What Makes a Good Day at Work? Unminder Edition

There’s a lot of conversation right now about performance, productivity, burnout, flexibility, and what people need from work.

But underneath all of those conversations is something simpler and much more human:

People just want more good days.

Not necessarily perfect days. Not wildly productive days. Not days where every task gets checked off and every meeting goes exactly to plan.

Just days where work feels energizing instead of draining. Days where there’s space to think clearly, connect with others, do meaningful work, and still feel like yourself by the end of it.

What came back wasn’t a list of productivity hacks or rigid routines.

It was a collection of small moments, personal rituals, honest reflections, and reminders that work is deeply personal. And while everyone’s answer looked a little different, together they painted a picture of something bigger: the conditions that help people feel good, connected, supported, and human at work.

For many, a good workday starts long before the first meeting.

Not with emails or notifications, but with intention.

With movement. Quiet. Coffee. A walk, maybe some music. A moment to breathe before the noise of the day kicks in.

Jimmy, Strategic Account Executive, shared that his good days “actually begin the night before,” taking time to mentally map out the next day so he can move through it with more clarity and less urgency.

That same sense of intentionality showed up again and again.

Michelle, Lifecycle Marketing Manager, described how movement, breakfast, and a quiet moment to organize her priorities help her arrive at work feeling focused and grounded. 

For Dani, Principal Client Success Manager, it’s waking up naturally, enjoying coffee and breakfast at home, and taking time to move outdoors before stepping into a busy day. 

She described the importance of knowing the shape of her day ahead – her meetings, her breaks, her priorities, while also recognizing the need to stay flexible because “anything can happen in a day at Unmind.”

And maybe that’s part of what makes these reflections feel so relatable.

None of them are about optimizing every second.

They’re about creating enough steadiness to show up well.

For Lizzie, Senior People Partner, the smaller moments matter most.

My favorite coffee. NYT puzzles in the morning. A walk with her dog between meetings. A few quiet minutes in the garden.

Not distractions from work, but the things that help her stay present within it.

Lizzie described her role as “a lot of holding space,” which requires energy, clarity, and emotional presence. Her reflection was a reminder that wellbeing at work isn’t always about doing less. Sometimes it’s about giving yourself enough care and space to keep showing up for others.

Oliver Matejka, Head of Brand & Communications, reflected on the challenge of staying focused in a world that can feel always-on.

For Oliver, the answer is routine – with flex built in. He ring-fences time every morning to tackle the bigger, knottier tasks before the day picks up pace, protecting that space for the work that requires deep thinking.

Movement is part of the formula too. He aims for a run every day – and manages it most days.

“Even just a 20-min lap around whatever block I’m near is enough to do a bit of a mental reset during the day.” – Oliver Matejka, Head of Brand & Communications

And at the end of the day, he’s not measuring success by how busy things felt. He’d rather look back on a handful of small, concrete wins than a blur of activity.

“It’s less about doing everything and more about doing the right things – and actually being able to point to them at the end of the day.” – Oliver Matejka, Head of Brand & Communications

That balance between energy and authenticity came through strongly in Angela Lindberg’s reflection too.

Angela, Principal Account Executive, described good days as the ones where she’s able to stay in flow, honor the energy of the room, and lean into her authentic self rather than simply “grinding” through work.

Fresh peonies on her desk. A playlist that feels just right. Mailing a handwritten note. Supporting the people around her.

It wasn’t just about productivity. It was about how she wanted the day to feel.

That idea – that work should allow people to feel like themselves, quietly threaded through almost every response.

And while routines matter, one thing mattered even more:

People.

Again and again, Unminders talked about collaboration, conversation, and the energy that comes from doing work alongside others.

Izzy, Head of Marketing, described how the best days are rarely the ones where she simply checks tasks off a list. They’re the days where she’s collaborating, problem-solving, and sharing momentum with the people around her.

She captured something many people feel but don’t always say out loud: wins feel bigger when they’re shared.

“Crushing the rollout of a campaign is great,” she shared. “But crushing that with good company is even better.”

Raya, Marketing Associate, reflected on something similar – the importance of momentum paired with support. Having a clear plan, knowing what you’re working toward, and also knowing there’s a team around you when things get busy or challenging.

“The best days are when I can get things done, stay in a good flow, and end the day feeling supported.” - Raya, Marketing Associate

That feeling of support came up often.

Not in a performative way. In a very real way.

People wanting to feel heard.
Wanting to feel trusted.
Wanting to know there’s room to ask questions, collaborate, reset, and rely on one another.

Tasneem, Head of Consultant Relations, shared how much she values simply being around people in person – even if everyone is technically working on separate things.

Her walk to work along the West Side Highway. Working sessions where people truly listen and problem-solve together. Ending the day knowing progress was made and someone felt supported because of it.

There was also something refreshing about how many people embraced structure and productivity without glorifying burnout.

Unminders love a to-do list. That much was clear.

Several people talked about the satisfaction of crossing things off, organizing priorities, and getting into a rhythm where focus comes naturally.

Clayton Su, Client Success Manager, described his ideal workday as one where “the pieces fall into place perfectly” – meetings run on time, action items are clear, and there’s enough breathing room between calls to actually get work done.

On the West Coast, his afternoons often include a quick gym session to reset before diving back into admin work and experimenting with AI tools.

But what stood out in every reflection was that productivity alone wasn’t enough to define a good day.

The good days weren’t just about output.

They were about how people felt while doing the work.

Energized instead of depleted.
Connected instead of isolated.
Focused instead of overwhelmed.
Human instead of robotic.

And maybe that’s the bigger takeaway.

A good day at work doesn’t come from one universal formula. It’s built differently by every person.

For some, it starts with movement and momentum. For others, it starts with quiet and structure. For some, it’s collaboration and conversation. For others, it’s focus, creativity, or simply having enough breathing room to think clearly.

But underneath every answer was the same idea:

Good workdays happen when people are given the space to be human.

Not perfect. Not always “on.” Not endlessly productive.

Just supported enough to do meaningful work while still feeling like themselves at the end of the day.

And maybe that’s what workplace wellbeing really looks like.

Not grand gestures.
Not performative perks.
Not pretending work is stress-free.

Just creating environments where more people can have more good days.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness, we’re grateful to the Unminders who shared their reflections with us, and for the reminder that sometimes the smallest moments are the ones that shape our days the most.