A useful reflection practice does not need a perfect notebook, a long writing session, or a score for how well you lived the day. Try three questions in the morning and three at night. The point is to choose a response you can make, then learn from what actually happened.
Start with one intention in the morning
Before the day fills up, choose one situation or priority that deserves your attention. Separate the part you can influence from the result you cannot guarantee. That keeps a daily intention concrete: it is about how you will act, not a promise that everything will go your way.
- What matters most for me to give attention to today?
- Which part of this situation is within my control?
- What is one action I can take that fits my intention?
For example, before a difficult meeting, the intention might be to explain one concern clearly and listen to the response. You can prepare your notes and choose your words; you cannot decide how other people will react. That distinction makes the prompt usable even when the outcome is uncertain.
Review the day without putting yourself on trial
At night, recall a specific moment rather than judging the whole day as good or bad. In On Anger 3.36, Seneca describes Sextius reviewing the day and asking what he had improved; Seneca also describes reviewing his own actions. The questions below are a modern, short adaptation—not quotations from Seneca.
- What did I do today that matched my intention?
- Where did an assumption or impulse steer my response?
- What is one adjustment I want to try tomorrow?
Keep the answer specific. “I interrupted when I felt rushed” gives you something to work with; “I was terrible today” does not. If an event was outside your control, record that plainly instead of treating it as a personal failure.
A five-minute template to copy
Today I want to give attention to: ___
I can influence: ___
One action I will take: ___
I followed through when: ___
I noticed this assumption or reaction: ___
Tomorrow I will try: ___
You can answer in a few words. If a prompt feels unhelpful on a particular day, skip it or change it. A reflection routine should support clearer choices, not become another task to complete perfectly.
Make the habit small enough to repeat
- Use the same natural cue, such as breakfast and the end of your workday.
- Write one or two lines rather than trying to summarize everything.
- If you miss a day, start again; there is no need to backfill or protect a streak.
- After a week, keep only the prompts that helped you make a clearer choice.
Stoic practice is often summarized online as “stay calm” or “ignore your feelings.” That is too shallow to be useful. A short journal can instead help you notice what happened, what you added in your interpretation, and which response is available to you now. It is a reflection exercise, not mental-health treatment; set it aside if it makes you feel worse.
Use a visual reminder if it helps
Mori: Stoic Life Grid & Focus is built around a visual grid of weeks or years and one daily focus. Its listing describes the grid as a way to keep time and priorities in view. You can use that daily focus as a reminder of your morning intention, then write longer reflections on paper or in a notes app.
The app is optional; the questions work without it. For background on Stoicism as a philosophical tradition, see the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy overview.