How to Plan and Have the Best Day of Your Life

Let’s get real for a second.

You don’t need to move to a new city, quit your job, or hit some magical milestone to feel like your life is changing.

Sometimes, you just need one really good day.

One day where you felt aligned. Energised. Productive—but not burned out. Rested—but not sluggish. A day that reminded you: this is the kind of life I want to live.

If you’ve read my guides on planning your week, your month, and your year, this post is the missing puzzle piece: how to structure a single day so it actually moves your life forward. Today, we’re zooming all the way in.

Let’s design the best day of your life—not just once, but on repeat.

Why the Perfect Day Matters

We live our lives one day at a time—but most of us don’t design them that way. We let our calendars dictate our mood. We hit snooze, rush through the day, crash at night, and wonder why we feel stuck.

But when you create a day that reflects your goals, your energy, and your values? That’s when momentum kicks in. That’s when you stop reacting to life and start shaping it.

Step 1: Know What a “Best Day” Looks Like for You

Before you start scheduling anything, ask yourself:

What would a truly great day look and feel like for me?

Notice that I’m not asking for your perfect day; perfect days have impossibly high standards, and that’s not what we’re aiming for. Just a really good day.

For some, it’s a high-energy day of deep work and creative flow. For others, it’s about balance—time with loved ones, time outdoors, time for reflection.

Take 5 minutes to journal your answer. You might be surprised by what comes up.

Try prompts like:

What do I want to feel when I wake up?
What needs to happen for me to feel proud at the end of today?
What makes me feel most alive?

Once you’ve got a vision, you can reverse-engineer it. And if that doesn’t work for you? Don’t worry: it only took 5 minutes from your day, and you can try step 2 anyway.

Step 2: Set One Clear Intention

You don’t need a to-do list with 17 tasks. You need a single, guiding focus.

That’s why I set a daily intention—one theme, feeling, or outcome that defines what success looks like today.

Examples:

Today, I focus on calm, not urgency.
Today, I create, not just consume.
Today, I make progress on my book draft.
Today, I rest and restore.

This simple shift gives your day purpose. It helps you filter distractions and stay connected to what actually matters.

Pro tip: Write your intention at the top of your planner each morning. You could also use a sticky note, a Bullet Journal, or a OneNote dashboard if you’re building a Second Brain.

Step 3: Time-Block for Energy, Not Just Efficiency

Productivity isn’t about cramming more into your calendar—it’s about doing the right things at the right time.

That’s where energy-based time-blocking comes in.

Here’s how I structure my ideal day when I’m not at my day job:

Morning (High Energy) – Deep work, creative projects, problem-solving
Midday (Medium Energy) – Admin, errands, lighter tasks
Afternoon Dip (Low Energy) – Walk, rest, unstructured thinking time
Evening (Reset + Recharge) – Social time, reading, hobbies, reflection

You can adapt this to your own rhythm, but the principle is the same: Match tasks to energy levels, not just time slots.

Need help building this? Try setting up a time-blocked weekly template and adjust daily based on your schedule.

Step 4: Stack Micro-Habits That Trigger Momentum

Most “bad” days aren’t disasters. They’re just filled with friction—too many decisions, scattered routines, no structure.

The fix? Micro-habits—tiny rituals that create structure and signal to your brain: Hey, we’re doing this now.

Here are a few that make my day smoother:

Wake-up ritual: No phone. Just a splash of cold water, a glass of water, and a stretch.
Morning clarity block: 10 minutes of journaling or intention-setting.
Work start ritual: Put on music, open focus app (I use Forest), review today’s 3 priorities.
Evening shutdown: Tidy workspace, plan tomorrow, close all tabs (mentally and literally).

These aren’t big things. But they remove decision fatigue and build momentum. They help your brain associate certain cues with productive, meaningful action.

Step 5: Plan for Breaks, Not Just Tasks

The best day of your life isn’t one where you bulldozed through 12 hours of tasks.

It’s one where you worked well and rested better.

Here’s what helps me reset during the day:

A walk around the park between time blocks
The Pomodoro method (25 minutes focus, 5-minute break)
10 minutes of yoga or stretching midday
A guilt-free hour in the afternoon to rest or reflect

These pauses aren’t distractions—they’re maintenance. They let your brain clear out junk, recharge dopamine, and prepare for the next block of focus.

Step 6: Use Dopamine Wisely

Your brain isn’t designed for modern life. It’s wired for novelty, reward, and quick hits. So if you want to have a consistently “good” day, you need to manage your dopamine like a pro.

I dive into this more in this post on neurochemistry and motivation, but here’s the summary:

Create small wins early in the day (e.g. make your bed, check off one task).
Use visual progress (e.g. checklists, habit trackers) to keep motivation flowing.
Avoid starting your day with high-dopamine activities (scrolling TikTok, sugar, emails).
Save your most rewarding habits—like hobbies, exercise, or creative work—for midday when energy dips. This isn’t always possible with a full-time job (unless you sacrifice your lunch break), but can always be done on weekends.

When dopamine is managed well, your day feels naturally satisfying—without needing extreme stimulation or distractions.

Step 7: End With Reflection (Not Just Netflix)

A good day doesn’t end when your work is done—it ends when you take time to close the loop.

That’s why I recommend a 5-minute evening reflection.

Here’s what I ask myself:

What went well today?
What drained me?
What’s one thing I’m proud of?
What do I want to change tomorrow?

Sometimes I write it down. Sometimes I just think about it while brushing my teeth. Either way, it gives my brain a clear “ending” and helps me sleep better, too.

You can build this into your evening shutdown ritual, and it also feeds beautifully into your weekly review system.

Not Every Day Will Be the Best Day

Let’s be honest—not every day can be magical.

Some days will be messy. Interrupted. Exhausting.

That’s okay.

The goal isn’t to perfectly live every day—it’s to create a rhythm where more of your days feel intentional, energised, and aligned. Where you can look back and say: I chose how I lived, even when life threw chaos at me.

When you learn how to plan a great day, you build the foundation for a great week. A great month. A great life.

Until then—design tomorrow with care.

Because the best day of your life?

It doesn’t need to be someday.

It can start with tomorrow.

If you liked that, you’ll love…

While you’re here, follow my socials!

Hardly Hamilton

Optimise your day with productivity tips, lifestyle hacks and lifelong learning