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Three questions in the evening

Three written answers before sleep that give the day an ending instead of rumination.

Exercise 5 minut

Three questions in the evening is a short ritual that gives the day an ending. You write down answers to three questions: what stayed on my mind today, what of that can I resolve, and when will I do it. The last one matters most — not »tomorrow«, but »tomorrow at ten, when I get to the office«. Writing it down is essential; in your head the ritual does not work, because the mind does not believe anything was really set aside. It takes five minutes and is best done before brushing your teeth, not in bed.

When to use it

When your thoughts only start up once you lie down. The exercise gives the day an ending it otherwise doesn’t have.

The questions

  1. What was good enough today?
  2. What weighed on me most — and is it mine?
  3. What is the first thing I do tomorrow? Just one thing.

Why it works

The third question matters most: much night-time rumination is unfinished planning. Once it is written down, the mind can let it go.

See also

See also

The worst case, all the way through Instead of stopping at »what if«, you follow the thought to the end and look at what you would actually do. Grounding 5–4–3–2–1 An exercise for moments of overwhelm: through the five senses you return from your thoughts to the room you're in. I notice that I'm thinking … A sentence that moves a thought one step away, so you stop experiencing it as a fact.

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