WholeLife Matrix: Personal Awareness / Self

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Morning is the best time of the day for most of us.  It is when we have the most energy, ability to concentrate, and the best mood.  Therefore, by using this time of the day wisely, we can maximize our productivity.  As the day goes on, we lose energy and focus.  Therefore, it is important to have a morning routine that helps us to make the most of our day.

Tackle The More Difficult Tasks First
Since we have the most energy and focus at the start of the day, it makes sense to tackle more difficult tasks first, which require more of our concentration and effort.  The easier tasks can be done later.  You will get difficult tasks done faster and better when your brain is functioning at its peak level.  You will also feel more of a sense of accomplishment if you complete two or three difficult tasks in the morning.

Email Can Wait
Many people start off their morning routine by reading and responding to emails.  This is not the best use of the morning time because it can distract you from the important tasks that you need to do that require more focus.  It is important to read emails and get back to people, but this should be done after you have accomplished a couple of important tasks.  As entrepreneur Tim Ferris says “Email can wait until 10:00.”  To avoid wasting time on constantly checking email, schedule times for viewing emails, such as 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 4:00 pm.

Avoid Multi-Tasking

Doing one task at a time has been found to be more productive than multitasking because it allows you to fully focus on that task, more efficiently organize your ideas, and let go of information you don’t need.  Doing one task at a time also makes it easier to switch between tasks.  Whenever possible, complete a task in one sitting so that you won’t need to go back to it again.  For example, writing a blog in one sitting is more efficient than writing a paragraph, then coming back to the blog again a few hours later to write another paragraph, then coming  back to it the next day to finish the blog.   To increase focus, also make sure you have a clean and clutter-free workspace.

Establish Goals for the Day

By establishing goals for the day, and prioritizing them based on importance and difficulty, you will know where to focus your time and energy and you will feel more in control of your day.  Your confidence will also increase as you check off important things on your list.  Pick a few goals for each day and arrange them into manageable steps.

You Need to Say No to Some Requests

Sometimes, you may be asked to make commitments that you cannot do because you already have a full schedule or perhaps the commitment would not really be a good fit for you.  By saying no in a firm but polite way, you can focus on successfully accomplishing the commitments you have already made.

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