Signal Practice

I’ve spent years curating and refining my productivity system. I always had the dream of being able to open my system and see a clear list of priorities each day, automatically surfaced. But the reality is, even with a system designed this way, there’s value in the process of thinking through what to do from scratch.

It forces you to rethink your priorities with a fresh perspective each day.

So I tried an experiment: As the last part of my Startup Routine I go through each morning, I wrote my three priorities and actions to move those priorities forward. And then I kept a log throughout the day, specifically focusing on how my energy fluctuated. I started fresh every morning with a new Notion page and a set of bullet points. Nothing was carried over.

The result of this experiment is what I call the Signal Practice. It helps you find the signal through the noise to build days of intention, focus, and impact.

There are three parts to the practice:

1. Identify your top three priorities.
2. Write actions to move them forward.
3. Keep a log of observations as you work.

Signals

I like to call these signals because they’re the outcomes that create clarity. Once achieved, they ignite momentum, spark new insights, or unlock impact—the signal in the noise.

I write these in the past tense because it helps to work backwards when determining what actions I need to complete to reach the desired end state. No matter how you do it, be intentional with what you decide to do.

But how do you determine the top priorities?

There’s no easy answer, but here’s what I do as part of this practice:

• Review my goals and active projects.
• Review my calendar and current schedule.
• Evaluate my current energy levels.

Then I ask myself:

What three outcomes would have the biggest impact today?

Frequencies

For each of the three priorities written as outcome statements, you work backwards and define the tasks to get there. I like this approach because, once a task is complete, I can check to see if the outcome has been met. If so, you’re done. If not, find The Next Step and do the check again once the next task is complete.

These tasks are the frequencies you’re tuning into so you can find the signal (the outcomes).

Make the tasks as small as you can. Each one becomes a tiny experiment to help you reach your outcome and deliver on your priorities. And the smaller, the better. The reduced scope limits the time and energy requirement, and each small step generates momentum.

Like defining the priorities with a guiding question, here’s what I ask myself:

What is the smallest next step to get closer to the outcome?

Observations

There are two roles I operate in:

1. ✍️ The Architect
2. 🧯 The Firefighter

The Architect is building sustainable systems for high-value and high-leverage problems while in a deep, focused state.

The Firefighter is solving short-terms problems (putting out fires) reactively and across multiple contexts at once.

Throughout the day while I’m executing on the tasks to reach my desired outcomes, I write down small notes along the way. Specifically, I focus on calling out where I’m operating as The Architect and where I’m operating as The Firefighter. Not surprisingly, the days where I can’t hit my priorities, I’m working reactively as The Firefighter. I use the ✍️ or 🧯 in front of the note to visually map the work:

• 🧯 Dealt with multiple support issues.
• 🧯 Answered client questions over email.
• ✍️ Started shaping work for next cycle.

Right now, these are simple bullet points, but I’m considering expanding this log to track daily metrics and percentage time spent in each of these roles. If and until then, though, the data is sufficient for my needs.

You can use this log however you’d like, but make sure the notes track qualitative information to inform your next day’s plan. You can even include a review of the previous day as part of the process.

Start Fresh

If you’re looking for a new way to start your day, try this Signal Practice. Spend 15-30 minutes before you start work to define your three priorities, small actions to move each forward, and your log of observations. Take the time to slow down so you can speed up. Find the signal through the noise, and work more effectively.