What is Daily Intention Setting?
Intention setting is clearly stating what you intend to experience and achieve through your actions each day. This can be related to your work, personal life, dreams, thoughts, mindfulness practice, or whatever you choose. Intention statements are not meant to be a specific goal, but rather a broader statement relating to the values and priorities you want to carry through your day.
For those of us with ADHD, it's a very important practice to set a daily intention in the morning as it sets the tone for your entire day. The act of writing down an intention statement for yourself before you start your day can be a powerful tool to help you point your focus in the right direction.
How Will This Help Me?
Daily intentions provide us with an opportunity to remind ourselves of what's really important and what it is that we want to focus on that day. Daily intentions can also be a source of inspiration and motivation, steering us in the right direction toward our life goals, however large or small they might be. There are really no rules to it, all you have to do is take a minute to think about what you want for the day. Think about what you want to get out of it. Think about the energy you want to attract. You will be surprised when you see how quickly and impactfully this can bring about positive improvements in your daily life.
How do I Set My Daily Intentions?
Set your intentions in the morning as part of your mental fitness or morning routine if you have one. If you don't already, now is a great time to start! A good way to start is to read the intention statement, then say it out loud to yourself 3-5 times. Write out the intention statement in your planner, on a sticky note, or on a sheet of paper. Writing down your intention has been shown to help increase retention of the information. After repeating and writing your intention, take a few moments to reflect or meditate on what it means to you and how it could apply in your life.
How to Fulfill Your Intentions Throughout the Day
You are likely to get distracted from your intentions. Our brains respond to whatever gets thrown at us in the moment, so you'll need to put forth some effort to remind yourself of the intention you set for the day. Here's some tips on how to remember your intention through the day:
- If you keep a planner or notebook with you, write your intention there so you’ll be reminded of it often.
- Write your intention on a sticky note and stick it to your desk, computer screen, or notebook.
- Set an alarm on your phone with your intention as the name. You could set it for times during the day when you lose focus most often (just after lunch if you're like me!).
- Meditate on the intention before you get going for the day. You can simply repeat the intention in your head as you sit calmly for 5 minutes. You'll be surprised how effective this is!
- Take a moment at the end of the day to reflect on whether you stayed true to your intention or not. Try not to judge yourself, just think about if there was anything that either helped or hindered you and make a note of it for the next day.
Daily intention setting can be a very powerful tool. When you align your intentions with your overall values, goals, and needs, the impact will become even greater. By incorporating this in to your daily mental fitness routine you can connect your larger desires and priorities with your daily tasks in a much more meaningful way.