Daymakes

Daymakes is a productivity concept and practice focused on transforming daily intentions into tangible outputs through clearly scoped daily deliverables. The term combines 'day' and 'make' to emphasize producing something within a single day.

Definition and purpose: A daymake is a small, well-defined objective with explicit acceptance criteria and a measurable completion signal. Unlike generic to-do lists, daymakes require a concrete artifact or observable result, such as a completed document, a tested code module, or a reviewed plan.

Structure and process: Practitioners typically select 1–3 daymakes per day, draft brief criteria, allocate time blocks, and log progress. At day’s end, they perform a short retrospective, noting what was completed, what remains, and how it informs the next day’s daymakes.

Applications: The approach is used by individuals seeking precise daily output, by teams seeking predictable daily increments, and in educational or coaching contexts to cultivate consistent practice.

Tools and variants: Daymakes can be trackable with simple notes, dedicated notebooks, or project management tools that capture the artifact and acceptance criteria. Some variants integrate with knowledge-management systems to store outcomes for future reference.

Reception and critique: Proponents argue daymakes improve focus, accountability, and learning. Critics caution against over-optimization and the risk of rushing important but complex work; effective use typically involves guardrails and alignment with longer-term goals.