Reporter Leah Fessler had a story in this week’s New York Times about how important it is to recognize our small wins and routine accomplishments, rather than just wait to celebrate when we have major breakthroughs.
According to Teresa Amabile, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and co-author of The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, “huge achievements are much less likely than small wins, and if we wait for them to feel good about our work, most of us are going to suffer through vast deserts of tedium.”
This reality magnifies the importance of recognizing and briefly honoring the more mundane — but much more common — instances of progress among ourselves, our family, and our colleagues. What’s more, Ms. Amabile’s research suggests, is that small wins can have just as positive an influence on our sense of self-efficacy, happiness, and, ultimately, our productivity as enormous accomplishments do.
Here are some examples of small wins shared in the story:
- Ms. Amabile and her husband recently celebrated disinfecting a large load of groceries.
- Ms. Fessler cleared the screenshots and random documents from her computer desktop, changed her screen saver image, cleaned out her refrigerator, read one chapter of a book that has sat on her bedside table for a year, and brushed her pug.
Impressed? Probably not, but that’s the point. These small accomplishments are a sign that you are still being productive, even if it seems like you got nothing done that day. Realizing this can make us feel good and lead to even bigger accomplishments.
So after reading this, it made me reflect back on what I accomplished today.
- early morning workout
- answered several emails and blog comments
- read several blogs, offered comments on many
- vacuumed and cleaned my beloved Toyota Matrix
- moved all my desktop files to a folder so that I have a clean desktop
I’m guessing that some people may look at that list and say that they could do all of that in two hours. That is impressive but just as impressive is my ability to spread all of that over a 14-hour day.
Like the professor from Harvard says, you’ve got to celebrate those small wins…
*image from Entrepreneur
I often reach the end of the day wondering what the heck I have done, but thanks to your post somehow I feel a bit accomplished. 😂
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yes, apparently getting little things done mattters!
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Not a bad philosophy to recognize each of the things you’ve accomplished.
The first thing I thought of when I saw your picture was Hobby Day in my classroom. It was a glorified public speaking trick where each child would get five minutes to share one of their hobbies with the class. One child (I’ll protect his identity) collected pencil shavings from the class pencil sharpener.😎
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to each his or her own. Today I will be having each student introduce themselves and share some sort of prop or way to help us remember their name. It should be fun, and I will probably write about it… 🙂
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Small accomplishments definitely count- I always feel good when I check something off my life!
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it is a good feeling; I just need to remember that feeling for the next time…
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I like this idea, Jim. it doesn’t take a lot of make me happy, I am generally a positive and happy person and I celebrate all my achievements in life.
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I am a positive person as well, and it is important to celebrate the little wins because the big wins are few and far between…
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Cleaning is such an underrated accomplishment. Do that ‘little’ thing a hundred times and you’ll have an environment fit for a healthier and more creative mind. Thanks for sharing, Jim!
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thanks, Stuart. I always feel more productive when I am working in a clean, orderly environment.
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there you go, jim. a day filled with celebration. i charged my vacuum cleaner, not that i’ll use it unless company is coming, but it is sitting at the ready! time to celebrate!
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you did something that had to be done; cheers!
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Wise words jim. Totally agree. Tiny victories soon mount up. Cheers!
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thanks, Peter!
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You made me feel better now about the things I get done! I cleaned a little area of our basement yesterday. Felt good to see the clean area, even if it was small! I feel accomplished too whenever I can top some “stooge’s” smart comment. 🙂
Can I put reading books on my list, for I could scratch that off my list real easily!
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I think the one person in the NYT story mentioned that she read a chapter in a book, and she considered that one of her daily accomplishments! And yes, some of those stooges are pretty clever – I’m not at their level yet…
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Well I better get my chapter read then!
Haha! Trust me….there is no hurry to get to their level! You are clever enough at making “deals!” 😛
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good luck with your reading!
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Finished 2 chapters, while I cleaned the basement. Pretty good, eh! 🙂
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that calls for a major celebration!
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Thank you, yoi are right. 🙂
Audible books do come in handy when you want to get a chore done. They make the chore more pleasant!
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I’ve never gotten into audible books; I’m worried I miss something if my attention drifted every once in a while…
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Yes, that has happened at times, but I don’t miss much. 🙂
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These are wise words. Thanks for sharing.
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I wish I had written them!
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Some days I do a lot and feel like I’ve accomplished nothing. This is a great concept.
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I know that feeling, so this article was a good reminder to celebrate all those little tasks that we accomplish.
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Being retired, I try to stay organized with my daily tasks. My morning hours are my most productive time, and I am thankful for routine in my life.
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I am a man of routine as well, and like you, particularly my morning routine…
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I’m a list person and maybe I should celebrate each tick however small …thus far I have read some blogs and left comments, discovered collections and started a few on Windows 10, answered all my emails…now for the first drink of the day green tea and some of the cherries my neighbours gave us ….and it’s still early AM…
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that’s a good day; I’n sure by now you’ve had your sundowner to celebrate all that you have accomplished!
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Actually no…we went out last night the first time in a few months and I had more than I normally would so today…I have abstained….sigh…It was a good meal and company though 🙂
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how nice to be able to go out; hopefully such outings will become more common!
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It was lovely we really enjoyed it thank you..hopefully you will be able to soon 🙂
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An accomplishment is an accomplishment. Celebrate away!
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yes, indeed!
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