This Easy “One Word” Productivity Trick Is So Life-Changing (I’m Using It All Year!)
Apartment Therapy’s January Cure is a free 20-day program that’ll help you refresh your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox.
Sometimes you have to take a step back before you can take any steps forward — and this adage definitely applies to taking care of your home. Whether you want to start a brand-new hobby or habit, do one thing to make your home your happy place, or devote your energy to physically refreshing a room, you’ll want to first approach it with our productivity trick to ensure that whatever you do has staying power. That trick? The “one word” method.
Day 2: Use the “one word” method to boost productivity.
It’s important to set your intentions and goals before you start making any progress on them. Without that preparation, you might easily lose track (or even momentum) of what you want to accomplish. That’s where the short and sweet “one word” method comes into play. Focusing on a single word to motivate you will help you inch one step closer to finishing your goals.
For example, say you want to start a new hobby this year like journaling, playing pickleball, or learning another language. The one word you can highlight here can be a descriptor, a noun you really connect with, or a verb that motivates you. So, for a new hobby of playing pickleball, you could go for something straightforward, like “pickleball,” something fun, like “pickle,” or something with the intention behind it, like “fitness” or “active.” Or maybe your overall goal this year is to get outside more, so your word could be, “nature,” “outdoors,” “adventure,” or “unplug.”
Need more inspiration? Here are some ideas.
- Peace. Create moments of mindfulness, whether it’s going on daily walks (without a phone) or “touching grass” (literally!) to feel more grounded.
- Joy. Romanticize your life, even in little ways like your daily tasks.
- Colorful. Find a way to add color to your home, whether it’s through paint, decor, or even the clothes in your closet.
- Clearheaded. Do a deep declutter of your most chaotic space.
- Thankful. Add the practice of gratitude journaling to your nighttime routine.
- Rejuvenate. (This one’s mine!) Focus on bettering your sleep so you wake up feeling rejuvenated — whether that’s playing some white (pink, brown, or green) noise, switching your bedding, or trying out an expert-backed method that helps you fall asleep faster.
Once you figure out all the “one words” — yes, you can have a bunch of them if you’d like! — you’ll have a representation of what you want to achieve in your home (and life) this year. Write them on a piece of paper or sticky note and display it where you’ll regularly see it (like the fridge or your computer monitor).
What’s your one word? Share it with us in the community forum.
More ways to participate in the January Cure:
- Sign up for email updates.
- Visit the 2026 January Cure page and catch up on assignments.
- Download the January Cure calendar.
- Activate your free membership to talk about all things Cure in our community forum, check off completed tasks, and track your overall January Cure progress!
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.