc. It is not only about goals, but about what matters most to you as an individual and which you would not want to give up.
Possible Benefits
- You gain a greater sense of purpose in your life.
- It gives you the feeling that your actions have more meaning.
- It helps you recognize your own values and principles and how they relate to your daily life.
- It offers motivation and daily direction.
Required Equipment
N/A
How to Do It
There are a few ways to set daily intentions. One of them is through a brief space of meditation, where you take advantage of it to quiet your mind and reinforce your daily intentions, repeating for yourself what will have a central role during the day. On the other hand, you can take written notes of your daily intentions.
Why it works
- Many people suffer psychological and emotional distress because they fail to "connect" with what matters most to them, such as their values and principles. Setting daily intentions promotes self-knowledge and recognition of what we like to invest energy and dedication in.
- By having a clearer perspective of what is to be accomplished during the day, a sense of well-being and purpose is gained.
Time Commitment
15-20 minutes
Suggested Frequency
Daily (or at least 4 times per week)
Suggested Time of Day
Morning, before all regular activities.
Possible Side Effects
For some people, especially those with high basal levels of anxiety, it is possible to experience some concern or unease about the fulfillment of previously stated intentions. However, a correct contextualization of the exercise, such as what one wants to achieve daily, should not generate much discomfort on a psychological and emotional level.
Notes
- Intentions are not the same as goals, the latter are specific tasks that we set ourselves on a daily basis and also in the long term, but they are usually activity-specific and nothing more.
- Intentions, on the other hand, have a wider context and it is our personality and our identity. Intentions revolve around what matters most to us, and which we are most willing to work for. Intentions, and the fulfillment of them, also have a greater emotional impact (whether positive or negative).
Related Products
Mindfulness diary
Supporting Studies and Articles
Expand Collapse- Setting Goals Isn't Enough: Setting Daily Intentions Will Change Your Life. https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/setting-goals-isnt-enough-setting-daily-intentions-will-change-your-life.html
- Contact with the present moment including shared psychological presence. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128146699000096
- Symptoms of Wellness: Happiness and Eudaimonia from a Self-Determination Perspective. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124114784000035
- Mindfulness, Affect, and Sleep: Current Perspectives and Future Directions. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124171886000165
- A Brief Mindfulness Exercise Promotes the Correspondence Between the Implicit Affiliation Motive and Goal Setting. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5414900/
