How to Optimize Your Day: Tactics From Chess

To reach your full potential, you should optimize your days. But how do you do that? Here I’d like to share with you tactics to do it that I learned from the world of chess.

Back in 2013, I wrote an article titled Optimizing Your Life One Move at a Time. There I wrote about what I learned from watching the World Chess Championship at that time. I noticed that the moves the players made were colored according to how optimal they were. Here is a screenshot:

As you can see, there are three possible categories for a move: optimal (blue), suboptimal (purple), and weak (red).

This, I believe, is a good metaphor for how we live our lives. Just like in a chess game, you face situations throughout the day where you need to make decisions. These decisions are your “moves” and your decisions could be optimal, suboptimal, or weak.

Your goal is to make as many optimal “moves” as possible. If you do, you will optimize your day. And if you do that day by day, you will optimize your life!

So how can we make optimal “moves” throughout the day? Here are some tactics.

1. Have a Good Morning Routine

The way you start your day sets the tone for the rest of the day. That’s why you should start your day right.

A good morning routine is like a good opening in chess. An opening consists of proven moves to start a game that have been tested for years. Professional chess players use these openings to start their games on a strong foundation.

Similarly, you should have a good morning routine to start your day well. There are three key elements of a good morning routine: clarity, energy, and control.

2. Make a Plan

Good chess players have a plan of attack. They would think several moves ahead before making a decision. Similarly, you should have a plan on how you are going to spend your day.

3. Use Your Energy Wisely

Making optimal “moves” requires you to spend your energy wisely. You should do what is suitable given your energy level at that time. This is similar to a chess player using different tactics during opening, mid-game, and end-game.

You should do your hardest tasks when your energy level is at the peak. On the other hand, you may do your routine tasks when your energy level is low.

4. Do the Right Thing Right Away

In a chess game, there are opportunities that you should take right away. If you wait for even one move, the opportunity would be gone.

Similarly, you should do what is right to do right away. Make the most of every opportunity you have.

5. Take Risks

To score a win in a chess game, you may need to take a risk. For instance, you may need to sacrifice a high-value piece to open the way to victory. Many memorable games in history have this kind of moves.

So be willing to take risks when the right opportunities come. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but that’s how you can find your best possible life.

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To optimize your day, make as many optimal “moves” as possible. To help you do that, you might want to ask yourself before making a decision: is this an optimal, suboptimal, or weak “move”?