Discover more from ProductivityPro
Hello, and welcome!
I’ll share with you a favourite quote, productivity tip, and life hack. There’s also some extra bits including; 5 ways to…, a borrowed idea, and a question for you.
You know the power of habit, make this a weekly one.
Enjoy!
Illustration by @deprocrastination
5 ways to fix your mornings
‘Win the morning, win the day’
There are many ways of creating and managing a morning routine. Some seem quite obvious and some will make you sit and think… that might actually be doable.
I know there are many morning routine hacks out there on the web, and if you have 6 hours spare in the morning feel free to go for it.
You might find your mornings end at 3pm! I’ve picked out 5 that don’t consume much time and are very actionable.
Here are 5 simple ways to fix your mornings;
Be conscious of your morning routine
I’ve been guilty of having no regard whatsoever for what was going in the mornings. The only part I controlled was the 38 times the alarm went off (don’t hit snooze, it’s a terrible habit). Everything in the morning was simply happening uncontrollably around me.
Try not to do what I did. Take control. Consciously create a routine, and refrain from falling into auto pilot mode.
Make lists each morning
Lists are simple. It can be 1 basic list, 3 lists, notes on your phone. Whatever the method, a list gives you a plan and purpose for the day.
Like many of you I’m currently working from home. I only create 1 list each day. It’s created at 8:30am just before my first video call, and there it is… the habit is created.
The que has been established, and I pick up my notepad without even thinking about it. The list will need reworked and amended through the day, but that’s fine.
There will always be deviation through the day.
Get the little tasks completed early
Everyone talks about getting the big tasks completed first, but sometimes when there are many little tasks niggling it’s better to get them completed early.
If you’re having a bad day or don’t feel up to up, get the little tasks completed. Doing the smaller tasks is better than doing no tasks.
Use the morning as a guaranteed screen free part of the day
A screen free part of the day is essential to our mental wellbeing. There is no denying that.
I would love to read a study that shows looking at screens for all of the daylight hours is beneficial for our health. Great, I’d be the healthiest person alive.
Read a book or newspaper, sit with a coffee and look out the window, avoid turning on the tv, avoid pointless scrolling or browsing.
I’ll forgive you for reading this email in the morning, as it’s not mindless facebook scrolling!
Always be looking to improve your morning routine
Always look for improvements. Some important questions to ask yourself;
Do I need to be doing this task in the morning?
Could I be doing more with my time in the morning?
Should I get up earlier?
If you have the capacity to change and improve your morning routine, always aim to!
Reflect and adjust accordingly.
The Big 3
Quote
‘While you can’t see it or touch it,
the most valuable thing you have is your attention’ - Shane Parrish
As I write this, I’ve turned off all sounds and turned on more lights to focus my attention on one thing… writing this newsletter. Even at that I’ve looked at my phone numerous times!
Attention is what helps us accomplish anything, no matter how big or small. We underestimate the importance of focusing on one thing, and how excruciatingly difficult it can be.
Pomodoros work great for focus - 20 minutes focused work, 5 minutes break. Repeat.
No attention > nothing accomplished.
Productivity Tip
‘Busyness does not necessarily mean progress.
Prioritise’
Creating a hectic life to achieve goals is not a good idea.
Being busy is not necessarily a tool for progress. It can actually be detrimental to what you’re trying to achieve.
Do not hide behind ‘busy’. Being busy without thought can lead to wasting precious time and energy, and in the end achieving very little.
Plan.
Prioritise.
Create space to reflect and rest.
Life hack
‘If you lack inspiration,
seek it from within before looking at external sources’
Try to find inspiration internally before looking elsewhere. The first place we should always look for inspiration and motivation is from within.
It’s easier to seek from external sources, but fundamentally you are in control.
Try to use internal inspiration as your fundamental starting point. Think of the outside motivators as a top up of that.
It’s harder to do, but more valuable in the long term.
A borrowed idea
Shane Parrish on people;
A question for you
Think about habits that started out as conscious purposeful habits.
They are now simply part of your everyday life.
How easy was that to achieve?
See you next week.
Keith,
ProductivityPro
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