Setting the stage for a successful day doesn’t usually happen by accident. Does life happen to you, or do you happen to life? What’s in your “Hour of Power?”
by Pete Ferguson
I found a great article shared on the LinkedIn homepage from Fast Company reminding me of the importance of how to start a day which also gave me some new insight.
I love taking control of my day by waking up early. M,T,F we get up at 4:45 to meet our friends at the gym and have our butts handed to us. Regardless of the day of the week, by 6:15 or so I’m reading, blogging, and studying. By 8:00 I’m headed to the shower and then whatever work may bring.
The idea of creating my ideal day, almost every day, has brought more enjoyment into life than anything else I’ve ever done. Going in reverse order when I get home adds a nice bonus. During the summer we’ve gone on walks or ran at the track in the evenings, some nights I can catch up on personal email and blog or read ahead.
Now that school has just started, evenings will take on their own persona of homework, school activities, projects, Scouts, etc.
From the Fast Company article:
Don’t Check Your Email for the First Hour. Seriously. Stop That. “Reading e-mails at home never feels good or productive,” says Tumblr founder David Karp. “If something urgently needs my attention, someone will call or text me.”
Gain Awareness, Be Grateful “[Think] of everything you’re grateful for: in yourself, among your family and friends, in your career, and the like. After that, visualize “everything you want in your life as if you had it today.” ~ Tony Robbins
Do the Big, Shoulder-Sagging Stuff First – Choose your “frog” and eat it first when you arrive at work or are done with the Hour of Power investment piece. According to Mark Twain, “if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you’ve got it behind you for the rest of the day, and nothing else looks so bad.” I hadn’t ever thought of getting the worst part of the day behind me first – but I will now.
Ask Yourself If You’re Doing What You Want to Do
Apple CEO Steve Jobs told a graduating class at Stanford:
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
“Customer Service” (or Your Own Equivalent) This is an investment in yourself and others. Reach out to a mentor, an old friend, someone in need. Help others and it takes the focus off you.
Help me fill in the “Learn & Act” and Share what you’ve found to start your day off right. I’m traveling today and I’ve got to run to the gym!
Credits:
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