How many times have you gone to bed after a long, unproductive day hoping that tomorrow will be different? Maybe you want to spend more time with your family, exercise more regularly or get a few projects done around the house. Then you wake up the next day and fall right back into the same old trap. Before you know it, it is time to eat lunch and you can’t point to one significant thing you’ve accomplished.
To be honest I haven’t fully mastered this topic yet either but I have gotten a lot better at it over the years (the Army, helping raise four active children and working a dual profession has really forced me to significantly improve) and I have read a lot on this topic. What I have discovered is that if you want to ensure you have a more productive day, you need to set yourself up for one the night before. This will help make sure you do the most important things first.
Even if your day gets interrupted-and many times it will – your goal should be to complete your most important tasks first. Here are five action steps you can use to set yourself up for the most productive day possible:
1. Protect your morning routine. I very rarely schedule early morning meetings. I rarely take breakfast appointments. My hours from 5:30 to 8:00 are sacred. I try very hard to not allow them to get interrupted. I have my morning quiet time, workout and during the school year I drive the kids to school (which I absolutely love doing). I know a couple who spend ten minutes talking each morning before they start their day. This is a great way to spend some time together with your spouse and get organized.
2. Create a to-do list with your top three must-dos. Before I wake up in the morning, I write down my top three must-dos for the day. These are the non-negotiables. I am committed to making them happen no matter what. I list them in priority order.
3. Set up your technology (e.g. computer, ipad) with only the programs you will need loaded first thing in the morning. This is critical. It is very easy to get sucked into e-mail, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram (just to name a few). By shutting them down at the end of the day you avoid some of the temptation to quickly (or so you think) peruse them in the morning. You should only have open those apps/programs you need to see when you wake up (for me its my Bible App) to use during your morning routine.
4. Set your exercise clothes out. I would say the Army has helped me more with doing this then anything else. I even have my kids do this before their sporting event the next day (this sure helps make the craziness of getting four kids ready to leave go much more smooth). We all need to incorporate some type of exercise into our weekly routine. There are numerous advantages for doing it. For me I am much more productive when I exercise. It sure helps when I begin by setting out my exercise clothes the night before (and it’s a good reminder when I wake up). If you do this, you make your intention real to your subconscious.
5. Get to bed at a designated time. It’s a heck of a lot easier to get up on time if you go to bed on time. With four young kids, its not easy to get to bed at the exact same time each night. But the more I condition my mind to get up at the same time each day, the more successful I am getting up, and as a result I am able to get my to-do list done.
Will you fall short of this ideal? Absolutely. It happened to me just yesterday. I overslept and wasn’t able to complete all of my morning ritual. I was behind in my schedule most of the day. Oh well, I can’t beat myself up about it nor should you. Our goal should never be to not fail, but to continue learning. Fortunately, tomorrow is another chance to practice. Remember that having a productive day tomorrow begins tonight. It’s all in the setup.
As an extra, if you are interested in supporting veteran owned businesses, the link below will give you a start to see which businesses are owned by veterans. Also, checkout the inspirational song sung by Carrie Underwood as she pays tribute to our Armed Forces.
Listing of Veteran Owned Businesses