Don’t Waste Your Day — Start with Taking Back Your Morning
As a marketer, you are a busy person, therefore you cannot afford to waste time. That’s stating the obvious, but for some reason, people tend to forget it. They waste a lot of time in the evening and in the morning, at the result wasting their precious preparations. They stress over things they cannot control. They do things that are not healthy for them. They don’t remember that a good morning begins with a good night.
A Good Morning Begins with A Good Night
Let’s repeat this phrase, because it’s important. Preparing for the next day is not only an important part of the daily ritual for a lot of people. It can also be productive and calming.
- Preprogram the coffee maker, set out your clothes
There’s nothing better to start your day with the awareness that everything has been ready since yesterday evening. You can start your day without a hurry, panic and the specter of exhaustion that hasn’t worn off since 5p.m. yesterday.
- Optimize your wake up time
6 a.m. and earlier has been the “new black” for a long time now, for top executives of major corporations like Disney, Microsoft and Twitter. While 7 to 9 hours of sleep is normal for most of people from the age of 18 to 64, many of us feel this is too long. We don’t need this much, since everything we need to function properly can be boiled down to either work or a passion (sometimes they are the same thing, sometimes they come in a package together). While 2% of the population are long sleepers, most people (myself included) view sleeping more than 3–5 hours as a waste of time. It’s more productive and favors creativity over prolonged rest.
Besides, studies show that sleeping too long is linked to various serious health problems like cardiovascular disease and obesity for example. Yes, researchers say that too little sleep can do the exact same thing to you but firstly — who has the time to sleep? ;) And second of all — these are only studies performed on limited groups of people. Sensible folks would argue that waking up at 5 a.m. is not only healthy, it’s just setting yourself up for success. It’s like Benjamin Franklin said: “Early to bed and early to rise makes man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
- Forget about being wired
Smartphones, tablets, television, email, Basecamp… All for “just one hour”, right before bedtime. That only worsens your sleep quality. Go off the grid for a night, even if just mentally. Nobody expects you to leave the city in a heartbeat and live like hermit, we just think it’s a good practice to leave it all behind at some point. Studies show that being wired is just not good for you (to quote George Carlin).
A Good Morning Is All About A ‘No Distractions Policy’
Do you want to get to work upset, stressed and tired? It’s going to affect your whole day! Probably not, so:
- Set a routine and stay with it
Everything matters. First you clean your face, then make the bed, eat breakfast, give your kids some pocket money. Or not. Something might be different, but the routine is important. Once you get the hang of it, it will come naturally. Start your day with familiar activities, that’s what it’s all about.
- First 15–20 minutes are crucial
Don’t think about work, tasks, bosses. Don’t do… anything, preferably. Maybe just important stuff. Like waking up and smelling the coffee.
- Don’t watch TV, listen to the radio
When watching TV, your brain is entering a phase similar to being asleep. It’s like a fog for your mind, making you more calm and docile. You don’t want that before entering the realm of high productivity and creativity ;) In 1969, a researcher named Herbert Krugman (later went on to become a high-ranking employee at General Electric), conducted a series of experiments proving that television is not exactly good for the brain.
Listening to the radio before work makes you relaxed, not calm. That’s the choice that can make or break your entire day.
A Good Work Day is About a Good Morning Extension
- Start your day with an important task
That will give you a sense of accomplishment. And get something big off your plate, by the way ;) You can work with a tool that can help you with lead generation.
- Don’t let anything and anyone ruin your day
Think about all the “hard work” that you did for yourself all morning. Don’t let anything and anyone ruin it, especially if it means your success. Concentrate on your tasks and work with your team without letting it bring you down.
Summary
A good day begins with a good morning. It sets you up for success and it would be a waste to let it pass you by. Take control. Let go at the same time. Simply relax!
