The guest on my morning trip to work podcast was a very intense individual. He enjoys an app, "Countdown," to track how many days and how many meals he has left in his life. It gives him a sense of urgency and discipline in everything he does: he is an author of many books, a professional bodybuilder who completed the Iron Man Triathlon, a business owner, and more.
I can say that the countdown practice has amused me. I wouldn't say I like looking at the clock all the time. Besides, seeing how many days I have left to live in this world would stress me. But how would you make your day more #productive? For me, it all comes down to having two daily routines: bedtime routine and morning routine.
There is no right or wrong for the morning one. If you listen to highly successful individuals such as CEOs and owners of start-ups, media influencers, and professionals, you will quickly realize that some of them do follow the rules of a perfect morning routine. It may include journaling, meditation, and exercising, but many feel happy to jump straight into work or e-mail reading. The morning routine can be highly individual, but you have to follow it every morning to make your day a success. Here are my three ones:
#1 Make your waking up time consistent and in tune with sunrise
In winter, I like to wake up just before sunrise. I will lay in bed for a while with my eyes open and check WhatsApp for any family updates. It makes me happy. I will then open curtains in every window in the house, get some daylight into my eyes and jump under a cold shower. In summer, I stick to the 1-hour window.
#2 Make your bed
My next task is to make my bed and have a cup of coffee outside on the deck to catch some early sun rays.
#3 Design a plan for a day and complete easy tasks first
If I can make a list of things to do, it is a great help to ensure that I will do many easy tasks first. But this would be entirely against a recommended practice described in the "Eat that Frog!" book which is to conquer the most challenging task first. But I like to complete easy tasks in the mornings because it gives me a sense of accomplishment. Later on, when I am deep in the mentally and physically demanding activities, my mind will not be cluttered with other minor things.
If the morning routine can be whatever you like as long as you stick to it every #morning, the bedtime routine should be very regimental. After all, a good night's sleep will prepare you for another productive day. For me, it comes down to these practices: eating dinner as early as possible, stopping working on the computer, putting my Blue Light Blocking glasses on, getting a relaxing book to read, or watching something on YouTube while ensuring, of course, that I turn my screen on to the night-time viewing mode. Before going to bed or while already in bed, I would take time for deep breathing to lower my resting heart rate. Share with us your daily routines, please. It is incredible what we can learn from each other.
